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Wikipedia:Today's featured article/May 2025

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May 1

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that examines the nature, origin, and limits of knowledge. It investigates various types of knowledge, including theoretical and practical knowledge, and related concepts, such as belief, truth, and justification. Epistemologists distinguish different sources of knowledge, ranging from perception and introspection to memory, reason, and testimony. The schools of skepticism and fallibilism question the existence and certainty of knowledge, while empiricism and rationalism debate whether all knowledge stems from sense experience. Theories discussing the nature and role of justification include foundationalism, coherentism, internalism, and externalism. Separate branches of epistemology focus on knowledge in specific fields, such as scientific, mathematical, moral, and religious knowledge. Other branches are characterized by the aspects of knowledge they investigate or the research methodologies they use. Early reflections on the nature, sources, and scope of knowledge are found in ancient Greek, Indian, and Chinese philosophy. (Full article...)


May 2

Margaret Sibella Brown (1866–1961) was a Canadian amateur bryologist specializing in species native to Nova Scotia. Early in her career she was involved with gathering sphagnum moss to be used as surgical dressings during World War I, when cotton was in short supply. After the war, she researched mosses from around the world, publishing papers on materials she had collected herself as well as cataloging samples collected by others; her collections are now housed at major herbaria in North America and Europe. Born into upper-class society, Brown was educated in Nova Scotia and abroad. Although lacking formal scientific training, she has been recognized for her contributions to bryology and as an authority on the mosses and liverworts of Nova Scotia. At the age of 84, Brown was awarded an honorary M.A. degree from Acadia University after declining their offer of a Ph.D. She died at her home in Halifax in 1961 aged 95. In 2010, she was inducted into the Nova Scotia Scientific Hall of Fame. (Full article...)


May 3

The final was held at De Kuip
The final was held at De Kuip

The 2015 KNVB Cup final was an association football match between PEC Zwolle and FC Groningen for the 97th KNVB Cup final, the Dutch Cup competition, played on 3 May 2015 at De Kuip in Rotterdam. PEC, the defending champions after their 5–1 victory over Ajax the previous year, were appearing in their fourth final. Groningen had reached the final once before, losing to PSV Eindhoven in 1989. PEC and Groningen entered the competition in the second round and progressed through five rounds to reach the final. Groningen scored 22 goals en route, the most of all teams during the Cup season. In front of over 46,000 spectators, the first half ended goalless. The Slovak Albert Rusnák scored twice halfway through the second half, leading Groningen to a 2–0 victory and their first major honour. By winning the KNVB Cup, Groningen qualified for the 2015 Johan Cruyff Shield and the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League group stage. (Full article...)


May 4

Hualca Hualca from the south
Hualca Hualca from the south

Hualca Hualca is a 6,025-metre-high (19,767 ft) extinct volcano in the Andes of southern Peru. It is part of the Peruvian segment of the Central Volcanic Zone, one of several volcanic belts in the Andes. It lies about 70 kilometres (43 mi) northwest of Arequipa and is part of a north–south chain that includes the volcanoes Ampato and Sabancaya, the last of which has been historically active. Hualca Hualca features a wide amphitheatre-like structure on the northern flank, which was created by a gigantic landslide during the Pleistocene. After the collapse, renewed volcanic activity built a new summit and several lava dome complexes within the collapse scar. After cessation of volcanic activity, glaciers eroded the volcano and formed multiple moraines. The present-day volcano is covered by glaciers, and during the Last Glacial Maximum, glaciers advanced to low altitudes. There are hot springs and geysers north of the mountain, and the magma chambers of Sabancaya are located below Hualca Hualca. (Full article...)


May 5

Music composer Yoko Shimomura
Music composer Yoko Shimomura

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a 2004 action role-playing game that was developed by Square Enix and Jupiter, and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive for the Game Boy Advance. Yoko Shimomura (pictured) composed the game's music. A direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts; it uses a new card-based battle system rather than its predecessor's real-time combat. The story follows Sora and his friends as they explore the Castle Oblivion while battling Organization XIII. It received positive reviews for its story, graphics, and full-motion videos but its battle system was criticized. It was remade for the PlayStation 2 as Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, which was packaged with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix which was then remastered in high definition and included in the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix collection, which was released in 2013 for the PlayStation 3, and later for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and personal computers. (Full article...)


May 6

William D. Leahy

William Daniel Leahy (6 May 1875 – 20 July 1959) was most senior United States military officer on active duty during World War II and the first to hold a five-star rank in the U.S. Armed Forces. An 1897 graduate of Annapolis, Leahy saw active service in the Spanish–American War, the Philippine–American War, the Boxer Rebellion in China, the Banana Wars in Central America, and World War I, and was Chief of Naval Operations from 1937 to 1939. After retiring from the Navy, he was appointed the governor of Puerto Rico. In his most controversial role, he served as the Ambassador to France from 1940 to 1942. He was recalled to active duty as the Chief of Staff to the President in 1942 and served in that capacity for the rest of the war. As the de facto first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he presided over the American delegation to the Combined Chiefs of Staff. He was a major decision-maker during the war and was second only to the President in authority and influence. (Full article...)


May 7

Pottery from Guandimiao
Pottery from Guandimiao

Guandimiao is a Chinese archaeological site in Xingyang, Henan. It is the site of a small Late Shang village, around a hundred inhabitants at its peak, occupied from c. 1250 to 1100 BCE. It likely exported ceramics and cattle, while importing mass produced goods such as arrowheads and hairpins from the Shang capital at Yinxu, 200 km (120 mi) to the north. The villagers practiced rituals such as pyromancy using locally-produced oracle bones and the sacrifice of cattle—as well as, more rarely, pigs and humans. Burials at the site have been noted for the almost complete absence of grave goods beyond occasional cowrie shells and sacrificed dogs. First excavated from 2006 to 2008 during preparations for the South–North Water Transfer Project, excavations have significantly broadened scholars' understanding of rural Shang economies and rituals, as well as the layout of rural villages, which have recieved relatively little attention in comparison to urban centers. (Full article...)


May 8

The United States Navy ferries troops across the Rhine at Oberwesel.
The United States Navy ferries troops across the Rhine at Oberwesel.

American logistics in the Western Allied invasion of Germany supported operations in Northwest Europe during the World War II from January 1945 until the end of the war in Europe on 8 May. The Allies had to advance across the Rhineland, which was in the grip of thaws, rains and floods. They were then confronted by the Rhine, the most formidable barrier to the Allied advance since the English Channel. The river was crossed and bridged, and railways and pipelines were run across it. Most supplies were delivered by rail. In the final advance into the heart of Germany, combat losses and ammunition expenditure declined, while shortages of fuel and spare parts developed, as was to be expected in fast-moving mobile operations. The railheads were pushed forward, with the rehabilitation of the network keeping pace with the advance, while the Motor Transport Service organized an express service that moved supplies from the railheads to the forward units. (Full article...)


May 9

Bartlett's rātā

Metrosideros bartlettii, commonly known as Bartlett's rātā, is a rare species of tree in the family Myrtaceae. It is only found in three patches of dense forest remnants near Piwhane / Spirits Bay in New Zealand's North Island. It reaches a height of up to 30 metres (100 feet) with a trunk diameter of 1–1.5 m. The species is classified in the subgenus Metrosideros and is known for its distinct whitish, paper-like bark and small white-coloured flowers. Bartlett's rātā was accidentally discovered in 1975 by John Bartlett near Cape Reinga and was first described by John Dawson in 1985. Bartlett's rātā typically begins life growing on another plant, inhabits lowland forests, and grows near wet areas. A 2018 article documented 13 adult trees in the wild, down from 31 in 2000. Its decline has been attributed to land use changes and the introduction of common brushtail possums. In 2013, its conservation status on the IUCN Red List was "Critically Endangered", and its population trend was "Decreasing". (Full article...)


May 10

2017 Model S
2017 Model S

The Tesla Model S is a battery-electric, four-door full-size car, produced by Tesla since 2012. Tesla began developing the Model S around 2007. To produce the Model S, Tesla acquired a facility in Fremont, California; mass production of the car began there in June 2012. Tesla carried out final assembly for European markets at its facilities in Tilburg, the Netherlands, between 2013 and 2021. Changes to the car have included the introduction of Tesla Autopilot—a partial vehicle automation advanced driver-assistance system, released in 2015. That year, the Model S was the world's best-selling plug-in electric vehicle. It has been the subject of multiple fires, the first in 2013. The car has received accolades and commendations, including being named one of the Best 25 Inventions of the Year 2012 by Time and receiving the Tech Car of the Year for 2012 award from CNET, but also criticism from Road & Track magazine. To charge the Model S, Tesla operates a network of fast-charging stations. (Full article...)


May 11

Meghan Trainor
Meghan Trainor

"Mother" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor (pictured) from the deluxe edition of her fifth major-label studio album, Takin' It Back (2022). She wrote the song with Sean Douglas, and its producers, Gian Stone and her brother Justin. Epic Records released it as the lead single on March 27, 2023. A pop song with doo-wop influences, it interpolates "Mr. Sandman". Inspired by men who said Trainor's pregnancy would end her career, the song is about women's empowerment; she asks the male subject to stop mansplaining and to listen to her. Critics were complimentary about the composition but criticized the use of the term "mother". The song reached the top 30 in Belgium, Ireland, Suriname, and the United Kingdom. Charm La'Donna directed the music video, which stars Kris Jenner; critics praised the fashion choices and described it as glamorous. Trainor performed the song on Today, Capital's Summertime Ball, and the Timeless Tour (2024). (This article is part of a featured topic: Takin' It Back.)


May 12

Ra enge, a Fijian noblewoman, tattooed with veiqia (hips, buttocks and upper thighs) and qia gusu (mouth)
Ra enge, a Fijian noblewoman, tattooed with veiqia (hips, buttocks and upper thighs) and qia gusu (mouth)

Veiqia is a female tattooing practice in Fiji. The term refers to both the practice and to the tattoos. Women or adolescent girls who have reached puberty may be tattooed in the groin and buttocks area by older female tattooing specialists called dauveiqia or daubati. The practice was common prior to the arrival in the 1830s of Christian missionaries who discouraged it, but it was revived in the twenty-first century. In Fijian culture, the tattoos were considered to heighten a women's beauty and could be an important factor that enabled her to marry. Receiving veiqia was highly ritualised, with many regional variations. Preparation for the process could include abstinence from food or from sexual relations, or inducing vomiting to purge the body. The process of tattooing was closely associated the gift of a young woman's first fringed skirt to wear once their veiqia was complete. Motifs for tattoos included turtles, wandering tattlers, pottery and basketwork. (Full article...)


May 13

A model of a Nasutoceratops skull
A model of a Nasutoceratops skull

Nasutoceratops is genus of ceratopsid dinosaur that lived in North America about 76.0–75.5 million years ago. The first known specimens were discovered in Utah in 2006. A subadult skull with a partial postcranial skeleton and rare skin impressions was made the holotype of the new genus and species Nasutoceratops titusi. It later featured in Jurassic World films. The holotype skull of Nasutoceratops is approximately 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long, and its body length has been estimated at 4.5 m (14.8 ft) and its weight at 1.5 t (1.7 short tons). Its brow horns are notable for pointing forward and being approximately 40% of total skull length. The functions of ceratopsian frills and horns have been debated, suggestions include signalling, combat, and species recognition; the forward oriented brow horns of Nasutoceratops may have enabled interlocking with opponents. During Nasutoceratops' lifetime its environment was dominated by wetlands supporting a diverse fauna, including other ceratopsians. (Full article...)


May 14

Marie Sophie Hingst (1987–2019) was a German historian and blogger who falsely claimed to be descended from Holocaust survivors. Born into a Protestant family, she fabricated a Jewish background and sent documentation for 22 misrepresented or non-existent relatives, who she claimed were Holocaust victims, to the official Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem. She maintained a blog about her supposed Jewish background, identity and experiences as a German expatriate in Ireland, where she moved in 2013. The blog received hundreds of thousands of views. Throughout her life, Hingst falsified much of her background, connections, and achievements. She used her fraudulent credentials to gain awards and recognition, and held positions of prestige in Jewish communities across Europe. In 2019 a journalist exposed her claims as false. She was castigated in the German media, destroying her reputation. Hingst committed suicide at the age of 31. Her fraud and death attracted attention across Europe. (Full article...)


May 15

The Merchant's House Museum is a historic house museum at 29 East Fourth Street in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The four-story edifice, built by the hatter Joseph Brewster between 1831 and 1832 as a speculative development, was sold in 1835 to the merchant Seabury Tredwell. It was the Tredwell family's residence for almost a century before becoming a museum in 1936. The structure remained in the family until the death of the youngest child in 1933. A distant relative purchased the building and transformed it into a museum. The museum is the only 19th-century residence in Manhattan with its original exterior and interior intact. The museum's collection has over 4,500 items owned by the Tredwell family, including pieces of furniture, clothing, household items, and personal items. The building's facade and interior are New York City designated landmarks, and the building is a National Historic Landmark. (Full article...)


May 16

iMac G4 with external peripherals
iMac G4 with external peripherals

The iMac G4 is an all-in-one personal computer produced by Apple Computer from January 2002 to August 2004. It comprises a hemispheric base that holds the computer components and a flatscreen liquid-crystal display (LCD) mounted above. The computer, first released in 1998, helped save Apple from bankruptcy. Development of the iMac G4 took roughly two years, with Apple's designers exploring multiple ways of marrying the display screen with the computer components. Its shape was inspired by a sunflower, with the display connected to the base via an adjustable stainless steel arm that allows the monitor to be freely tilted and swiveled. The product was a critical and commercial success for Apple, selling more than 1.3 million units in its first year, and it was updated with faster components and larger displays before being replaced by the iMac G5 in September 2004. The machine is held in the collections of multiple museums including the Museum of Modern Art and Museums Victoria. (Full article...)


May 17

George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence
George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence

On 18 February 1478, George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, was executed in the Tower of London following his conviction for high treason in parliament. He was probably drowned in a butt of malmsey, by order of his brother, King Edward IV. Relations between the brothers had been tempestuous for several years. In December 1476, Clarence's wife died following childbirth, as did their newly-born son. Historians have speculated that Clarence (pictured) became near deranged with grief, and came to imagine she had been poisoned. Next April he sent an armed force to arrest one of her ladies. A servant of Clarence's was accused of poisoning the new-born son; lady and servant were executed. The following month the King ordered an investigation into possible treason among some of Clarence's closest retainers. This resulted in the execution of two of the Duke's associates. Clarence publicly disputed the findings of the commission, and this, and other allegations, led to his own arrest and eventual execution. (Full article...)


May 18

Margaret Sanger and her sons
Margaret Sanger and her sons

Margaret Sanger was an American birth control activist, sex educator, and nurse. She opened the first birth control clinic in the United States, founded Planned Parenthood, and was instrumental in the development of the first birth control pill. She was an important first-wave feminist and believed that women should be able to decide if and when to have children. Sanger campaigned for the legalization of contraceptives by giving speeches, writing books, and breaking laws – leading to eight arrests. She endorsed both the Malthusianism and eugenics movements, believing they would generate support for birth control. She established a network of dozens of birth control clinics, which provided services to hundreds of thousands of patients. She discouraged abortion, and her clinics never offered abortion services during her lifetime. Her activism led to the Griswold v. Connecticut decision, which legalized contraception. (Full article...)


May 19

Malcolm X

Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American Muslim minister, public speaker, and human rights activist. To his admirers, he advocated for the rights of African Americans and indicted white America for their actions against black Americans. His detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. After living in foster homes, Malcolm X was involved in criminal activity in Boston and New York. In 1945, he was sentenced to prison where he became a member of the Nation of Islam. After his parole, he became one of the Nation's leaders, chief spokesmen, and their public face. Tension between Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, head of the Nation of Islam, led to Malcolm X's departure from the organization in March 1964. Afterwards, he became a Sunni Muslim and made a pilgrimage to Mecca. He founded Muslim Mosque, Inc., a religious organization, and the secular, black nationalist Organization of Afro-American Unity. He was assassinated while giving a speech in New York. (Full article...)


May 20

Cher in 2019
Cher in 2019

Cher (born 1946) is an American singer and actress. Dubbed the "Goddess of Pop", she gained fame in 1965 as part of the folk duo Sonny & Cher, early exponents of 1960s counterculture. She became a TV star in the 1970s, with The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and her solo show Cher drawing over 30 million viewers weekly, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 with narrative pop songs including "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" and "Half-Breed". Transitioning to film, she earned two Academy Awards nominations—for Silkwood (1983) and Moonstruck (1987), winning Best Actress for the latter—and received the Cannes Film Festival's Best Actress Award for Mask (1985). Her dance-pop comeback album Believe (1998) introduced the "Cher effect", a stylized use of Auto-Tune to distort vocals. Her 2002–2005 Farewell Tour grossed $250 million, the highest ever by a female artist at the time. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Cher is the only solo artist with Billboard number-one singles in seven decades. (Full article...)


May 21

The red-capped parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) is a species of broad-tailed parrot native to southwest Western Australia. Described by Heinrich Kuhl in 1820, it is classified in its own genus owing to its distinctive elongated beak. Its closest relative is the mulga parrot. It is not easily confused with other parrot species; both adult sexes have a bright crimson crown, green-yellow cheeks, and a distinctive long bill. The wings, back, and long tail are dark green, and the underparts are purple-blue. Found in woodland and open savanna country, the red-capped parrot consumes seeds (particularly of eucalypts), flowers, berries, and occasionally insects. Nesting takes place in tree hollows. Although the red-capped parrot has been shot as a pest and has been affected by land clearing, the population is growing and the species is not threatened. It has a reputation of being anxious and difficult to breed in captivity. (Full article...)

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May 22

Dracunculiasis, also called Guinea-worm disease, is a parasitic infection by the Guinea worm, Dracunculus medinensis. A person becomes infected by drinking water contaminated with Guinea-worm larvae, which penetrate the digestive tract and escape into the body. Around a year later, the adult female migrates to an exit site – usually the lower leg – and induces an intensely painful blister on the skin. Eventually, the blister bursts, creating a painful wound from which the worm gradually emerges over several weeks. The wound remains painful throughout the worm's emergence, disabling the affected person for the three to ten weeks it takes the worm to emerge. There is no medication to treat or prevent dracunculiasis. Instead, the mainstay of treatment is the careful wrapping of the emerging worm around a small stick or gauze to encourage and speed up its exit. A disease of extreme poverty, there were 14 cases reported worldwide in 2023, as efforts continue to eradicate it. (Full article...)

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May 23

Pound in 1918
Pound in 1918

Ezra Pound (30 October 1885 – 1 November 1972) was an American poet and critic, a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement, and a World War II collaboratorin Fascist Italy. His works include Ripostes (1912), Hugh Selwyn Mauberley (1920), and the epic poem The Cantos (c. 1917–1962). Pound helped shape the work of contemporaries such as H. D., Robert Frost, T. S. Eliot, Ernest Hemingway, and James Joyce. He moved to Italy in 1924, where he embraced Benito Mussolini's Italian fascism and supported Adolf Hitler. During World War II, Pound recorded hundreds of radio propaganda broadcasts attacking the United States, praising the Holocaust in Italy, and urging American soldiers to surrender. In 1945 Pound was captured and ruled mentally unfit to stand trial. While incarcerated for over 12 years at a psychiatric hospital his The Pisan Cantos (1948) was awarded the Bollingen Prize for Poetry causing enormous controversy. Released, in 1958 he returned, unrepentant, to Italy, where he died. (Full article...)


May 24

"Chinese character" written in traditional (left) and simplified (right) forms
"Chinese character" written in traditional (left) and simplified (right) forms

Chinese characters are logographs used to write the Chinese languages and others from regions influenced by Chinese culture. Over more than three millennia, the function, style, and means of writing characters have changed greatly. Unlike letters in alphabets that reflect the sounds of speech, Chinese characters generally represent morphemes, the units of meaning in a language. Writing all of the frequently used vocabulary in a language requires roughly 2000–3000 characters; as of 2024, nearly 100000 have been identified and included in The Unicode Standard. Characters are composed of strokes that are written in a fixed order. Historically, methods of writing characters include inscribing stone, bone, or bronze; brushing ink onto silk, bamboo, or paper; and printing with woodblocks or moveable type. More recent technologies using Chinese characters include telegraph codes and typewriters, as well as input methods and text encodings on computers. (Full article...)


May 25

Capturing a redoubt by throwing rocks
Capturing a redoubt by throwing rocks

In the Rhine campaign of 1796, two First Coalition armies under the overall command of Archduke Charles of Austria defeated two French Republican armies in the last campaign of the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. The French military intended to capture Vienna and force the Holy Roman Emperor to surrender. The French Army of Sambre and Meuse commanded by Jean-Baptiste Jourdan opposed the Austrian Army of the Lower Rhine in the north. The Army of the Rhine and Moselle, led by Jean Victor Marie Moreau, fought the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine in the south. At the Battle of Amberg on 24 August and the Battle of Würzburg on 3 September, Charles defeated Jourdan's northern army. During the winter the Austrians forced Moreau's army back to France. Despite Charles's success in the Rhineland, Austria lost the war when the French Army of Italy, commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte, advanced on Vienna, resulting in the Peace of Campo Formio. (Full article...) (Full article...)


May 26

An RATP Group electric Heuliez Bus shuttles athletes from the Olympic Village
An RATP Group electric Heuliez Bus shuttles athletes from the Olympic Village

Transportation during the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics constituted a major challenge for the organisers due to the scale of the event. Over €500 million was invested in improvements to transportation infrastructure for the games. A mobile app was developed to facilitate travel by offering a route calculator, and 5,000 agents were deployed at stations and bus stops to assist travellers. A goal of Paris 2024 was to halve the average carbon footprint of the London 2012 and Rio 2016 games. The organisers estimated that more than a third of the greenhouse gas emissions would be from the transport of athletes and spectators. All venues were made accessible by public transport and bicycle, with 415 kilometres (258 mi) of cycle paths created to link the venues and 27,000 bicycle racks installed. Public transport was extended and services increased. The goal was met, with an estimated 1.59 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which represented a 54.6% reduction. (Full article...)


May 27

The first UK Phantom on a test flight in 1968
The first UK Phantom on a test flight in 1968

From 1968 to 1992, the United Kingdom used the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II as one of its principal combat aircraft. The Phantom was procured to serve in both the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm and the Royal Air Force (RAF) in several different roles. Most Phantoms operated by the UK were built as a special batch containing a significant amount of British technology. Two variants were initially built: the F-4K was designed as a carrier-based air-defence interceptor for the Fleet Air Arm, while the F-4M was initially used by the RAF for tactical strike and reconnaissance, before transitioning to the air defence role in the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, a third Phantom variant was obtained when fifteen former US Navy F-4J aircraft were purchased to augment the UK's air defences. Although the Fleet Air Arm ceased using the Phantom in 1978, the RAF retained it until 1992, when it was withdrawn as part of a series of post-Cold War defence cuts. (Full article...)


May 28

Beach on Nosy Komba
Beach on Nosy Komba

Nosy Komba is a small volcanic island in Madagascar, situated between Nosy Be and the northwest coast of the main island. The lowlands of the island are divided between secondary forest and a patchwork of farmland and plantations (notably including shade-grown coffee), while the highlands are mainly scrubland, with a bamboo forest in the northern portions. Ampangorina is the main village and administrative center. The island attracts significant ecotourism, thanks in part to its black lemurs. During the early 1800s, the region was heavily settled by Sakalava refugees and their slaves fleeing the hegemony of the Merina. France gained control of the island in 1840 and converted it to a logistic center for the import of indentured servants. Although Nosy Komba hosts a traditionally protected forest and an arboretum established in the colonial era, protection for the latter is essentially unenforced, and illegal logging continues. Only small pockets of old-growth forest remain in remote areas. (Full article...)


May 29

Andrea Navagero

Andrea Navagero (1483–1529) was a Venetian diplomat and writer. He entered the Great Council of Venice at the age of twenty, five years younger than was normal at the time. He edited manuscripts at the Aldine Press, garnering a reputation as a scholar and a highly skilled writer. In 1515, he was appointed the official historian of the Republic of Venice as well as the caretaker of a library containing the collection of the scholar Bessarion. Navagero was named the Venetian ambassador to Spain in 1523 and navigated the volatile diplomatic climate caused by the conflict between Charles V of Spain and Francis I of France. By the time Navagero arrived back in Venice in 1528, he had grown disillusioned with politics and wished to return to editing manuscripts and cultivating his prized gardens. Much to his dismay, he was appointed ambassador to France in January 1529. After traveling to meet with Francis I, he fell ill and died that May. (Full article...)


May 30

GL Mk. II transmitter van
GL Mk. II transmitter van

Radar, Gun Laying, Mark I, or GL Mk. I for short, was an early World War II radar system developed by the British Army to provide information for anti-aircraft artillery. There were two upgrades, GL/EF (elevation finder) and GL Mk. II, both improving the ability to determine a target's bearing and elevation. GL refers to the radar's ability to direct the guns onto a target, known as gun laying. The first GL sets were developed in 1936 using separate transmitters and receivers mounted on gun carriages. Several were captured in 1940, leading the Germans to falsely believe that British radar was much less advanced than theirs. The GL/EF attachment provided bearing and elevation measurements accurate to about a degree: this caused the number of rounds needed to destroy an aircraft to fall to 4,100, a tenfold improvement over early-war results. The Mk. II, which was able to directly guide the guns, lowered the rounds-per-kill to 2,750. About 410 of the Mk. Is and 1,679 Mk. IIs were produced. (Full article...)


May 31

Members of the victorious Blondie crew
Members of the victorious Blondie crew

The Boat Race 2018 took place on 24 March. Held annually, The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge along a 4.2 mi (6.8 km) tidal stretch of the River Thames in south-west London, England. For the third time in the history of the event, the men's, the women's and both reserves' races were all held on the Tideway on the same day. The women's race saw Cambridge lead from the start, eventually winning by a considerable margin to take the overall record to 43–30 in their favour. In the women's reserve race, Cambridge's Blondie defeated Oxford's Osiris by nine lengths. The men's reserve race was won by Cambridge's Goldie, who defeated Oxford's Isis by a margin of four lengths. The men's race was the final event of the day and completed a whitewash as Cambridge won, taking the overall record to 83–80 in their favour. The races were watched by around a quarter of a million spectators live, and were broadcast around the world. (Full article...)