NEWFOD (Northeastern Wisconsin Friends of the Doctor)      A DOCTOR WHO Sci-Fi-Fantasy Club

SOME NEWS ITEMS found in our newsletter, The Tales of Rassilon.   Published since Nov. 1983  Issues are printed the 15th of each odd numbered month (6 issues / year). Member ship is $8.00/individual of $10.00/family.  Send check or money order to NEWFOD, P.O.Box 112, Rothschild, WI 54474-0112

NEWS ITEMS

 DOCTOR WHO  <> the 2026 doctor Who Christmas special has been canceled. ⊚ 13 seasons of Doctor Who have just been confirmed to be aired on AMC streaming. This does not include the Disney programs. ⊚ The latest instalment in the Black Archive series from Obverse Books looks at the 2013 docudrama based on the creation of Doctor Who, 'An Adventure in Space and Time'. In 1966, William Hartnell is about to record his final scenes as Doctor Who. Having helped establish the series as a smash hit for the BBC, he is not keen to go, but ill health means he simply can’t continue. Tracing the story of the series creation from Sydney Newman’s first suggestion of a new science fiction series to Hartnell leaving the role behind. 'An Adventure in Space and Time' is available now in paperback and electronic formats, direct from Obverse Books and from selected online retailers. ⊚ Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker launches on June 25, 2026, kicking off a multi-platform adventure unfolding this summer across audio, publishing, gaming and digital, bringing fans together for one connected, must-follow Whoniverse event.⊚ Want to know more about The Cybermen? You can find out all things Cybermen including history, spaceships, weapons and more at https://thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/cybermen/ ⊚

SCIENCE NEWS  <> A rare 'shadow Zebra' with pseudomelanism was spotted in Kriger National Park showing a genetic twist that rewrites the classic black & white stripes. <> The Vibrant Gastro™ vibrating capsule, researched by Dr. Satish Rao at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, is an FDA-cleared, drug-free device for chronic constipation. Swallowed daily, it vibrates to stimulate the colon, increasing bowel movements and improving stool consistency with few side effects, offering a non-pharmacological alternative for patients.  <> A robot dog fitted with an ethanol sensor is being tested to detect leaks in whisky barrels in warehouses in the Scottish highlands whisky vaults. The vaults contain as much as 25,000 ageing barrels each there for as long as 12 years. The 'dog' can only sniff the bottom layers. A drone or spider robot is being planned. <> <> Because of the industrial revolution, sea water is 40% more acid than it was. In an experiment to see if this can be corrected, scientists dumped 16,200 gallons of lye into the Atlantic to see if it would change the PH. They say it temporarily changed the PH without harming the wildlife. <> The Netherlands have built an island that does nothing except turn wind into clean hydrogen fuel. The NortH2 offshore hydrogen platform sits 200 kilometers from the Dutch coast. <> 97% of all species on earth have been exterminated. The last extermination event was when the dinosaurs disapeared.

ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS  <> Microscopic samples from fossilized skin of sauropod dinosaurs (long necked herbivores) when scanned with an electron microscope show structures that show that the skin pigments may have been varied and colorful. <> Mata Plya in Egypt is the oldest stone circle currently known to exhist. <>Archaeologists from the Black Sea Maritime Archaeological Project just mapped a 9,000-year-old port city preserved perfectly at 120 meters depth beneath the Black Sea, complete with harbor structures, warehouse foundations, and boat moorings that existed 4,000 years before Egypt built its first pyramid. <> Ancient Roman and Greek statues may have been drenched in perfume. It was believed the gods had a distinctive odor that was atractive and devine. <> The world’s oldest sword, a remarkable 5,000-year-old artifact, was recently found in a Venetian monastery. Crafted from arsenical copper, this sword predates genuine bronze and was misidentified until a perceptive graduate student discovered its significance. <> Amateur divers, exploring for leisure, recently discovered one of the largest hoards of Roman gold coins ever found in Europe. Hidden for roughly 1,500 years, the hoard includes hundreds of coins, showcasing the artistry, economy, and reach of the Roman Empire.

ASTRONOMY NEWS <> Voyager 1 is a fading nuclear heart. Now over 15 billion miles from Earth, it drifts in silence as its power slowly dies, racing through interstellar space at 38,000 miles per hour. Long after Earth is gone and humanity has vanished, it will still be there… drifting through the infinite void, carrying a golden record, a fragile echo of a civilization destined to fade. <> 170,000-Year-Old Comet Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) is made a rare, once-in-a-lifetime journey through our inner solar system for the first time since the Stone Age. On April 26–27, the comet reached its closest approach of Earth! It won't be back for another 170,000 years <> NASA’s Juno spacecraft, flying only about 19,900 miles above Jupiter’s cloud tops, captured a strange green flash glowing from deep inside a giant storm near Jupiter’s north pole, and scientists believe it may be a rare kind of lightning unlike anything we see on Earth. <> Astronomers have spotted a Jupiter sized planet shaped like a lemon. It has an eight hour orbit around a pulsar with a helium/carbon atmosphere with soot clouds that rain diamonds.

MISC. ITEMS  <> HBO-Max is producing a new "Harry Potter and the Philisopher's Stone" for release on Christmas 2026. Currently streaming on the channel is "Finding Harry Potter" a documentary of this upcoming film. <> Skydance Media and Paramount Global completed an $8.4 billion merger,creating a new entertainment giant under CEO David Ellison, with Class B shares trading under "PSKY". The deal, which finalized after significant regulatory and shareholder scrutiny, aims to blend Skydance's technology with Paramount’s content library The new entity promised a significant boost in theatrical output, targeting 15 movies in 2026. The company is focusing on leveraging $6 billion in synergies, which includes anticipated layoffs from "duplicative operations". Reports indicate the new Paramount is exploring further expansion, including potential moves to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery to compete in the streaming space. <>The Highland Green "Bullitt Mustang" driven by Steve McQueen was sold at auction for $3.4 million. The iconic 1968 Ford Mustang GT driven by Steve McQueen in the film Bullitt sold for a record-breaking $3.74 million (including buyer's premium) on January 10, 2020, at the Mecum Kissimmee auction. The car, known as the "hero" vehicle, was owned by the Kiernan family since 1974 before its sale The hammer price was $3.4 million, reaching $3.74 million with fees. It was sold in largely original, unrestored condition (the "scars" from filming) The late Robert Kiernan bought it for roughly $3,500 in 1974. <> The earliest surviving motion-picture film is the 2-second "Roundhay Garden Scene," filmed by Louis Le Prince on October 14, 1888, in Leeds, England. It features4 people walking in a garden and pre-dates Thomas Edison’s work. While not a narrative film, it is recognized as the oldest surviving celluloid moving image. <> Based on estimated financial losses, the biggest box-office flop in movie history is generally considered to be Disney's John Carter (2012), which lost roughly $200–$255 million. <>

NEWS OF THE WEIRD  <>  <> A lost 5 foot tall stork is touring eastern Wisconsin. Not normally found in these parts, scientists say they would like to capture it before it injures someone. <>On average, the US sees over 100 tornados a year. <> <>Just outside San Antonio, Texas, scientists have stumbled upon a rare hybrid bird, born from the unlikely union of a blue jay and a green jay. This event marks the first known instance of interbreeding between these two species. The hybrid known affectionately as the "grue jay." It wears the cool blue plumage and crisp white chest of a blue jay, while bearing the bold black facial markings and distinctive vocalizations of a green jay. Genetic analysis later confirmed a female green jay and a male blue jay. <>  <> 300 professional goats have been deployed in San Diego to clear dry, wildfire-prone vegetation These official Fire Safety Goats take their jobs seriously, and their human fire chief calls their work "phenomenal. <> <>Herring can squeeze their swim bladders and blurt out bubbles through their anal duct. For years the Sweedish for years in the 90's thought they were Russian submarines. Hering are the only fish that can fart. <> 

OBITUARIES

<> Lou Zocchi, 91, the inventor of the 100-sided die has passed away. He was a distributor, publisher, designer, and maker of dice. He was elected to the Charles Roberts Awards Hall of Fame in 1986.

<> Jill Curzon, 87, 1938 - April 2026 at her home in Spain. She played Louise in the 1966 Doctor Who spin-off Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD and in The Saint. Roberta Tovey, who played Susan still remains from this movie.

<> Chuck Norris, Legendary actor and world-renowned martial artist died age 86, Mar.10,1940-Mar.19,2026 following a sudden medical emergency. He was at his home on the island of Kauai after celebrating his birthday earlier in the month. Chuck Norris was once in a car accident and broke both of his legs... He still managed to walk it off. He was best known for 'Walker, Texas Ranger'.

<> Nicholas Brendon, 54, April 12,1971 - March 20, 2026 was best known as Xander Harris in TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and Kevin Lynch in "Criminal Minds," He died in his sleep of natural causes at the age of 54. He played Xander in all but one of the show's 144 episodes over seven seasons.

<> Dave Mason, 79, April 19, 2026 He was the co-founder and guitarist who wrote the classic rock standard "Feelin' Alright?," After cooking an amazing dinner with his beloved wife Winifred, he sat down to take a nap. He passed away peacefully, in his favorite chair.

CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS

July 2-5, 2026 Anthrocon 2026 -David L Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA. - Pittsburgh’s premier furry convention. www.anthrocon.org

July 2-5, 2026 CONvergence 2026 – The Geek in the Machine. Hyatt Regency,Minneapolis, MN An annual convention for fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy in all media. Guests include Christine Galey, Arif Kinchen , etc. www.convergence-con.org

July 10-12, 2026 Fanboy Expo Knoxville – Knoxville Convention Center, Knoxville, TN. Guests include Ron Perlman, Heather Locklear, Dr. Quinn Duo, Linda Hamilton, etc. https://fanboyexpo.com/Knoxville/

July 10-12, 2026 – Kitsunekon 2026 – KI Convention Center, Green Bay, WI. Anime and gaming awesomeness. Guests include Justin Cook, Daman Mills, Morgan Berry, etc. https://kitsunekon.com/

July 10-12, 2026 - Florida Supercon - Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, FL. Three Day Pulp Culture Con. Guests Include James Maslow, Vincent D’Onofrio, Paige O’Hara, Rosario Dawson, etc. www.floridasupercon.com

July 11, 2026, Central WI Hobby Festival & Card Show, Mosinee, WI hockey Rink. Pokemon & Sports card, crafters, voice actors, illustration artist, dunk house, food, Free admission

July 30 – Aug 2, 2026 - Gen Con Indy 2026 – Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN. The best four days in gaming. Including True Dragon. www.gencon.com