The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest living species of lizard in the entire world, and while the large size of this reptile has often been attributed to island gigantism some research has suggested that varanid lizards gained large size relatively early on in their evolutionary history (see Gould and MacFadden 2004). Komodo dragons are normally featured on nature documentaries, but in 2001 one particular dragon made the headlines because it bit the foot of Phil Bronstein, husband of actress Sharon Stone and San Francisco Chronicle Executive Editor, when Bronstein was invited into the cage of a the large lizard at the Los Angeles zoo.
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Chess Life is reporting that David Bronstein has died of unknown cuases at the age of 82.
Here's an encouraging story:
Guest Blog: Why Is Quantum Gravity So Hard? And Why Did Stalin Execute the Man Who Pioneered the Subject?
The big science-and-religion issue of the week has been Expelled, which The AV Club gave an F, writing:
"I believe they're of the lizard family, aren't they, Doctor?"
http://rf1.streamguys.net/content/br_nts.m3u