Wikipedia:Main Page history/2019 June 15

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

Adam Eckfeldt (June 15, 1769 – February 6, 1852) was the second chief coiner of the United States Mint. His father owned a large smithy and involved himself in early attempts at American coinage. Eckfeldt built early presses for the Mint, engraved some of its early dies, and was responsible for some designs of early American copper pieces, as well as the 1792 half disme, which some authorities consider the first United States coin. He was appointed assistant coiner of the Mint in 1796, and became chief coiner after his predecessor's death in 1814. During Eckfeldt's tenure, the Philadelphia Mint moved to new premises and expanded its operations. Setting aside unusual coins that were brought in as bullion, he started the Mint's coin cabinet, which evolved into the National Numismatic Collection. Despite his 1839 retirement, Eckfeldt continued performing the duties of chief coiner until his death, though his successor, Franklin Peale, bore the title. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know...

Anderson completing Vasaloppet

... that Aron Anderson (pictured) is the first wheelchair user to complete a Swedish classic, competing in and finishing Vasaloppet, Vätternrundan, Vansbrosimmet, and the Lidingöloppet?
... that The Vision of Dorotheus is one of the earliest examples of Christian hexametric poetry?
... that in 1991, Harue Kitamura became the first woman to be elected mayor of a Japanese city?
... that Albion plantation in Jamaica had at least 450 slaves in 1833, producing 400 hogsheads of sugar and 240 puncheons of rum annually?
... that Elizabeth Bartlet's PhD thesis on Étienne Méhul was described as earning "the iconic status reserved for the few doctoral theses that are destined to change their chosen field"?
... that the largest English army to serve overseas prior to 1600 was gathered at the Siege of Calais in 1347?
... that the mathematician John Rigby was a leading authority on the relationship between maths and ornamental art?
... that if the disc coral Cycloseris cyclolites gets buried in sediment, it can "float" itself free?
... that prolific songwriter Matt Farley says he makes US$500 a month from a song containing only the word "poop"?

In the news

Kawhi Leonard

In basketball, the Toronto Raptors defeat the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA Finals (MVP Kawhi Leonard pictured).
Two oil tankers are attacked in the Gulf of Oman, amidst heightened tensions between Iran and the United States.
In ice hockey, the St. Louis Blues defeat the Boston Bruins to win the Stanley Cup Finals.
Hundreds of thousands of people in Hong Kong protest against proposed legislation regarding extradition.

On this day

June 15: International Surfing Day (2019)

"Sallie Gardner at a Gallop" (animated)

1670 – The first stone of Malta's Fort Ricasoli was laid.
1878 – Eadweard Muybridge took a series of photographs to prove that all four feet of a horse leave the ground when it gallops (animation pictured), which became the basis of motion pictures.
1919 – After nearly 16 hours in the air, the Vickers Vimy flown by John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown crash-landed in County Galway, Ireland, completing the first non-stop transatlantic flight.
1944 – In the Saskatchewan general election, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation led by Tommy Douglas won enough seats in the Legislative Assembly to form the first socialist government in North America.
1996 – The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a truck bomb in the commercial centre of Manchester, England, injuring more than 200 people and causing widespread damage to buildings.

Rachel Jackson (b. 1767) · Frederick III, German Emperor (d. 1888) · Oliver Kahn (b. 1969)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

A binary black hole is a system consisting of two black holes in close orbit around each other. For many years, proving the existence of such binaries was made difficult because of the nature of black holes themselves and the limited means of detection available. However, in the event that a pair of black holes were to merge, an immense amount of energy should be given off as gravitational waves, with distinctive waveforms that can be calculated using general relativity.

This video is a computer simulation of the binary black hole system GW150914 during its final inspiral, merge and ringdown, as it would have been seen by a nearby observer. The star field behind the black holes is heavily distorted and appears to rotate and move, due to extreme gravitational lensing caused by spacetime being warped by the orbiting black holes. This event, observed by LIGO in 2015, was the first observation of a binary black hole merger, as well as the first direct detection of gravitational waves, confirming Einstein's predictions.

Video credit: Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes

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.