Jump to content

Wikipedia:Main Page history/2015 August 21

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Welcome to Wikipedia,
4,949,178 articles in English

From today's featured article

Seorsumuscardinus, a genus of European dormice identified by fossils, lived around 17 million years ago during the early Miocene. Fossils from one species, S. alpinus, have been taken from rock strata in Oberdorf am Hochegg in Austria, Karydia in Greece, and Tägernaustrasse in Switzerland. A second species, S. bolligeri, was found at a single site in Affalterbach, Germany. Identified from many isolated teeth, both species were medium-sized dormice, with flat teeth characterized by long transverse crests coupled with shorter ones. Seorsumuscardinus may be related to Muscardinus, the genus of the living hazel dormouse, which appears in the fossil record at about the same time, and the older Glirudinus. Because the two known species lived at different times, the paleontologist Jerome Prieto has suggested that the genus may be useful for biostratigraphy, the use of fossils to determine the age of deposits. (Full article...)

Did you know...

Sepia dun winged adult
Sepia dun winged adult

In the news

Jason Day in 2011
Jason Day

On this day...

August 21: Youth Day and King Mohammed's Birthday in Morocco; Ninoy Aquino Day in the Philippines

Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln
Stephen A. Douglas
Douglas
2010 Winter Olympics women's super-G alpine skiing medalists
2010 Winter Olympics women's super-G alpine skiing medalists

Medals were won by 450 individual athletes at the 2010 Winter Olympics, which were held in Vancouver, Canada, from February 12 to February 28, 2010. A total of 2,632 athletes representing 82 National Olympic Committees participated in these Games. Medal winners came from 26 countries; 19 of those countries won at least one gold. Canada won its first gold medal at an Olympic Games it hosted, having failed to do so at both the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Canada finished first in gold medal wins and became the first host nation since Norway in 1952 to lead the gold medal count, with 14. Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen was the most successful athlete, winning three gold, one silver and one bronze medal, and became the ninth Winter Olympian to win five medals at one edition of the Games. Chinese short-track speed skater Wang Meng also won three gold medals. (Full list...)

Fractional currency

A first-issue 5¢ ($0.05) note of fractional currency, depicting Thomas Jefferson on the obverse. Issued between 21 August 1862 and 27 May 1863 in response to a shortage of coins owing to the American Civil War, this first issue was based on Treasurer of the United States Francis E. Spinner's handmade examples of a currency based on postage stamps and released in denominations of 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, and 50¢. Though not legal tender, postage currency could be exchanged for United States Notes in $5 lots and was receivable in payment of all dues to the United States, up to $5. Four more subsequent issues followed before fractional currency was discontinued in 1876.

Other denominations: 10¢, 25¢, 50¢

Banknote: National Banknote Company & the Treasury Department (image courtesy of the National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History)

Other areas of Wikipedia

  • Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
  • Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
  • Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
  • Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
  • Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other projects: