Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives

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Archives

Welcome to the Wikipedia Reference Desk Archives
This is an archive where you can browse all of the old questions and answers from the reference desk. Not all questions have been archived (nonsense and questions not meant for the reference desk have not been saved). Some of these pages are very large and may crash even high-end computers. We recommend you don't open many windows at the same time. If your question has been archived but you feel that it hasn't been adequately answered, ask your question again on the reference desk. Link to the archived discussion here and attempt to be clearer and provide more information in your new question.
Searching the archives
The best way to search the archives is probably to use our internal search engine via the box below. Alternatively, you may want to use an external search engine, such as Google, by using this search string for the post-October 2006 archives, and this search string for the pre-October 2006 archives. You can also browse manually by clicking on the links below. To see which of the archives are active, check the following pages with recent changes to the archives: Recent changes to the Computing archives Recent changes to the Science archives Recent changes to the Mathematics archives Recent changes to the Humanities archives Recent changes to the Language archives Recent changes to the Entertainment archives Recent changes to the Miscellaneous archives
For archivers
This archive is designed to be updated by a bot. If you notice any problems, please leave a note on the reference desk talk page.
An alternate index produced by Lua script tracks some additional details such as usernames of contributors. It is under development at Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Lua.

2024 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2023 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2022 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2021 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2020 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2019 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2018 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2017 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2016 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2015 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2014 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2013 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2012 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2011 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2010 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2009 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

2008 This is an archive of questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Science	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Mathematics	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Humanities	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Language	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Entertainment	January February March April May June July August September October November December
Miscellaneous	January February March April May June July August September October November December

October 2006 – December 2007 This is an archive of older questions archived in the `/Archives` subpages.
Computing	Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan 2007 Feb 2007 Mar 2007 Apr 2007 May 2007 Jun 2007 Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007
Science	Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan 2007 Feb 2007 Mar 2007 Apr 2007 May 2007 Jun 2007 Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007
Mathematics	Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan 2007 Feb 2007 Mar 2007 Apr 2007 May 2007 Jun 2007 Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007
Humanities	Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan 2007 Feb 2007 Mar 2007 Apr 2007 May 2007 Jun 2007 Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007
Language	Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan 2007 Feb 2007 Mar 2007 Apr 2007 May 2007 Jun 2007 Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007
Entertainment	Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan 2007 Feb 2007 Mar 2007 Apr 2007 May 2007 Jun 2007 Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007
Miscellaneous	Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan 2007 Feb 2007 Mar 2007 Apr 2007 May 2007 Jun 2007 Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007

August 2005 – October 2006 Answered questions from the newly split reference desk, originally archived in the `Wikipedia:Reference desk archive` project page.
Computing	Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 Jun Early Jul 2006 Aug 2006 September 2006 October 2006
Science	Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 Jun 2006 Jul 2006 Aug 2006 September 2006 October 2006
Mathematics	Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 Jun 2006 Jul 2006 Aug 2006 September 2006 October 2006
Humanities	Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 Jun 2006 Jul 2006 Aug 2006 September 2006 October 2006
Language	Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 Jun 2006 Jul 2006 Aug 2006 September 2006 October 2006
Miscellaneous	Aug 2005 Sep 2005 Oct 2005 Nov 2005 Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 Jun 2006 Jul 2006 Aug 2006 September 2006 October 2006

Start – August 2005

^{These are the archives of answered questions before the reference desk had been split into categories.}

2005: Jan Feb 2005 • Mar 2005 • Mar 2005 II • April 2005 • April 2005 – Suspected Duplicates • May 2005 • May 2005 II some unanswered • June 2005 • July 2005 • July 2005 II • July 2005 III • July 2005 IV • August 2005 • August 2005 II • August 2005 III

2004: January 2004 I • January 2004 II • February 2004 I • February 2004 II • March 2004 I • March 2004 II • April 2004 • May 2004 • June 2004 • July 2004 • August 2004 • September 2004 I • September 2004 II • October 2004 I • October 2004 II • October 2004 III • November 2004 I • November 2004 II • November 2004 III • November 2004 IV • December 2004 • December 2004 II

Earlier: Archive 1 • Archive 2 • Archive 3 • Archive 4 • Archive 5 • Archive 6 • Archive 7 • Archive 8

Unanswered questions (deprecated) ^{These are archives of older questions that never received any answers.}
Current 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002