Wikipedia:Main Page history/2016 July 31

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

The smooth toadfish (Tetractenos glaber) is a species in the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae. It is native to shallow coastal and estuarine waters of southeastern Australia, where it is widespread and abundant. French naturalist Christophe-Paulin de La Poix de Fréminville described the species in 1813, though early records confused it with what is now the only other member of its genus, the common toadfish (T. hamiltonii). Up to 16 cm (6 ¹⁄₄ in) long with distinctive leopard-like dark markings on its upperparts, the smooth toadfish has a flattened belly and an elongate body tapering to a slender tail. Its back and fins are rounded. Unlike most of its relatives, it does not have prominent spines on its body. Like other pufferfish, it can inflate itself with water or air. It forages for its preferred foods—molluscs and crustaceans—in sandy or muddy sediment. Often an unwanted catch by anglers, the smooth toadfish's flesh contains the poison tetrodotoxin, and eating it may result in death. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know...

Kielce Ghetto liquidation

... that 14-year-old Leon Śliwiński saved the life of 12-year-old David Friedman in the Kielce Ghetto (ghetto liquidation pictured) during the Holocaust in occupied Poland?
... that Esthela Ponce Beltrán was the first PRI municipal president of La Paz, Baja California Sur, elected in 12 years?
... that the Arauco Basin is an uplifted part of the continental shelf of Chile?
... that Rajendra Singh is the first Indian Coast Guard officer to be appointed Director General of the Indian Coast Guard?
... that at IWRG Junior de Juniors, ten second-generation professional wrestlers competed for the newly-created eponymous championship?
... that groups of silvery-throated jay roost communally at night, settling down with much chatter?
... that Love, Inc. was originally designed as a star vehicle for Shannen Doherty, before she was removed from the series at the request of United Paramount Network?

In the news

Solar Impulse 2

A hot air balloon catches fire and crashes near Lockhart, Texas, United States, killing 16 people.
Solar Impulse 2 (pictured) becomes the first solar-powered aircraft to circumnavigate the Earth, completing a 16-month voyage.
At least 19 people are killed and 26 others are injured in a stabbing incident at a disabled care home in Sagamihara, Japan.
In cycling, Chris Froome wins his third Tour de France title.
ISIL suicide bombers attack a peaceful protest in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing at least 80 people and injuring 260 others.

On this day...

July 31: Feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola; Ka Hae Hawai'i Day (Flag Day) in Hawaii

The Marquis de Lafayette

1423 – Hundred Years' War: The English and their Burgundian allies were victorious over the French at the Battle of Cravant near Auxerre, France.
1777 – The Second Continental Congress passed a resolution allowing French nobleman the Marquis de Lafayette (pictured) to enter the American revolutionary forces as a Major General.
1941 – The Holocaust: Under instructions from Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring ordered SS General Reinhard Heydrich to handle "the final solution of the Jewish question".
1991 – The Soviet Union and the United States signed the bilateral START I treaty, the largest and most complex arms control treaty in history, which eventually removed 80% of all strategic nuclear weapons then in existence.
2006 – Following intestinal surgery, Fidel Castro provisionally transferred the duties of the Cuban presidency to his brother Raúl.

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

A mountain massif on Flakstadøya Island overlooking Norwegian County Road 807 to Nusfjord, Lofoten, Nordland, as seen in September 2010. On either side of the road, coastal conifer forests can be seen.

Photograph: Simo Räsänen

Recently featured:

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.