December 24

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Better Than News

  • Harry Potter and the Tower of Nakatomi is a 1988 American Christmas fantasy action film about a young wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) who is caught up in the takeover of a Los Angeles skyscraper by the ruthless Professor Snape (Alan Rickman).

    Harry Potter and the Tower of Nakatomi is a 1988 American Christmas fantasy action film about a young wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) who is caught up in the takeover of a Los Angeles skyscraper by the ruthless Professor Snape (Alan Rickman).

  • How The Mask Stole Christmas is an American superhero Christmas comedy film about a mischievous, solitary creature who thwarts corporate Christmas plans by stealing Christmas gifts and decorations from manufacturers before they can be shipped to retailers.

    How The Mask Stole Christmas is an American superhero Christmas comedy film about a mischievous, solitary creature who thwarts corporate Christmas plans by stealing Christmas gifts and decorations from manufacturers before they can be shipped to retailers.

  • Saw: Home Alone is an American Christmas comedy horror film written by James Wan and John Hughes, and starring Macaulay Culkin and Cary Elwes.

    Saw: Home Alone is an American Christmas comedy horror film written by James Wan and John Hughes, and starring Macaulay Culkin and Cary Elwes.

  • "My Good Vibrations" is a song by the Beach Boys and The Who.

    "My Good Vibrations" is a song by the Beach Boys and The Who.

  • The Oort Patrol is an American action-astronomy television series about the exploits of four Allied astronauts — three Americans and one British — who are part of a long-range exoplanetary patrol group in the Oort Cloud campaign during World War II.

    The Oort Patrol is an American action-astronomy television series about the exploits of four Allied astronauts — three Americans and one British — who are part of a long-range exoplanetary patrol group in the Oort Cloud campaign during World War II.

  • The Salem orb trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of Orbcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693.

    The Salem orb trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of Orbcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693.

  • Lux Fiat is a Vatican-Italian automobile manufacturer.

    Lux Fiat is a Vatican-Italian automobile manufacturer.

  • The Alien Team is an American science fiction action-horror television series about six former members of a fictitious United Humans Army Special Forces unit working as soldiers of fortune aboard the commercial space tug Nostromo.

    The Alien Team is an American science fiction action-horror television series about six former members of a fictitious United Humans Army Special Forces unit working as soldiers of fortune aboard the commercial space tug Nostromo.

  • Neilly Dan was an American jazz-rock-country band comprising Neil Young, Walter Becker, and Donald Fagen.

    Neilly Dan was an American jazz-rock-country band comprising Neil Young, Walter Becker, and Donald Fagen.

  • Behold the Mineral is a 1969 religious geological science fiction novel by British geologist Michael Moorcock.

    Behold the Mineral is a 1969 religious geological science fiction novel by British geologist Michael Moorcock.

Beyond Plausible

  • Smilodon is a 2018 American nature thriller film about a paleontologist (Tom Cruise) who must stop saber-tooth tigers from evolving teeth so large that they cannot close their mouths.

    Smilodon is a 2018 American nature thriller film about a paleontologist (Tom Cruise) who must stop saber-tooth tigers from evolving teeth so large that they cannot close their mouths.

  • The Starlet Empress is a 1934 American historical drama film starring Catherine the Great as film star Marlene Dietrich.

    The Starlet Empress is a 1934 American historical drama film starring Catherine the Great as film star Marlene Dietrich.

  • The Divine Invasion 2 is a 2022 science fiction theology film based on the novel of the same name by Philip K. Dick.

    The Divine Invasion 2 is a 2022 science fiction theology film based on the novel of the same name by Philip K. Dick.

In Other Words

Are You Sure

• ... that mathematician Johann Benedict Listing (25 July 1808 – 24 December 1882) introduced the term "topology" in a famous article published in 1847, having already used the term in correspondence some years earlier?

• ... that Vera Rubin's's computation of Santa Claus' flight path unexpectedly revealed a new Gnomon algorithm function which computes the brightness of Rudolph the Reindeer's red nose?

Selected Anniversaries

  • 1473: Priest, philosopher, physicist, and theologian John Cantius dies. He helped develop Jean Buridan's theory of impetus, anticipating the work of Galileo and Newton.

    1473: Priest, philosopher, physicist, and theologian John Cantius dies. He helped develop Jean Buridan's theory of impetus, anticipating the work of Galileo and Newton.

  • 1761: Astronomer Jean-Louis Pons born. He will become the greatest visual comet discoverer of all time: between 1801 and 1827, Pons will discover thirty-seven comets, more than any other person in history.

    1761: Astronomer Jean-Louis Pons born. He will become the greatest visual comet discoverer of all time: between 1801 and 1827, Pons will discover thirty-seven comets, more than any other person in history.

  • 1818: Physicist and brewer James Prescott Joule born. He will study the nature of heat, and discover its relationship to mechanical work.

    1818: Physicist and brewer James Prescott Joule born. He will study the nature of heat, and discover its relationship to mechanical work.

  • 1822: Mathematician Charles Hermite born. He will do research on number theory, quadratic forms, invariant theory, orthogonal polynomials, elliptic functions, and algebra.

    1822: Mathematician Charles Hermite born. He will do research on number theory, quadratic forms, invariant theory, orthogonal polynomials, elliptic functions, and algebra.

  • 1877: Thomas Edison files for a patent on the phonograph. The idea came to him while working on a telegraph transmitter, when he noticed that when the tape of the machine was played at high speed, it gave off a noise resembling spoken words. After experimenting with a needle attached to the diaphragm of a telephone receiver to prick paper tape to record a message, his idea evolved to using a stylus on a tinfoil cylinder.

    1877: Thomas Edison files for a patent on the phonograph. The idea came to him while working on a telegraph transmitter, when he noticed that when the tape of the machine was played at high speed, it gave off a noise resembling spoken words. After experimenting with a needle attached to the diaphragm of a telephone receiver to prick paper tape to record a message, his idea evolved to using a stylus on a tinfoil cylinder.

  • 1882: Mathematician Johann Benedict Listing dies. He introduced the term "topology" in a famous article published in 1847, having already used the term in correspondence some years earlier.

    1882: Mathematician Johann Benedict Listing dies. He introduced the term "topology" in a famous article published in 1847, having already used the term in correspondence some years earlier.

  • 1905: Businessman, investor, aviator, film director, and philanthropist Howard Hughes born. He will be known during his lifetime as one of the most financially successful individuals in the world.

    1905: Businessman, investor, aviator, film director, and philanthropist Howard Hughes born. He will be known during his lifetime as one of the most financially successful individuals in the world.

  • 1906: Inventor Reginald Fessenden transmits the first radio broadcast; consisting of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech.

    1906: Inventor Reginald Fessenden transmits the first radio broadcast; consisting of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech.

  • 1917: Politician Ivan Goremykin dies. He is remembered for his Extreme Moustaches.

    1917: Politician Ivan Goremykin dies. He is remembered for his Extreme Moustaches.

  • 1962: Mathematician Wilhelm Ackermann dies. He discovered the Ackermann function, an important example in the theory of computation.

    1962: Mathematician Wilhelm Ackermann dies. He discovered the Ackermann function, an important example in the theory of computation.

Topic of the Day

Santa Claus

  • I wish you well on Christmas Eve. —Karl "Santa" Jones.

    I wish you well on Christmas Eve. —Karl "Santa" Jones.

  • Bald Santa is a 2003 Christmas crime drama film about a New York police detective (Telly Savalas) who goes undercover as a department store Santa Claus in order to flush out a ruthless shoplifter (Billy Bob Thornton).

    Bald Santa is a 2003 Christmas crime drama film about a New York police detective (Telly Savalas) who goes undercover as a department store Santa Claus in order to flush out a ruthless shoplifter (Billy Bob Thornton).

  • Sativa Claus, also known as Father Weed, Saint Highness, Saint Herb, Kris Kannabis, or simply Sativa, is a legendary plant originating in Western Christian culture which is said to bring gifts on Christmas Eve of dried flower buds and edibles to well-behaved adults, and either coal tar or nothing to naughty adults. He is said to accomplish this with the aid of Christmas elves, who grow the plants in his greenhouse at the North Pole, and flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.

    Sativa Claus, also known as Father Weed, Saint Highness, Saint Herb, Kris Kannabis, or simply Sativa, is a legendary plant originating in Western Christian culture which is said to bring gifts on Christmas Eve of dried flower buds and edibles to well-behaved adults, and either coal tar or nothing to naughty adults. He is said to accomplish this with the aid of Christmas elves, who grow the plants in his greenhouse at the North Pole, and flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.

  • On Her Majesty's Secret Santa is a 1969 spy film about the grinch Blofeld (Telly Savalas), who threatens to destroy the world's entire stockpile of Christmas presents.

    On Her Majesty's Secret Santa is a 1969 spy film about the grinch Blofeld (Telly Savalas), who threatens to destroy the world's entire stockpile of Christmas presents.

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