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Igor Judge, Baron Judge, a British judge

Nominative determinism is the hypothesis that people are drawn to professions that fit their name. The term was first used in the magazine New Scientist in 1994, after its humorous Feedback column mentioned a book on polar explorations by Daniel Snowman and an article on urology by researchers named Splatt and Weedon. The hypothesis had been suggested by psychologist Carl Jung, citing as an example Sigmund Freud (German for 'joy'), who studied pleasure. A few recent empirical studies have indicated that certain professions are disproportionately represented by people with appropriate surnames, though the methods of these studies have been challenged. One explanation for nominative determinism is the theory of implicit egotism, which states that humans have an unconscious preference for things they associate with themselves. An alternative explanation is genetic: an ancestor might have been named Smith or Taylor according to their occupation, and the genes they passed down might correlate to aptitudes for those professions. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

Mendel Catholic High School

... that Mendel Catholic High School (pictured) raised $15 million through hosting weekly house dances from 1975?
... that singer Karin Ann made headlines after performing live on Polish state television wrapped in a rainbow flag?
... that voters approved a 600-percent increase in property taxes to fund programs at Valley Medical Center?
... that the Diocese of Poreč and Pula was nearly bankrupted over a dispute with the Italian Benedictines, a case that Dražen Kutleša is credited with quietly resolving?
... that the Dutch government considered converting the incomplete Java-class cruisers into English Channel ferries?
... that Jack Reardon received a heart transplant while serving as the mayor of Kansas City?
... that the symbol for equality in mathematics was not used for 61 years after its introduction, and was later popularized by Isaac Newton?
... that stand-up comedian Dustin Nickerson has said that his children have veto power over any jokes he might tell about them?
... that Saint-Saëns's Phaéton was described by a critic after its premiere as "the noise of a hack coming down from Montmartre"?

In the news (For today)

Trifid and Lagoon nebulae

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile releases the first light images (example shown) from its new 8.4-meter (28 ft) telescope.
In basketball, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the Indiana Pacers to win the NBA Finals.
An attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, kills at least 25 people.
The United States conducts military strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran.
In rugby union, the Crusaders defeat the Chiefs to win the Super Rugby Pacific final.

On the next day

June 27: Helen Keller Day in the United States

Depiction of Pope Agatho

678 – Pope Agatho (depicted), later venerated as a saint in both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, began his pontificate.
1800 – War of the Second Coalition: French forces won a victory at the Battle of Neuburg, ending Austrian control over the River Danube.
1905 – First Russian Revolution: The crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin began a mutiny against their officers.
1950 – Korean War: Five North Korean aircrafts attacked an American air convoy above Suwon Air Base in the first air engagement of the Korean War.
2015 – Ignition of corn starch caused a dust fire at a water park in New Taipei City, Taiwan, killing 12 people and injuring more than 400 others.

Wilhelmina FitzClarence, Countess of Munster (b. 1830)
Frank Rattray Lillie (b. 1870)
Harry Pollitt (d. 1960)
Nico Rosberg (b. 1985)

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2024 variant of the Men's T20 World Cup logo

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup, formerly the ICC World Twenty20, is a biennial world cup for cricket in the Twenty20 International (T20I) format, organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was held in every odd year from 2007 to 2009, and since 2010 has been held in every even year with the exception of 2018 and 2020. In 2018, the tournament was rebranded from the World Twenty20 to the Men's T20 World Cup. As of the 2024 tournament, twenty-four nations have played in the T20 World Cup. Nine teams have competed in every tournament, six of which have won the title. The West Indies, England and India have won the title twice each, while Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia have won the title once each. Sri Lanka, England, Pakistan and India have each made three final appearances, while Pakistan have also made six semi-final appearances. The best result by a non-Test playing nation is the second round appearance by the United States in 2024, while the worst result by a Test playing nation is the second round appearance by Zimbabwe in 2022. (Full list...)

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Whitehead's trogon (Harpactes whiteheadi) is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is endemic to the island of Borneo, where it is an uncommon resident in primary mountain forest. One of Borneo's largest trogons, at 29 to 33 centimetres (11 to 13 inches) long, it is sexually dimorphic. The male is crimson on the head, nape, and underparts, with a black throat and grey chest; the rest of its upperparts are cinnamon-coloured. The female is similarly patterned, but cinnamon-brown where the male is scarlet. The species is primarily an insectivore, but also eats various plant materials, including fruits and seeds. Other than the timing of its breeding, typically between April and June, little is known about its breeding biology. It is classified as a near-threatened species, with population numbers thought to be declining and habitat loss a key threat. This male Whitehead's trogon was photographed perching on a branch near Mount Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah.

Photograph credit: John Harrison

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