Wikipedia:Did you know/Statistics/Monthly DYK pageview leaders/2015

Did you know?
Introduction and rules
Introduction	WP:DYK
General discussion	WT:DYK
Guidelines	WP:DYKCRIT
Reviewer instructions	WP:DYKRI
Nominations
Nominate an article	WP:DYKCNN
Awaiting approval	WP:DYKN
Approved	WP:DYKNA
April 1 hooks	WP:DYKAPRIL
Holding area	WP:SOHA
Preparation
Preps and queues	T:DYK/Q
Prepper instructions	WP:DYKPBI
Admin instructions	WP:DYKAI
Main Page errors	WP:ERRORS
History
Statistics	WP:DYKSTATS
Archived sets	WP:DYKA
Just for fun
Monthly wraps	WP:DYKW
Awards	WP:DYKAWARDS
Userboxes	WP:DYKUBX
Hall of Fame	WP:DYK/HoF
List of users ...
... by nominations	WP:DYKNC
... by promotions	WP:DYKPC
Administrative
Scripts and bots	WP:DYKSB
On the Main Page	T:DYK
Main Page errors	WP:ERRORS
To ping the DYK admins	{{DYK admins}}

This DYK STATS/Archive 2015 page is an archive of the monthly DYKSTATS leaders for each month in 2015, recognizing the DYK entries that have received the most page views while being featured on DYK.

On an important note: Please do not see this list as a competition, but rather a celebration of some of the most effective DYK hooks.

2015 DYK page view leaders by month (over 5,000 views)

January 2015

• Note: "Views / hour" = "DYK views" divided by the number of hours on the Main page (6, 8 or 12)

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Je suis Charlie		14,847 + 10,184 = 22,031		... that #JeSuisCharlie (sign pictured) has become one of the most popular hashtags in Twitter's history?
Olim L'Berlin		17,946 + 1,991 = 19,935	1,661	... that Facebook photos of chocolate pudding and a grocery receipt caused a furore in Israel?
Die heilige Ente		10,050 + 1,946 = 11,996		... that The sacred duck was seen widely across Germany until the Third Reich silenced it?
Karolina Olsson		8903 + 2325 = 11,228		... that the Swedish woman Karolina Olsson purportedly stayed in a constant state of sleep for 32 years?
Lord's Slope		4,680 + 5,930 = 10,610		... that the Lord's Slope affects cricketers but not archers?
Maximilian Kolbe		10,394		... that Polish saint Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to die in place of a stranger in the Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz?
GL Mk. I radar		10,367		.... that the British Army's first radar system, the Gun Laying radar (Mk. II pictured), used up the nation's entire stockpile of chicken wire?
Ban Naden raid		9,718		... that the Ban Naden raid was the only successful rescue of prisoners of war during the Vietnam War?
Digital Beijing Building		8,076	673	... that the sides of the Digital Beijing Building (pictured) are designed to look like circuit boards, and the ends to look like bar codes?
Geoffrey Bruce (mountaineer)		7,216 + 525 - 67 - 29 = 7,645	637	... that the first time Geoffrey Bruce climbed a mountain, he and George Finch (pictured together) reached a world record height of 27,300 feet (8,300 m) on Mount Everest?
Operation Raindance (14 January 2015)		7,426		... that Operation Raindance was followed by a Stranglehold?
Aero-engined car		6,236 + 1,183 = 7,419	618	... that the aero-engined car "Babs" (pictured) crashed at Pendine, Wales in 1927 and was buried under the sand before being excavated in 1969 and ultimately restored to working order by 1985?
Michael Tuts		7,412		... that particle physicist and Columbia professor Michael Tuts is often mistaken for horror author Stephen King?
Galadriel Stineman		7181		... that Galadriel Stineman is named after the elven queen in The Lord of the Rings?
Operation Millpond (2 January 2015)		6,624		... that failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion in Cuba caused the cancellation of Operation Millpond in Thailand?
Ban Naden raid (19 January 2015)		6,374		... that the Ban Naden raid was the only successful rescue of prisoners of war during the Vietnam War?
Theodor Weissenberger		4,547 + 1,824 = 6,371	530	... that fighter pilot Theodor Weissenberger was killed in a car racing accident at the Nürburgring?
Georges Weill		5,552 + 607 = 6,159	514	... that Georges Weill (pictured) was an elected member of the German Reichstag, yet when World War I broke out, he joined the French Army?
Hans Krueger		3,818 + 1,891 = 5,709	482	... that Hans Krueger was never tried for the massacre of Lviv professors on the grounds that he already received a life sentence?
British contribution to the Manhattan Project		5,447	454	... .. that four scientists who were part of the British contribution to the Manhattan Project became group leaders at the Los Alamos Laboratory?
William Leslie (British Army officer)		5,093	424	... that the British Captain William Leslie was buried with military honours after the Battle of Princeton by the American General George Washington?
Thomas Reardon		5,272		... that Thomas Reardon was for a time Microsoft's entire Internet Explorer development team?"
Fuck It, We'll Do It Live		5,084	423	... that Fuck It, We'll Do It Live contains no overdubs and has several wrong notes?

February 2015

• Note: "Views / hour" = "DYK views" divided by the number of hours on the Main page (6, 8 or 12)

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Jolly Darkie Target Game		16,504 + 1,443 = 17,947		... that the 1890 Jolly Darkie Target Game (cover pictured), one of many games of its time having themes of violence against black people, is now part of collectable black memorabilia?
Dumas Brothel		17,516	1460	... that the Dumas Brothel (pictured), believed to be haunted, was the longest-operating brothel in the United States?
Operation Diamond Arrow (3 Feb)		13,226		... that the victors in Operation Diamond Arrow abandoned the battlefield?
The Sirens and Ulysses (20 Feb)		12,627		... that The Sirens and Ulysses (detail pictured) by William Etty was described in 1837 as "a disgusting combination of voluptuous­ness and loathsome putridity"?
Parisian Women in Algerian Costume (The Harem) (3 Feb)		10,761 + 1,006 = 11,767		... that Renoir's harem scene, Parisian Women in Algerian Costume (pictured), was rejected for the Paris Salon of 1872?
Liu Han		10,232 + 1,173 = 11,405		... that the recently executed billionaire Liu Han once survived an assassination attempt by another billionaire, who was also executed?
Plaka Bridge (17 Feb)		10,519		... that the Plaka Bridge (pictured) in western Greece, formerly the largest single-arch stone bridge in the Balkans, survived bombing by the Luftwaffe, but was destroyed by floods on 1 February 2015?
The Captive Slave (23 Feb)		9,912		... that the heroic antislavery painting The Captive Slave (pictured) was not seen in public for 180 years?
Stripped Classicism (27 Feb)		8,906 + 824 = 9,730		... that Stripped Classicism is an architectural style used in several countries, including the United States, Nazi Germany, and Stalin's USSR?
Sigma I-62 war game (11 Feb)		8,772		... that two and a half years before the Tonkin Gulf Incident, the Sigma I-62 war game concluded that American intervention in Vietnam would be unsuccessful?
Rat tribe		7,954		... that there is a rat tribe living under Beijing?
- (9 Feb)		628+114+206+67 + 178+64 + 117+52 + 151+61 + 167+56 + 127+51 + 147+ 53 + 133 + 61 + 139+59 + 112+62 + 107+50 + 111+56 + 139+61 + 126+56 + 121+51 + 136+50 + 147+53 + 155+63 + 114+55 + 131+53 + 130+48 + 128+63 +111+56 + 132+66 +126+56 + 136+59 + 116+56 + 110+54 + 119+54 + 93+54 + 113+56 + 120+59 + 110+55 + 139+56 + 137+54 + 122+62 + 191+71=7,752		... that images of Nandanar, Vayilar, Sakkiya, Idangazhi, Anaya, Kalikamba, Kaliya, Satti, Pusalar, Kungiliya Kalaya, Sadaiya, Murthi, Murkha, Nami Nandi Adigal, Somasi Mara, Isaignaniyar, Viralminda, Eyarkon Kalikkama, Pugal Chola, Eripatha, Manakanchara, Kotpuli, Enathinathar, Sirappuli, Seruthunai, Amaraneedi, Nesa, Pugazh Thunai, Kutruva, Kalarsinga, Munaiyaduvar, Ilayankudi Maranar, Meiporul, Iyarpagai, Tiru Nilakanta Yazhpanar, Tirunilakanta, Tiruneelanakka, and Apputhi Adigal are among the 63 Nayanar saints paraded during processions at temple festivals in Tamil Nadu?
Zephyrette and Zephyrette (train)		5,079 + 2,556 = 7,635	636	... that "Zephyrette" refers to both a hostess on the California Zephyr (pictured) and a Budd Rail Diesel Car service between Oakland, California, and Salt Lake City?
Death of Elisa Lam (21 Feb)		7,375		... that a surveillance video of Elisa Lam acting strangely in an elevator drew 3 million views in its first ten days on Youku, though many viewers said it disturbed them?
Driving in India		7,289		... that India is one of the most dangerous places in the world to drive?
Lemmings (video game) (9 Feb)		7,178		... that Lemmings is regarded as one of the most widely ported video games?
Graham technique		7,064		… that the dance technique of Martha Graham gave at least one man "vagina envy"?
Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act		6,885		... that 64% of Utah is federal land, and Utah wants it
Goat Simulator (26 Feb)		6,800		... that Goat Simulator was released on April Fools' Day?
Hengsha Island		6,690		... that the migrating island of Hengsha was finally stopped by Shanghai's "educated youth" and other workers during the 1960s?
Operation Off Balance (12 Feb)		6,638		... that Operation Off Balance was staged in only three days in hopes of catching the enemy off balance?
Retox (band) (10 Feb)		6,559		... that disappointment led to the creation of Retox?
The Brownies' Book		6,168		... that the title of the children's magazine The Brownies' Book (pictured) alludes to black Americans being used as servants?
1912 White House intrusion (5 Feb)		6,069		... that in 1912 Michael Winter intruded into the White House twice in one day?
Ika Hügel-Marshall (13 Feb)		6,051		... that Afro-German advocate Ika Hügel-Marshall, the child of a German woman and an African-American soldier, never met another black person until she was 39?
Charb (4 Feb)		5,866		... that the French satirical cartoonist Charb (pictured), a victim of the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris in January, had been on Al-Qaeda's "most wanted list" since 2013?
Renovation of the nuclear weapon arsenal of the United States (16 Feb)		5,788		... that the Renovation of the nuclear weapon arsenal of the United States resulted in the setting of Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to midnight?
Portrait of an African Man (10 Feb)		5,682		... that the Portrait of an African Man (pictured) is the first portrait of a black man in European painting and might depict an archer, nobleman, Saint Maurice or Zwarte Piet?
Hunlock Creek (12 Feb)		5,656		... that two men were ambushed while making sugar near the mouth of Hunlock Creek in 1780?
Dinocampus coccinellae paralysis virus (18–19 Feb)		4,955 + 512 = 5,467		... that a novel virus may be implicated in its parasitic wasp host turning the spotted lady beetle into a "zombie bodyguard"?
James P. T. Carter (19 Feb)		5,277		... that James P. T. Carter was one of "three brave men" who escorted Andrew Johnson from Greeneville, Tennessee, to Washington, D.C. in June 1861?
Castelldefels Castle		5262		...that the site of Castelldefels Castle (pictured) had previously been home to an Iberian settlement and a Roman villa?
Jill Valentine (5 Feb)		4,917 + 812 - (446 + 557 / 2) = 5,227		... that video game character Jill Valentine was almost a Jill sandwich?
Lutz Bachmann (26 Feb)		5,110		... that a photo of Lutz Bachmann dressed as Adolf Hitler sparked controversy before his resignation as leader of Pegida, an anti-Islam organisation?

March 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Lyle Stevik		17,285 + 5,210 = 22,495	1,874	... that Lyle Stevik's true identity has never been discovered?
Disappearance of Leah Roberts		19,692 + 1,587 = 21,279	1,773	... that though police investigating the disappearance of Leah Roberts found her wrecked Jeep 15 years ago today, they only looked under the hood in 2006 and saw the starter relay wire had been cut?
Genevieve Grotjan Feinstein		19,199	1,600	... that during World War II, Genevieve Grotjan Feinstein (pictured) made "one of the greatest achievements in the history of U.S. codebreaking"?
Charlotte McKinney		12,382 + 4,663 - (1,292 + 2,415) / 2 = 15,192	1,266	... that model Charlotte McKinney became "insta-famous" by posting pictures to Instagram?
India's Daughter		12,913	1,159	... that the film India's Daughter is based on the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman?
16-inch gun M1895		11844+1037= 12,881	1,073	... that in 1915 the US finished a 16-inch artillery piece that weighed 284,000 pounds (129,000 kg) and that could shoot a 2,400-pound (1,100 kg) shell 21 miles (34 km)?
Cucumber (TV series) Banana (TV series) Tofu (TV series)		6,121 + 3,410 + 2,467 = 11,998	999	... that the LGBT drama series Cucumber, Banana, and Tofu are all named after the same study of the male erection?
Maria José Martínez-Patiño		11,046 + 774 = 11,820	985	... that Spanish hurdler Maria José Martínez-Patiño forgot to bring her "certificate of femininity" to a competition and, after a test, was declared a man?
Hu Die		1721 + 10,092 = 11,813	984	... that "Movie Queen" Butterfly Wu (pictured) became the mistress of China's spymaster Dai Li and the mother-in-law of President Li Zongren?
Harveys Lake (Pennsylvania)		10,436	870	... that Harveys Lake, the largest natural lake in Pennsylvania by volume, was discovered by accident?
Takenaga incident		9558 + 818 = 10,376	865	... that when Lieutenant General Hatazō Adachi learned of the Takenaga incident, he shed tears while praying to the emperor?
Broadmoor Sirens		10,300		... that the Broadmoor Sirens (pictured) are tested every Monday at 10 am to ensure their readiness to give warning should a patient escape from Broadmoor?
1967 Opium War		10,210		... that during the 1967 Opium War, both traffickers and their mules were bombed indiscriminately?
Sarah Kerrigan		9,882		... that in 2012 Complex ranked Sarah Kerrigan as the most evil woman in gaming?
Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke		4,186 + 5,440 = 9,626	802	... that the German fighter pilot Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke was probably shot down by the American fighter pilots Don Gentile and John Trevor Godfrey?
2015 Football League Cup Final		9,461	788	... that the 2015 Football League Cup Final is a repeat of the 2008 Final between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur?
Qin Yi		8,901	742	... that Premier Zhou Enlai called Qin Yi the most beautiful woman in China?
Fritchley Tunnel		8,429		... that Fritchley Tunnel is believed to be the oldest surviving railway tunnel in the world?
S.O.A.P. (band)		8,194	682	... that S.O.A.P. encouraged their fans to come up with a backronym for their name, though they were unimpressed by the "countless unsavoury submissions"?
Princess Sophia Singh		7,310	609	... that Princess Sophia Singh (pictured) campaigned for women's rights outside the palace where her godmother, Queen Victoria, had let her family live?
Jenny Lind private railroad car		7,205	600	... that the first private railroad car was made for the singer Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale?"
Allegory of Fortune		7,189	599	... that Allegory of Fortune (detail pictured) almost got its painter jailed and excommunicated?
UKIP: The First 100 Days		6,837		... that the 2015 mockumentary UKIP: The First 100 Days received more complaints to Ofcom than any programme from 2014?
Palestine		6,610		... that the first clear use of the name "Palestine" was in the 5th century B.C. by Ancient Greek historian Herodotus?
Battle of Vientiane		6,477	539	... that although the Battle of Vientiane caused some 600 civilian deaths, the losing military force escaped intact?
La Nymphe surprise		6,383	532	... that Manet considered La Nymphe surprise (pictured) one of his most important paintings?
FourFiveSeconds		6,276	523 (12 hours)	... that Kanye West sings instead of raps his guest verse on "FourFiveSeconds"?
Eliza Ann Grier		6,177	515	... that Eliza Ann Grier (pictured), an emancipated slave, was the first African-American woman licensed to practice medicine in the state of Georgia?
Spanish conquest of the Maya		5,955	496	... that during the Spanish conquest of the Maya, the Spanish conquistadors preferred the cotton armour of their Maya enemies to their own steel armour?
The Indestructibles		5,815	484	... that two circumpolar stars known as The Indestructibles marked heaven as a destination for the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs?
The Daily Stormer		5,576		... that Neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer encourages Internet trolling by its "Troll Army"?
Henry C. Gooding		5,549	462	... that after being shot during an attempted robbery, Henry C. Gooding lived for over a decade with a bullet lodged near his heart?
Ayelet the Kosher Komic		5,362	446	... that men don't laugh at Ayelet the Kosher Komic's jokes?
Development of Red Dead Redemption		4,812 + 468 = 5280		... that the budget for the development of Red Dead Redemption was estimated at between US$80 million and $100 million?
Sucheta Kadethankar		5104	425	... that on July 15, 2011, Sucheta Kadethankar became the first Indian woman to walk across the Gobi desert (pictured), a distance of 1,000 kilometres (620 mi)?
Firewatch		5,070		... that Firewatch, a first-person adventure game, was inspired by a single painting by Olly Moss?

April 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
T19 Howitzer Motor Carriage		21,126 + 1,562 = 22,688		... that the T19 Howitzer Motor Carriage (HMC) served as late as the invasion of southern France (Operation Dragoon) in 1944?
Doge (meme)		16,903	2,112	... that there is a surprise if you search for "doge meme" (pictured) on YouTube?"
Alien Spidy (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		15,039 + 1,553 = 16,592		... that extraterrestrial spiders have only six legs?
Qian Xiuling		14,832	1,854	... that Qian Xiuling (pictured) interceded with the German General Falkenhausen to save nearly a hundred Belgians from execution?
Chinese home run		14,232	1,189	... that sportswriter Dick Young's description of Dusty Rhodes' game-winning "Chinese home run" in the 1954 World Series prompted Chinese Americans to demand the term be retired?
Cádiz Memorial (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		12,646 + 1,448 = 14,094	1,174	... that the Prince of Wales's bum was exposed to public view in London on his 54th birthday and has been visible ever since?
Alex Chinneck (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		14,078	1,759	... that the front of Alex Chinneck's house (pictured) seems to have slipped?
The Game (mind game) (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		14,917 - (931+1216)/2 = 13,842	1,730	... that you've just lost The Game?
Pizza cake		12,146 + 1,494 = 13,640	1,136	... that this cake (pictured) is a pie?
Dearcmhara (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		13,084	1,635	... that the existence of a sea monster in Scotland has finally been proven?
Osama bin Laden (elephant) (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		11,023 + 1,464 = 12,487	1,560	... that Osama bin Laden was at least 9 feet (2.7 m) tall?
Sacred Sperm		11,050 + 891 = 11,941	995	... that permission was granted to produce Sacred Sperm, despite the premise being prohibited on religious grounds?
Fritz Fliegel		9,116 + 1,978 = 11,094		... that Fritz Fliegel (pictured) led an aerial attack on British convoy HG 53, which sank five merchant ships?
Niagara Falls, from the American Side (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		8,779 + 1,013 = 9,792	1,224	... that there is only one major public church in Europe?
Nike-X		9,395		... that having created the Nike-X anti-ballistic missile program, Robert McNamara tried to delay its construction after learning it could leave 60 million Americans dead?
Smooth toadfish		9,368		... that that eating the smooth toadfish (pictured) can be fatal?
Aroma of Tacoma		8,158 + 688 = 8,846	737	... that the Aroma of Tacoma is a putrid odor associated with Tacoma, Washington?
Unicorn (spider)		8,480	706	... that at least one species of the goblin spider Unicorn (male pedipalp pictured) practices genital mutilation?
Clinton Engineer Works		8,134	678	... that in a Girl Scout troop formed at the Clinton Engineer Works, girls were registered just by their first names in order to safeguard their fathers' identities?
Kou Kiet (27 April 2015)		8,104		... that Kou Kiet was supported by 200 flights per day?
Top Totty (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		7,954	994	... that some Top Totty was removed from the House of Commons after complaints from a shadow?
Seventy One (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		7,929	991	... that 71 is 3 miles (4.8 km) long?
Kathryn Bache Miller		7,817	988	... that Kathryn Bache Miller fell in love with the Red Boy (pictured)?
Card money (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		7,758	969	... that the French paid their soldiers in playing cards?
Nick Clegg Says I'm Sorry (The Autotune Remix) (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		7,729	966	... that Nick Clegg is sorry?
Sun Duoci		6,944 + 745 = 7,689	961	... that art professor Xu Beihong regarded his student Sun Duoci (pictured, in a painting by Xu) as a "painter of genius"?
Alien (sculpture) (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		7,466	933	... that in April 2013, a giant alien landed on its head in central London?
Hinatuan Enchanted River		7,365	203	... that the Hinatuan Enchanted River (pictured) is a hot spring, a lagoon, and a river all at the same time; and is mildly salty due to its flow reversal during high tide?
Dragon's Tail (peninsula)		7251		... that the phantom Dragon's Tail peninsula was part of the reason that Christopher Columbus thought he had reached East Asia in 1492?
Snake Pass		7,212	601	... that Snake Pass is named after a pub (pictured), which in turn is named after the arms of William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire?
Nada, Hainan (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		6,370 + 727 = 7,097	887	... that 220,000 people live in Nada?
Big Wapwallopen Creek		7,096	591	... that three swimming holes on Big Wapwallopen Creek are the most dangerous ones in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
Power of Women		6867	858	... that images of the Power of Women, such as Phyllis Riding Aristotle (example pictured), decorated several Renaissance German town halls?
Dr. Young's Ideal Rectal Dilators (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		6,739	842	... that Dr. Young's Ideal Rectal Dilators were forcibly withdrawn after officials clamped down on them?
Jiang Biwei		6,632	829	... that Xu Beihong painted Jiang Biwei several times (example pictured), but an $11 million nude is possibly not of her, nor by him?
Knightrider Street (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		6,460	807	... that Knightrider premièred in London in 1322?
Annakarin Svedberg		6,443	805	... that Annakarin Svedberg wrote a pornographic parody of Little Red Riding Hood?
Victorian painting		6,400		... that Victorian painting became so unpopular that Flaming June (pictured) was worth just £50 in 1963?
Surasa		6370	530	... that Surasa is described as the mother of all serpents?
Metamorphabet		6,205	517	... that multiple video game journalists made Metamorphabet (gameplay pictured) their children's first video game?
Gerechtigkeitsspirale		6,134	766	... that a church's 1510 spiral of justice (pictured) declares: "Justice suffered in great need. Truth is slain dead. Faith has lost the battle"?
Rogue Beard Beer		6,064	505	... that Rogue Ales' Beard Beer was reported to be a hoax when it was introduced on April Fools' Day in 2013?
FTC v. Balls of Kryptonite (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		5,934	741	... that even balls of kryptonite are no protection from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission?
Statue of Paul Kruger		5,823		... that an activist chained herself to the Statue of Paul Kruger to protect the monument after green paint was thrown on it?
William Hung (sinologist)		5,390 + 426 = 5,816		... that when William Hung learned that Harvard professor Langdon Warner was removing murals from Dunhuang, he made sure that Warner was never left alone at any historic site?
Ha Gorge		5,802	725	... that Ha Gorge in Crete is about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) deep and the fissure is said to be one of the largest in the world?
Carrie Pringle		5,693	711	... that there is no evidence that an English Flowermaiden was Richard Wagner's nemesis?
GFOTY		5,674	709	... that the British singer GFOTY recorded a song inspired by the hex triplet FFB6C1 (pictured)?
The Airfield		5,654		... that The Airfield has retractable floodlights because of a nearby working runway?
Statue of James II, Trafalgar Square (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		5,649	656	... that James II lay on his back for a year amid grass and weeds after he was overthrown to make way for Edward VII?
Ancient Maya graffiti		5,431		... that most ancient Maya graffiti (example pictured) was probably produced by the Maya elite in their own dwellings, with some later additions by squatters?
Lorina Bulwer		5,364		... that Lorina Bulwer embroidered long rants that launched an investigation by the BBC?
Maria Quisling		5,293	664	... that Maria Quisling was given a lock of hair by her husband Vidkun before his execution in 1945 for collaborating with the Nazis in Norway?
God Nisanov		5,249	656	... that God is a billionaire property developer?
Church of St John the Baptist, Kerch		5,234	436	... that the candy-striped Church of St John the Baptist, Kerch (pictured) is one of the oldest churches in Eastern Europe?
Statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Parliament Square (Apr. 1, 2015 – April Fool's Day)		5,195	649	... that a half-naked fakir has taken up residence near Winston Churchill?
Tomb of Nadira Begum (Apr. 14, 2015)		5,100		... that the Tomb of Nadira Begum was actually built in a water tank?

May 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Janice Rand		29,491	2,458	... that Star Trek producer Bob Justman said you could hit Janice Rand's (pictured) hair with a sledgehammer and not leave a dent?
Fighting Irish (Family Guy) (May 29, 2015)		8,704 + 19,779 = 28,483	2,373	... that Liam Neeson (pictured) agreed to say any line that the writers of the Family Guy episode "Fighting Irish" wrote – except one?
Boost-glide		22,190	1849	... that boost-glide spacecraft (X-20 pictured) were originally designed as bombers to attack New York from Nazi Germany?
Nicole Kidman filmography		15,627	1,302	... that Nicole Kidman (pictured) was the first Australian to win the Best Actress Oscar?
Angel tube station		13,129	1094	... that Angel has the longest escalators (pictured) on the London Underground network?
Cheryl's Birthday		7,822 + 5,167 = 12,989	1,082	... that Cheryl's birthday is July 16, although some people think it should be August 17?
The Destroying Angel and Daemons of Evil Interrupting the Orgies of the Vicious and Intemperate		12,637	1050	... that The Destroying Angel and Daemons of Evil Interrupting the Orgies of the Vicious and Intemperate (detail pictured) depicts around 25 semi-naked human figures, each expressing terror in a different way?
2015 FA Cup Final		12,084		... that at the 2015 FA Cup Final, a 64-person choir, comprising one fan for each team which reaches the third round of competition, plans to sing "Abide with Me"?
SCP Foundation		5,191 + 6,892 = 12,083	1006	... that the fictional SCP Foundation (logo pictured) contains and documents thousands of paranormal objects?
Funeral strippers		4,197 + 7,456 = 11,653	971	... that funeral strippers are sometimes hired to remove their clothing during a funeral in an effort to attract more mourners?
Double tee		11,368 - ((4 + 91) / 2) = 11,320	943	... that double tee beams (pictured) were first used in 1961 by an architect experimenting with new structural elements for his own office?
Tank Girl (film)		11,067		... that Stan Winston's special effects studio cut its prices in half to meet the budget for the film Tank Girl, as it was desperate to work on the project?
No. 20 Squadron RAAF		9,867		... that in a May 1942 raid, aircrew of No. 20 Squadron RAAF disrupted the sleep of Japanese soldiers by dropping beer bottles to make a sound "something between a shrill whistle and a scream"?
The Blob (Pacific Ocean)		9,730		... that there's a "Blob" in the Pacific Ocean?
Racal suit		9,359	779	... that Aeromedical Isolation Team members were trained to take a bathroom break before putting on racal suits (pictured) for a training or real mission?
Byzantine units of measurement		9296		... that some Byzantine steelyards employed bronze empresses?
Joachim Wtewael		9,030		... that erotic sections of two drawings by Joachim Wtewael for his paintings of Mars and Venus Surprised by the Gods were cut out by later collectors?
Ptilosarcus gurneyi		8,056	671	... that the orange sea pen can't write?
Qi Jianguo		7,966	664	... that Qi Jianguo is one of the few serving Chinese generals with actual battle experience?
Great Mosque of Asmara		7944	662	... that the Great Mosque of Asmara (pictured) was built in 1938 on the initiative of Benito Mussolini to impress the local Muslim population?
Akmol		6447+ 1224= 7671	639	... that during the Stalin era, Akmol in Kazakhstan was notorious for its "Labour Camp for Wives of Traitors of the Motherland"?
A Limo For A Lame-O		4,694 + 2,894 = 7,588	632	... that "A Limo For A Lame-O", Al Franken's Weekend Update attack on Fred Silverman 35 years ago today, set in motion the events that led to Saturday Night Live's "worst" season?
May God have mercy upon your soul		7,161		... that Clarence Darrow claimed judges would say, when passing a death sentence, "May God have mercy upon your soul", because they felt they didn't have the authority to destroy souls?
Lizzy Hawker		6,947 + 139 = 7,086		... that Lizzy Hawker bought her first pair of trail running shoes just 10 days before running the 100-mile Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc for the first time, and winning?"
Udvada Atash Behram		4630+2160=6890	574	... that in 1742, Zoroastrians built the Udvada Atash Behram (pictured) and moved their sacred fire to it?
Osorkon IV		6747		... that Osorkon IV saved his kingdom with a dozen horses?
Flemish Hunting Deck		6580	548	... that a set of cards had a police escort?
Sorapiss		2157+4239=6396	533	... that according to legend, Sorapiss (pictured), a mountain in the Dolomites near Cortina d'Ampezzo, is the embodiment of a king?'
Every Last Child		6,392	532	... that Every Last Child exposes false propaganda against polio vaccinations, such as the idea it is a plot by Jews and Christians to eliminate Muslims?
The Last of Us: Left Behind		6,386		... that The Last of Us: Left Behind featured entire gameplay encounters involving water guns, and a photo booth?
Summer Evening on Skagen's Southern Beach		6,232	519	... that Summer Evening on Skagen's Southern Beach (pictured) depicts the artist's wife and a painter on the beach during the blue hour?
Forte Tre Sassi		6061	505	... that the museum at Forte Tre Sassi displays World War I artifacts collected over a period of 45 years, and reportedly has 20,000 visitors annually?
E-diesel		1,908 + 4,342 - ((160 + 303) / 2) = 6,019	502	... that a minister of Germany's cabinet drives an Audi A8 powered by e-diesel, a fuel created from carbon dioxide and water?
Sinus Magnus		5,800		... that European cartographers initially considered the Pacific Ocean to be Ptolemy's Great Gulf?
12-6 elbow		5,686		... that in mixed martial arts, 12-6 elbows are legal if the fighter is on his back because "the clock doesn't move"?
Clementine Krämer		5,358	446	... that German poet and pacifist Clementine Krämer attempted to flee Nazi Germany to the U.S., Denmark, China, and Cuba before being sent to the concentration camp where she died?
Cao'e River		3,814 + 1,530 = 5,344		... that the Cao'e River is named after a teenage girl who drowned herself about 1,900 years ago?
Wilhelm Lemke		5,149	428	... that Wilhelm Lemke was the 35th Luftwaffe fighter pilot credited with 100 aerial victories?

June 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, as She Goes to Bed		19,670	1,639	... that Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, as She Goes to Bed (pictured) was accused of a level of offensiveness one would expect from a foreign, not a British artist?
August Meyszner		17,549		... that SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Polizei August Meyszner (pictured) was hanged in 1947 for overseeing the killing of as many as 8,000 Jewish women and children using a gas van?
Sunrise Ruby		14,182	1,182	... that the Sunrise Ruby is the world's most expensive ruby, most expensive coloured gemstone, and most expensive gemstone other than a diamond?
Pazhassi Dam		13433+622 = 14055	1,171	... that in 2012, the gates of the Pazhassi Dam (pictured) failed to open and caused a flood?
Savalia savaglia		13493		... that gold coral has one of the longest lifespans of any organism on Earth?
Baron Munchausen		9,079	754	... that Baron von Münchhausen was furious at the creation of Baron Munchausen?
Chips and dip		9,044	753	... that chips and dip (pictured) gained significant popularity in the United States circa 1954, in part due to an advertising campaign that promoted using Lipton dehydrated onion soup mix to prepare dip?
Chicken in the Rough		8,925	743	... that Chicken in the Rough, established in 1936, was one of the first restaurant chain franchises in the United States?
Chape		8256		... that a chape (example pictured) is a protective fitting at the end of a scabbard and is sometimes decorated?
John Slessor		7,078+1,143 = 8,221	685	... that Second Lieutenant (later Marshal of the Royal Air Force) John Slessor (pictured) was lame as a result of polio and only gained his commission in 1915 with the help of family connections?
Bash Tapia Castle		6,653 + 1,502 = 8,155	679	... that Bash Tapia Castle was blown up by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in April 2015?
Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus		7921		... that art around 1600 AD illustrating the proverb Without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus freezes may reflect the patronage of Haarlem's brewers?
Private Apartments of the Winter Palace		7,818		... that the private apartments of the Winter Palace were a residence of the Russian Imperial family (bedroom of Maria Alexandrovna pictured)?
Juan Rivera (wrongful conviction)		7,602	633	... that an investigation into the case of Juan Rivera uncovered proof of evidence tampering when his shoes, which had the victim's blood on them, also bore DNA from the real killer?
Phineas Waller		5,454 + 2,048 = 7,502	625	... that Phineas Waller's heirs were surprised by how much they received from his estate?
The Clock (2010 film)		5,387 + 2,089 = 7,476	623	... that The Clock strikes Orson Welles at midnight?
Horrid ground-weaver		7,308		... that the tiny horrid ground-weaver stopped a building development?
P (symbol)		6,251 + 618 = 6,869		... that the "P"-badge (pictured) for Polish forced laborers was the first official, public badge introduced by Nazi Germany, preceding the "Jewish yellow star" by over a year?
Pothundi Dam		6,801	550	... that an unusual feature of the Pothundi Dam (pictured) earth dam is the core wall, which is constructed with a mixture of jaggery and quicklime?
Stallerhof		6,430 + 359 = 6,789		... that the 1971 play Stallerhof features an old farmer masturbating?
Grace Kelly filmography		6,741	561	... that Grace Kelly (pictured) won the Best Actress Oscar in 1955, then retired from acting the following year at the age of 26?
L Street Bridge		6,734		... that the L Street Bridge does not carry or cross over L Street?
Graham Chapman		6,560		... that Graham Chapman was one of the first celebrities to come out of the closet in Britain, and financially supported Gay News?
K Street Bridge		6,011		... that the K Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. for decades contained unused ramps intended to connect to the unbuilt Inner Loop Expressway?
Duke Hu of Chen		5,306 + 433 = 5,739	478	... that Duke Hu of Chen is considered the founding ancestor of the Chen surname, which is shared by 80 million people worldwide?
The Rapes of Graff		4,954 + 514 = 5,468		... that Alia Shawkat and Michael Cera asked not to play roles similar to the ones they played on Arrested Development when they guest-starred on "The Rapes of Graff", an episode of Veronica Mars?
2015 Wootton Bassett SPAD incident		5,423		... that Network Rail temporarily banned the West Coast Railway Company from Britain's rails following a SPAD?
The Last of Us Remastered		5,418		... that The Last of Us Remastered "looked broken up until a week before shipping"?
Gayby Baby		5,198	433	... that Gayby Baby is a documentary film about "gaybies", children raised by gay or lesbian couples?
Askam Borehole		5,195	433	... that the Askam Borehole, which was built by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, discharges thousands of gallons of acid mine drainage into Nanticoke Creek every minute?
Shoreham Hill Bridge		5,189		... that Ulysses S. Grant III approved the unsightly design of the original Shoreham Hill Bridge in Washington, D.C. because it would encourage the public to demand a more aesthetic and expensive bridge?
Arikamedu		4390 + 686=5076	423	... that the Indologist Jouveau Dubreuil found gems and an intaglio of Augustus Caesar at Arikamedu and said that the archaeological site was "a true Roman city"?

July 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Eleanor Butler		16,355 + 8,050 = 24,405	2,033	... that in 1681, a white woman married an African slave in colonial Maryland, even though she knew that doing so would condemn her to a life of slavery?
Stanisława Leszczyńska		16,117	1,343	... that Polish Catholic midwife Stanisława Leszczyńska (pictured) delivered 3,000 babies at the Auschwitz concentration camp during the Holocaust in occupied Poland?
Musidora: The Bather 'At the Doubtful Breeze Alarmed'		15,957	1330	... that Musidora: The Bather 'At the Doubtful Breeze Alarmed' (detail pictured) has been described as "a titillating moral test for spectators to both enjoy and overcome"?
Name changes due to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant		10,291 + 1,948 = 12,239	1,019	... that until recently, ISIS would give you a manicure in New York?
Godavari Maha Pushkaram		10,152+1,095 = 11255	937	... that the Godavari Maha Pushkaram festival (Godavari River pictured), being held from 14 July 2015, occurs once in 144 years?
Maluti temples		9,142+1,398 = 10540	878	... that the Global Heritage Fund has declared the Maluti temples (pictured) as one of "the world's twelve vanishing cultural heritage sites?
Lychee and Dog Meat Festival		10,340	861	... that according to the philosopher Julian Baggini, "Vegans are the only group who can oppose China's Yulin Dog Meat Festival (typical dish pictured) without any fear of hypocrisy"?
Schmerber v. California		6,543 + 3,159 – (18 + 74) / 2 = 9,656	482	... that some scholars fear the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Schmerber v. California will one day be used to justify the involuntary mind reading of criminal suspects?
Rarig Center		8,806 + 1,228 = 10,034	836	... that "you half expect to find the leaders of the Evil Empire ... plotting the demise of Luke Skywalker" in the Rarig Center?
Mathilde Wurm		9,460		... that although Mathilde Wurm's death was ruled a suicide, some believed she was killed by the Gestapo?
Battle of Kursk		9,427		... that on 5 July 1943, Nazi Germany launched its final major offensive against the Soviet Union in the Battle of Kursk?
Maluti temples		9142	761	... that the Global Heritage Fund has declared the Maluti temples (pictured) as one of "the world's twelve vanishing cultural heritage sites?
Toilet service		7989 + 857 = 8,846	737	... that a toilet service (pictured), containing as many as 48 pieces in silver or silver-gilt for the dressing-table, was a wedding present for rich women from the 17th century onwards?
Wolfenstein: The New Order		8,375	698	... that all Nazi symbols and references were removed for the German release of Wolfenstein: The New Order?
Anna Plochl		8,369	683	... that Archduke John of Austria met his wife, the future Countess von Meran, while she was posing as a boy?
Keturah		9,129 - (104+1,911)/2 = 8,122	677	... that Keturah, the woman Abraham married after the death of Sarah, has been called "the most ignored significant person" in the Hebrew Bible?
Zenobia (bird)		7,409 + 630 = 8,039	670	... that the whereabouts of the last northern bald ibis who knows the birds' migratory route are unknown, and without her, the species may face extinction in the wild in Syria?
Darwin's Arch		8009	667	... that Darwin's Arch (pictured) sits like a bridge on an irregularly shaped, rocky, submerged plateau, nicknamed "the theatre"?
Reg Pollard (general)		7806	650	... that when Lieutenant (later Lieutenant General Sir) Reg Pollard got married, his wife cut the cake with the Sword of Honour he had been awarded at the Royal Military College, Duntroon?
Frans Goedhart		7661	638	... that Dutch journalist Frans Goedhart (pictured) illegally founded a newsletter during World War II, was sentenced to death, escaped, and served in the House of Representatives for 25 years?
Preparing for a Fancy Dress Ball		6,878 + 867 - (145+171)/2 = 7,587	632	... that Preparing for a Fancy Dress Ball (pictured) was commissioned from England's foremost painter of nudes by a Conservative Member of Parliament who wanted a picture of his daughters?
Kevin Wheatcroft		7,490	556	... that the owner of the world's largest collection of Nazi memorabilia sleeps in Hitler's bed, but has "changed the mattress"?
Maputeoa, St. Michael's Cathedral, Rikitea, Rikitea		7,419	618	... that Maputeoa's tomb lies in a chapel behind St. Michael's Cathedral in Rikitea, Gambier Islands?
Victoria Price		7,235	603	... that Victoria Price, the daughter of horror icon Vincent Price, is not a fan of horror films?
Lake Rose (Pennsylvania)		7,158	597	... that Pennsylvania‍‍ '​‍s Lake Rose was built by a squatter?
William Troy (abolitionist)		6,268 + 435 = 6,703	558	... that the Reverend William Troy left Virginia after he found that the local pastor was selling members of his own congregation?
New Tavern Fort		6,676	624	... that New Tavern Fort (6 in gun pictured) in Gravesend, Kent, was built to protect London and the Thames from a possible French invasion during the American War of Independence?
Massey Ferguson 35		6,455	537	... that the original version of the Massey Ferguson 35 released in the UK was known as the "Gold Belly" due to its distinctive colour scheme?
Suicide of Chen Gang		5,789 + 428 = 6,217	518	... that a 34-year-old university lecturer in China committed suicide on campus after learning he had lost out to a rival for the position of Communist Youth League leader?
Wim van Norden		5,631 + 548 = 6,179	515	... that Dutch World War II resistance member Wim van Norden never made a conscious decision to join the resistance?
Warangal Fort, Kakatiya Kala Thoranam		3930+ 2156 =6,086	507	... that the Warangal Fort of the Kakatiya Dynasty has four ornamental gates known as Kakatiya Kala Thoranam (pictured), which form the official Emblem of Telangana?
Day for night		4,994 + 1,049 = 6,043	503	... that the night scenes in the film Mad Max: Fury Road were filmed during the day?
Curtis Culwell Center attack		5,387 + 693 - (161+151)/2) = 5,924	504	... that after the attack at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas, the mother of one of the gunmen said her son had been brainwashed and she did not blame the police for killing him during the event?
Bissau Cathedral, Port of Bissau		3318 + 2599 = 5,917	493	... that one of the towers of Bissau Cathedral (pictured) is used as a lighthouse to guide ships to the Port of Bissau?
Bitch I'm Madonna		5,760		... that the music video for "Bitch I'm Madonna" features Beyoncé making a "Vogue" pose and Miley Cyrus giving the finger?
Ark: Survival Evolved		5,751	480	... that players can ride on dinosaurs in Ark: Survival Evolved?
New Synagogue, Žilina		5661	478	...that the architect of "the last synagogue in Slovakia" later worked on Hitler's plans for redesigning Berlin?
Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo		4949 + 668= 5,617	471	... that the fortifications of Portobelo-San Lorenzo, at one time the "most heavily fortified Spanish coastal control point in the Americas", are a World Heritage in Danger site?
Hachim Mastour		5,460		... that Hachim Mastour (pictured) is the youngest person to play international association football for Morocco?
Kythira Strait		4511+874 = 5385	448	... that the Kythira Strait is one of the most dangerous navigational hazards in the Mediterranean?
Ramagiri Fort		5296	441	... that it is believed that Ramagiri Fort (pictured) provided inspiration to the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa to write the lyrical poetry of Meghadoota?
Hane, Marquesas Islands		3,325 + 1,839 = 5,154	429	... that excavations by Yosihiko H. Sinoto in Hane (pictured) in the Marquesas Islands in 1964–5 uncovered more than 12,000 bird bones?

August 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
William Etty		23,644	1970	... that the art of William Etty (pictured) was considered so obscene, the press were concerned that it discouraged women from entering rooms where it was on display?
Dismaland		15,598		... that Banksy described his Dismaland as a "family theme park unsuitable for children"?
Harmonica Incident		12,774 + 1,606 = 14,380	1,198	... that former New York Yankees utility infielder Phil Linz says people remember him for the Harmonica Incident that happened 51 years ago today, instead of anything he did on the field?
Tombaugh Regio		13,705	1,119	... that Pluto's heart (pictured) has been provisionally named after Pluto discoverer Clyde Tombaugh?
Trans Am Totem		12,587 + 477 = 13,064	817	... that the Trans Am Totem (pictured), a sculpture in Vancouver, Canada, incorporates both a Pontiac Trans Am and a cedar tree?
Rapid Run (Buffalo Creek)		8,771 + 3,639 = 12,410	662	... that Rapid Run was involved in a "blatant act of 'stream piracy'" about one million years ago?
Henry Hoolulu Pitman		11,601		...that Henry Hoʻolulu Pitman (pictured), the son of a Hawaiian high chiefess, fought in the American Civil War and was imprisoned in the Confederate Libby Prison?
Schloss Bothmer		10.757 + 731 = 11,488	957	... that Schloss Bothmer (pictured) in Germany was built by a man who occupied 10 Downing Street for more than ten years?
Britomart Redeems Faire Amoret		11,449	954	... that Britomart Redeems Faire Amoret (pictured) illustrates the virtues of honour and chastity through the depiction of occultism, partial nudity, violent death and implied sexual torture?
Glyptothorax kurdistanicus		10,949	912	... that the Iran cat can adhere to rocks in streams?
Halfway Run		10,404	650	... that before pingo scars were discovered near Halfway Run (pictured), the only known pingo scars in the United States were located on a plain in Illinois?
Günter Stempel		9,105	758	... that Günter Stempel (pictured) was a victim of political repression in the German Democratic Republic and the Soviet Union?
Noah's wine		5,314 + 3,751 = 9,065	755	... that it has been said that man prefers Noah's wine to Adam's ale?
Disappearance of Ben McDaniel		8,963	747	... that decompression tanks belonging to Ben McDaniel found following his disappearance five years ago today at Florida's Vortex Spring contained only air, not the gas mix used by cave divers?
Nancy Sumner		8,744		... that the British nobleman Lord Charles Beresford proposed marriage to the part-Hawaiian chiefess Nancy Sumner but she refused, likely due to their social and racial differences?
Willy Mitchell		5,805 + 2,487 = 8,292	691	... that Willy Mitchell used money awarded to him after being shot in the head by a police officer to buy an electric guitar?
Cthulhu Regio		7,711	642	... that in his house on Pluto, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming?
French corvette Alecton		7,538	628	... that French corvette Alecton attacked a giant squid in 1861, inspiring the fictionalized squid attack in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea?
Gribshunden		7,513	626	... that a sea monster figurehead has been recovered from the wreckage of Gribshunden, a 15th-century Danish warship?
Dutch letter		7,299		... that the Dutch letter is traditionally eaten in Holland on Christmas Eve?
Moorish Baths		4,800 + 2,009 = 6809	567	... that 14th-century Moorish Baths are located in the basement of the Gibraltar Museum?
Huzoor Palace, Porbandar		3,929 + 2,684 = 6,613	551	... that the ornamental porticos in the façade of the Huzoor Palace, Porbandar (pictured) are semi-circular in shape, built with neoclassical columns?

September 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
New Jersey Forest Fire Service		46,406		... that a New Jersey Forest Fire Service firewarden can summon any person aged 18 to 50 to assist in putting out wildfires—and it's against the law to refuse?
Until Dawn		29,958	2,497	... that Until Dawn, a survival horror video game, has a game mechanic called "butterfly effect"?
Murder of Michael Nigg		20,360 + 1,643 = 22,003	1,834	that the unsolved murder of Michael Nigg in Hollywood 20 years ago today may be related to the O. J. Simpson murder case?
Kozarčanka		20,242 + 1,580 = 21,822	1819	... that the World War II photograph Kozarčanka (pictured), showing a female Partisan, became iconic in Socialist Yugoslavia?
Cincinnati chili		17,015		... that Cincinnati chili (pictured) is not actually chili?
Last use of capital punishment in Spain		8,290 + 614 = 8,904		... that the last use of capital punishment in Spain provoked international protests against the Spanish government, including the withdrawal of ambassadors and attacks on Spanish embassies?"
"Devil Pray"		8,856	-	... that "Devil Pray" is about Madonna's experience of taking drugs such as ecstasy (pictured)?
John Hoskins (officer)		7775	648	.. that U.S. Navy Captain John Hoskins (pictured), his foot severed by explosion aboard USS Princeton (CVL-23) during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, became first commander of the new USS Princeton (CV-37) the next year?
Shamokin Creek		7,667	639	... that in the early 1900s, Shamokin Creek (pictured) was said to be the worst stream in Pennsylvania's Coal Region?
Kåre Rodahl		7371		... that Kåre Rodahl met his future wife for the first time when he was parachuting, coincidentally landing beside her while she was milking a cow?
Mohale Dam		7362	613	... that the Mohale Dam (pictured) won South Africa's 2005 Fulton Award for "Best Construction Engineering Project and Best Construction Technique"?
MS Sinfra		7305	609	... that when the cargo ship Sinfra was bombed by Allied aircraft in 1943, the German guards machine-gunned the thousands of Italian prisoners on board when they tried to escape the sinking vessel?
Belle of Temagami		7,129		... that Belle of Temagami was the largest vessel ever to cruise Lake Temagami?
Prodigy house		7,035	586	... that in 1616 Ben Jonson described the prodigy houses (Wollaton Hall pictured) of his day as "proud, ambitious heaps", "built to envious show"?
Kaga Rebellion Kaga ikki		(3,170 + 1308 + 1,839 + 741 - 135) = 6,923		... that in the Kaga Rebellion, thousands of peasants overthrew the shugo and established a "province ruled by peasants"?
Jim Baggott		6902	575	... that Jim Baggott calls multiverse, superstring theory, and supersymmetry "fairy tale physics"?
Death of Sandra Bland		7,656 - (1,031 + 551)/2 = 6,865	572	... that before her death in police custody, activist Sandra Bland posted, "In the news that we've seen as of late, you could stand there, surrender to the cops, and still be killed"?
Sibu		6730	561	... that according to one theory, Sibu (pictured) is named the Swan City because swans supposedly flew over the city after a famine?
Rare Replay		6,346		... that Rare Replay is a compilation of 30 games developed over 30 years?
Wi-Fi deauthentication attack		6,257	521	... that some hotels have made a Wi-Fi deauthentication attack on their guests' computers?
Ernest Deane		5,693		... that Ernest Deane (pictured), who had played rugby for Ireland, earned the Military Cross while serving with the Indian Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in 1915?
Sentinel program		5,385		... that opinion turned so sharply against the 'Sentinel ABM system during the 1968 elections, that incoming President Nixon was forced to cancel the program?
Sylvia Sayer		5,294		... that Lady Sayer interrupted live firing exercises in an army range on Dartmoor to photograph damage done to ancient monuments?
The Revenant		5,175		.... that Micheal Punke is prohibited from promoting his novel The Revenant ahead of its 2015 film adaptation starring Leonardo DiCaprio because he is a US Ambassador to the World Trade Organization?
Wang Shouye		4,572 + 495 = 5,067		... that when investigators searched the homes of Vice Admiral Wang Shouye, they found US $2.5 million in a washing machine and RMB¥ 52 million in refrigerators and microwaves?

October 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Hello (Adele song)	-	32,613	2,717	... that the music video for Adele's song "Hello" was the first to be filmed using IMAX cameras?
Alice Bentinck, Entrepreneur First		Alice Bentinck 13,327 + 3,561 = 16,888 + Entrepreneur First 2,520 + 716 = 3,326 = 20,214	1,684	... that Entrepreneur First, a London-based accelerator co-founded by Alice Bentinck (pictured), helped establish 50 startups valued at $210 million in its first four years?
Russian monitor Novgorod		20,087	1,640	... that Novgorod's unusual design (top deck layout pictured) gave the warship a reputation as one of the worst ever constructed?
Fizeau experiment		15,868 + 1,256 = 17,124	1,427	... that the Fizeau experiment (setup pictured) was one of the key experimental results that shaped Einstein's thinking about relativity?
Florence Baker		16,216	8??	... that a searcher for the source of the Nile was raised as an orphan, traded as a slave, and died Lady Florence Baker (pictured)?
Death of Margaret Martin		15,865	755	... that after the death of Margaret Martin in 1938, plainclothes police officers attended her funeral in the hopes of spotting possible suspects?
Greenstone Building		10,553	879	... that even on −50 °C (−58 °F) days when other offices in Yellowknife close, the Greenstone Building (pictured), opened ten years ago today, is warm enough for workers to stay at their desks?
James Johnston (missionary)		10,100		... that Dr Johnston (pictured) took six Afro-Caribbeans to central Africa to follow in the footsteps of Dr Livingstone?
Suzanne Sjögren		8,529+1,428=10,007		... that television presenter Suzanne Sjögren was selected as Sweden's sexiest woman by the men's magazine Slitz in 2001?
Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr		9,864 - 206 = 9,658		... that Ali al-Nimr used a BlackBerry to encourage protests, underwent an unfair trial, and may soon be crucified and beheaded?
Disappearance of Atsumi Yoshikubo		9,504	745	... that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police believe Atsumi Yoshikubo intended to disappear when she was last seen on Yellowknife's Ingraham Trail a year ago today, but won't be specific about why?
Abandoned mine drainage		8870	696	... that abandoned mine drainage (effects pictured) impacts thousands of miles of streams in the eastern United States?
Waste House		8740	364	... that construction materials for the Waste House (pictured) included floppy disks, VHS cassettes, bicycle inner tubes, old jeans and 20,000 toothbrushes?
Underworld: Next Generation (October 31, 2015 - Halloween)		8,239	686	... that vampires were caught on camera in Prague?
Barrage Vauban		7,861 - 64 = 7,797		... that the principal defensive function of the Barrage Vauban in Strasbourg was to enable the flooding of all the lands south of the city, making them impassable to the enemy?
Bea Szenfeld		7,553		... that singer Lady Gaga used a Bea Szenfeld (pictured) design for herself and her background dancers in the music video for the song "G.U.Y."?
Scarface Nation		7,174	597	... that when the author of Scarface Nation bought Scarface pajamas, they "kind of freaked out" his wife?
Schloss Weesenstein		5.527 + 1021 = 6.548		... that art stored in Schloss Weesenstein was saved from destruction during the bombing of Dresden in World War II?
Leonhardt Schröter		6,616 + 253 = 6,896		... that Leonhardt Schröter lost his job, so he became a librarian?
Eicher Polaris Multix		6,787	566	... that Multix is a personal utility vehicle manufactured by Eicher Motors which can be used as a people carrier, goods carrier and also as a power generator?
Lina Eckenstein		4,194 + 2,147 = 6,341		... that polymath Lina Eckenstein saw a link between the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I and the death of Cock Robin?
1:10 radio-controlled off-road buggy		5,480 + 420 = 5900		... that the 1:10 radio-controlled off-road buggies (pictured) were so popular in the 1980s that toy companies cashed in by producing their own inexpensive ready-to-run toy versions?
BattleTech (video game)		5,899		... that BattleTech hit its Kickstarter funding goal within an hour?
Nathan Waller (soldier)		5,709	476	... that according to legend, Nathan Waller once killed a bear with just a pine knot?
Lars-Åke Wilhelmsson		5,646		... that Swedish fashion designer Lars-Åke Wilhelmsson is known for his dragshow character Babsan (pictured)?
Ellingen Residence		5,831		... that Ellingen Residence belonged to the Teutonic Order for over 400 years?
Oscar Schlitter		2,639 + 2,719 = 5,358		... that Oscar Schlitter sold his house in Berlin's "Mayfair" to Joseph Goebbels for "a very modest sum"?
Shanakdakhete		5,184		... that when the polity was centered at Meroë, Shanakdakhete (statue pictured) was the earliest known ruling African queen of ancient Nubia?
Lawrence Joseph Bader		5,106	425	... that when Lawrence Joseph Bader returned from the dead, he ruined his wife's wedding plans?
Laura Jordan Bambach		5,078	423	... that Laura Jordan Bambach has been called a "digital female icon" by The Guardian?

November 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Free Speech Flag		18,783+1,844=20,627		... that the Free Speech Flag (pictured) embeds the secret HD DVD key into the colors of the flag itself, using the flag hex code format colors?
Edith Villiers		18,160	?	... that the model for a Pre-Raphaelite painting (pictured) became the Vicereine of India?
Darejan Dadiani		12,982+1,010=13,992		... that Queen consort Darejan Dadiani (pictured) had 23 children with her husband, Heraclius II of Georgia?
Kawakita v. United States		11,404	950	... that Tomoya Kawakita, a Japanese-American convicted of treason against the United States after World War II, was arrested after a former POW recognized him in a Los Angeles department store?
M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage		11,266		... that the M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage saw service with the U.S. forces during the Italian Campaign, Operation Overlord, Battle of Arracourt, and the Ardennes Offensive?
Little owl		9,288+823=10,111		... that the little owl (pictured) was sacred to the goddess Athena, from whom it gets the generic name?
Pinol, Máchica		6,907 + 567 = 7,474 + 1,372 + 147 = 1,519 = 8,993	749	... that although pinol (pictured), a beverage made with toasted barley flour, unrefined sugar, and spices, was invented in the 20th century, it is already considered a traditional food of Ecuador?
Louise de Broglie, Countess d'Haussonville		8,322 + 628 = 8,950		... that Louise de Broglie, Countess d'Haussonville was the wife, mother, sister, and daughter of members of the Académie Française?
The Punishment of Lust		8,390 + 538 = 8928		... that the Walker Art Gallery changed the name of Giovanni Segantini's painting The Punishment of Lust to avoid offending the Victorian public?
Marilyn Monroe		7,888		... that Marilyn Monroe was featured on the cover and on the centerfold of the first issue of Playboy?
Faskally Forest		7811	650	... that "The Enchanted Forest", a colorful event held in the Faskally Forest (pictured), was named "Best Cultural Event in Scotland" for three years in a row?
Demolition of al-Baqi		7738		... that al-Baqi cemetery, former site of the mausoleum of four Shi'a Imams (pictured), was leveled to the ground by Wahhabis in 1806 and in the mid-1920s?
Operation Royal Flush		7,696	641	... that a Royal Flush elicited a Turkish apology during World War II?
Sarah-Jane Redmond		6,912	576	... that actor Sarah-Jane Redmond auditioned for the film Hellraiser: Hellseeker using bondage artwork by Eric Stanton instead of a head shot?
Holland River Division		6,231 + 676 = 6,907		... that the abandoned Newmarket Canal was so short of water that local newspapers joked they could dispense with bridges and just walk across in rubber boots?
Charlotte (anime)		6,810	567	... that the anime series Charlotte has been described as defying the "moe anime" stereotype?
William Donald Scherzer		6,724	560	... that William Donald Scherzer invented the first rolling lift bridge (animation)?
Pasticciotto		6,716		... that one variety of pasticciotto (example pictured) pastry is filled with meat but topped with sugar?
Masroor Rock Cut Temple		6,633	552	... that according to a popular legend, the Pandavas of the Mahabharata built the Masroor Rock Cut Temple (pictured) during their "incognito" exile from their kingdom?
Operation Zeppelin (deception plan)		6,563	546	... that a Zeppelin helped the Allies during World War II?
Isabelle Eberhardt (film)		6,430		that salacious sex scenes were filmed for Isabelle Eberhardt, though they did not make the film's final cut?
Death of Lucas Leonard		5,499 + 667 = 6,166	513	... that the church at which a young man was beaten to death was described by its neighbors as a "cult" where people "used to build fires on the roofs, and there was chanting and weird rituals"?
Winka Dubbeldam		5132+368=5500	466	... that architect Winka Dubbeldam prefers dressing in black, and lives in a house with black walls?
Schloss Krobnitz		5,081		... that Schloss Krobnitz (pictured) belonged to the Prussian Minister of War Albrecht von Roon?
Nako		4990+57=5047		... that the Nako Monastery (pictured) in Nako has clay sculptures of five Dhyani Buddhas in the main hall, which also has many images on the walls?

December 2015

Article	Image	DYK views	Views / hour	DYK hook
Frank Sinatra (Dec. 12, 2015) 24-hour position in lead slot with 2 images and 2 hooks		123,052	5,127	... that after gaining a job as a singing waiter in 1938, Frank Sinatra (pictured) boasted that he would "become so big that no one could ever touch him"? ... that American music critic Robert Christgau called Frank Sinatra (pictured) "the greatest singer of the 20th century"?
Jean Sibelius		20,999	1,749	... that by composing music such as Finlandia, Jean Sibelius boosted Finnish patriotism in the face of Russian oppression?
Kathryn Parsons		16,633	1,386	... that Kathryn Parsons (pictured) co-founded a startup that teaches people how to "code in a day"?
11B-X-1371		14,547	1,212	... that a "creepy puzzle" mailed to a Swedish tech blogger was found to contain coded messages implying a threat against the President of the United States?
Una Ryan Una M. Ryan		5,927 + 472 = 6,399 + 5,315 + 444 = 5,759 = 12,158	1,013	... that Una Ryan and Una Ryan both emigrated from their countries, study infectious disease, and were honored with the Order of the British Empire and Prime Minister's Prizes for Science, respectively?
Siedlce Ghetto		11172+747=11,919	993	... that Cypora Zonszajn could not live without her closest family and returned to the Siedlce Ghetto to perish along with them (deportation pictured)?
Disappearance of Jerry Michael Williams		11,417	951	... that searchers believed Michael Williams' body had been eaten by alligators in Lake Seminole after he disappeared 15 years ago today—until they learned alligators don't feed in winter?
Kaunakes		11111	925	... that the shorter the kaunakes (pictured), the lower the status?
Bicycle kick		10,840		... that the bicycle kick (pictured) is one of association football's most celebrated skills?
Battle of Fukuda Bay		9,933 + 775 = 10,708	892	... that the Battle of Fukuda Bay in 1565 was the first recorded naval battle between Europeans and the Japanese?
James Larratt Battersby Battersby Hats James Johnson Battersby		6,975 + 2,244 + 958 =10,177		...that James Battersby of Battersby Hats believed that Adolf Hitler was Christ returned despite his father being on the RMS Lusitania when it was torpedoed by a German U-boat?
Qiu Huizuo		9,427 + 693 = 10,120	843	... that although General Qiu Huizuo (pictured) was persecuted at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, he authorized the torture of 462 people after returning to power, causing eight deaths?
Nicola Mendelsohn		8,773 + 694 = 9,467	788	... that The Daily Telegraph has called Nicola Mendelsohn (pictured), Facebook's vice president for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, "the most powerful woman in the British tech industry"?
Shooting of Jeremy Mardis		9,309	775	... that body-camera footage led to the arrest of two police officers in the shooting of six-year-old Jeremy Mardis?
Ni Zhifu		8,945	745	... that Chinese Politburo member Ni Zhifu (pictured) invented a drill that is named after him?
Louis Moe		8,828		... that Louis Moe's works include illustrations of literary classics (pictured), as well as paintings with decadent erotic motives, such as naked women with monsters or animals?
Liang Cheng		8,457	705	... that Qing dynasty ambassador to the United States Liang Cheng (pictured) was a star baseball player for Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts?
Frank Sinatra and Jewish activism		8,391	699	... that Frank Sinatra was a secret courier for the Haganah?
Maxine Cheshire		7,501	625	... that one of Frank Sinatra's most widely known public insults was leveled against The Washington Post columnist Maxine Cheshire?
Aiguille de Bionnassay		6,998 + 102 = 7,100	591	... that in 1865, the first alpine climbers to reach the summit of the Aiguille de Bionnassay (pictured) arrived in a thunderstorm, their ice axes humming with electrical activity?
Bean Boots		7,004	584	... that Bean Boots (pictured) are still manufactured in Maine and are stitched by hand?
363 Copa De Oro Road		6,883	573	... that at a 1966 concert, Frank Sinatra joked about the evenings he and others spent carousing at Dean Martin's Bel Air mansion?
Sodder children disappearance		6,721	560	... that a photo mailed to the Sodder family of Fayetteville, West Virginia, in 1968 is believed by them to be of one of their five children unaccounted for after a fire destroyed their home 70 years ago today?
Rachel Chalkowski		5,758 + 955 = 6,713	559	... that Bambi delivered over 35,000 babies?
Baolis of Mehrauli		6,695	557	... that of the three Baolis of Mehrauli, the Gandhak ki Baoli (step well pictured) was built during the 13th century by Iltutmish of the slave dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate who ruled in Delhi?
Desert Inn		6,421	535	... that when Howard Hughes overstayed his 10-day reservation at Las Vegas' Desert Inn and was asked to leave, he responded by buying the hotel?
Scare PewDiePie		6,172	514	... that Scare PewDiePie is a series on the upcoming YouTube Red service?
Tusheti National Park		5,997 + 111 =6,108	509	... that the Tusheti National Park, called one of the "12 best places you’ve never heard of" by BudgetTravel, has rich biodiversity with aesthetic terrain, hamlets, old defense towers, and folk culture?
Announcerless Game		5,859	488	... that 35 years ago today, NBC broadcast an entire NFL game without any announcers?
1000 South Michigan		5,425 + 381 = 5,806	484	... that Chicago's 1000 South Michigan is a supertall skyscraper planned to rise to over 1,000 feet (300 m), even though it is in a historic district zoned for buildings up to 425 feet (130 m)?
Monument of the Four Moors		5,743	479	... that the chained Moors of the Monument of the Four Moors (pictured) symbolise the four corners of the world?
22nd Crash Rescue Boat Squadron		5,332		... that the 22nd Crash Rescue Boat Squadron never lost a boat during its secret Korean War infiltrations into North Korea and China?
6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron		5,311		... that the 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron contained commandos, linguists, scholars, saboteurs, and spies, as well as intelligence specialists?
Åmøy		4,743 + 470 = 5,213		... that nearly one thousand rock carvings from the Bronze Age have been found on the island of Åmøy?