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This DYK STATS/Archive 2008 page is an archive of the monthly DYKSTATS leaders for each month in 2008, 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.

Top 25 hooks of 2008

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Of the DYK hooks posted during 2008, and for which view data has been found, the following 25 hooks generated the most views per hour while featured on the Main Page.

Article Image DYK views Per hour Hook
Todd Palin 58,000 9,667 ... that Alaska's First Gentleman Todd Palin won the world's longest snowmobile race four times?
Ivan Castro (soldier) 71,300 8,913 ... that Captain Ivan Castro is the only blind officer serving in the United States Army Special Forces?
Lazarus syndrome 27,800 6,950 ... that the Lazarus syndrome is named after Lazarus of Bethany (pictured), who the Bible says was raised from the dead by Jesus?
Saxbe fix 39,600 6,188 ... that Hillary Rodham Clinton (pictured) may be ineligible for appointment as United States Secretary of State by Barack Obama unless a Saxbe fix can be worked out?
Giant huntsman spider 29,300 4,883 ... that with a leg-span of 30 centimetres (12 inches), the giant huntsman (pictured) is one of the world's largest spiders?
Neel Kashkari 29,200 4,867 ... that Neel Kashkari (pictured), six years after completing his MBA, was put in charge of the $700 billion U.S. Government bailout of financial institutions?
People sniffer 22,000 4,783 ... that during the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong hung buckets of mud with urine in trees to thwart American people sniffers?
2008 Kerry bogslide 17,900 4,475 ... that the 2008 Kerry bogslide was described as "one of the most frightening and overwhelming events ever witnessed"?
Love dart 30,100 4,300 ... that some hermaphrodite snails and slugs pierce each other with love darts (pictured) during mating?
Scowle 25,600 4,267 ... that the ancient opencast iron ore workings known as scowles (pictured) in the Forest of Dean, England, are believed to have been an inspiration for settings in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings?
Millard House 20,200 4,208 ... that Frank Lloyd Wright said of the Millard House (pictured) that he "would rather have built this little house than St. Peter's in Rome"?
La Princesse 24,000 3,934 ... that La Princesse (pictured), a giant mechanical spider, roamed the streets of Liverpool, England as part of the 2008 European City of Culture celebrations?
Ye Olde Curiosity Shop 18,900 3,635 ... that the permanent collection on display at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in Seattle, Washington includes "Sylvester" (pictured), an excellently preserved mummy?
The Trons 25,000 3,623 ... that New Zealand band The Trons (pictured) has no human members?
Hannikel 21,700 3,617 ... that Hannikel (pictured), today a character of the Swabian-Alemannic carnival, was a 18th-century robber and murderer in Württemberg, Southern Germany?
Omid Tahvili 27,500 3,571 ... that in April 2008, Forbes listed Omid Tahvili (pictured) as one of the world's ten most wanted fugitives?
Barack Obama presidential acceptance speech, 2008 21,400 3,567 ... that U.S. president-elect Barack Obama delivered his acceptance speech (pictured) from behind 2 inches (51 mm) of bulletproof glass?
Nassak Diamond 20,900 3,483 ... that the Nassak Diamond (replica pictured), pillaged in the 1800s from a Hindu temple where it had resided for 300 years, was later used as a gimmick to attract partygoers to a 1976 benefit?
M247 Sergeant York 21,700 3,444 ... that during testing, M247 Sergeant York (pictured) locked onto an exhaust fan, shot into the ground instead of its target, and threatened to fire on the high-ranking review panel in nearby stands?
Westinghouse Time Capsules 25,250 3,367 ...that the Westinghouse Time Capsules (pictured) of the 1939 New York World's Fair and the 1964 New York World's Fair were made of special metal alloys to resist corrosion for 5000 years, the time span of all previous recorded human history?
Handlebar Club 19,700 3,283 ... that the Handlebar Club (member Michael "Atters" Attree pictured), a gentleman's club for those with handlebar moustaches, considers itself at war with a society that demands people choose "the bland, the boring and the generic"?
MIM-46 Mauler 20,300 3,123 ... that the MIM-46 Mauler (pictured) was the first in a long string of failed attempts to add armored anti-aircraft missile systems into the US Army?
Battle of Khafji 18,100 3,121 ... that the Iraqi Army launched an offensive into Saudi Arabia on 29 January 1991, leading to the Battle of Khafji, the first major ground engagement of the Gulf War (U.S. Marine artillery pictured)?
Corpus Clock 18,200 3,033 ... that the Corpus Clock (pictured), a large sculptural clock at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge featuring the world's largest grasshopper escapement, is entirely accurate only once every five minutes?
National Cleavage Day 24,000 2,857 ... that National Cleavage Day was started in South Africa in 2002?

2008 DYK page view leaders by month (over 5,000 views)

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December 2008

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(Full-checking on articles complete from Dec. 1-31)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Ivan Castro (soldier) 71,300 ... that Captain Ivan Castro is the only blind officer serving in the United States Army Special Forces?
Giant huntsman spider 29,300 ... that with a leg-span of 30 centimetres (12 inches), the giant huntsman (pictured) is one of the world's largest spiders?
Akutan Zero 26,600 ... that the U.S. devised tactics to defeat Japan's Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane from the 1942 capture of an intact example dubbed the Akutan Zero (pictured)?
Handlebar Club 19,700 ... that the Handlebar Club (member Michael "Atters" Attree pictured), a gentleman's club for those with handlebar moustaches, considers itself at war with a society that demands people choose "the bland, the boring and the generic"?
Max Manus (film) 16,100 ... that for the filming of Max Manus (filming location pictured), the flag of Nazi Germany was flown atop the Norwegian parliament building for the first time in over 60 years?
White Tights 15,700 ... that White Tights are mysterious blonde female snipers from the Baltic states who have supposedly fought against the Russian Army in various conflicts?
Quantum pseudo-telepathy 14,700 ... that due to the subtly non-local nature of quantum reality, apparent telepathy can be achieved in games between separated players (example pictured)?
Koni (dog) 14,500 ... that when Vladimir Putin introduced George W. Bush to his dog Koni (pictured), Putin is reported to have said she is "Bigger, tougher, stronger, faster, meaner—than Barney"?
Garden Gnome Liberationists 14,200 ... that the leader of the French Garden Gnome Liberation Front was given a suspended sentence after the group "liberated" over 150 garden gnomes (example pictured) in 1997?
The Bronze Horseman (poem) 11,800 ... that Alexander Pushkin's The Bronze Horseman (illustration pictured) has been described as "the best poem written anywhere in the 19th century"?
Holy Land USA 11,500 ...that Holy Land USA (pictured), a Connecticut theme park intended to replicate Bethlehem and Jerusalem of the biblical era, once attracted more than 40,000 visitors annually?
Josef Klehr 11,400 ...that due to standing among corpses in his coat and rubber gloves while holding a syringe, SS-Oberscharführer Josef Klehr has been described as the ultimate caricature of the omnipotent Auschwitz doctor?
Rod Blagojevich federal fraud cases 11,300 ... that the Rod Blagojevich fraud cases (Blagojevich pictured) caused the Illinois General Assembly to consider erasing the Illinois Governor's statutory power to appoint a United States Senate replacement for Barack Obama?
St Margaret's Church, Ifield 11,300 ... that the 14th-century life-size stone effigies of a knight and his wife in St Margaret's Church, Ifield (pictured), England, have been said to have an "inimitable sideways sway"?
Hunter's Hot Springs (Oregon) 11,300 ... that the "Old Perpetual" geyser (pictured) at Hunter's Hot Springs in Lake County, Oregon, releases a plume of near-boiling water 50 to 60 feet (15–18 m) into the air every 90 seconds?
USS PGM-18 10,900 ... that the USS PGM-18 was blown five feet (1.5 m) out of the water after striking a Japanese mine off the coast during the Battle of Okinawa?
Lincoln "Babe" Broyhill 10,100 ... that B-17 Flying Fortress tailgunner "Babe" Broyhill set a record by destroying two Messerschmitt ME-262 jet fighters in a mission over Berlin in March 1945?
the boy Jones 10,100 ... that "the boy Jones" repeatedly broke into Buckingham Palace in the early years of Queen Victoria's reign?
Velika Planina 10,100 ... that Velika Planina is a high-altitude settlement in Slovenia having huts whose oval roofs (pictured) have wooden shingles that extend nearly to ground level to accommodate cattle?
NYPD subway sodomy incident 9,800 ... that the 2008 NYPD subway sodomy incident has been compared to the 1997 assault of Abner Louima in New York City?
Congo (chimpanzee) 9,600 ... that Congo, a chimpanzee who made over 400 paintings (example pictured), would scream if a painting was taken away from him before he was finished?
British Bulldog revolver 9,600 ... that the British Bulldog revolver (replica pictured) was first produced by Webley & Scott in England and later copied by gunmakers in Continental Europe and the United States?
America's Incredible Pizza Company 9,600 ... that it now requires 250 employees and costs US$5-9 million to open a new location of the six-year-old America's Incredible Pizza Company?
E77 balloon bomb 9,000 ... that the design of the U.S. anti-crop E77 balloon bomb was based on the design of the World War II Japanese fire balloon?
Seth Kinman 8,700 ... that California hunter Seth Kinman (pictured), who claimed to have killed over 800 grizzly bears, gave several U.S. Presidents chairs made from grizzly bears and elkhorns?
Auxiliary ship Olterra 8,700 ... that Italian WWII frogmen set up a secret manned torpedo base in the previously sunken Italian tanker Olterra (pictured)?
The Swimming Hole 8,600 ... that artist Thomas Eakins was fired shortly after the exhibition of The Swimming Hole (pictured), cited as a prime example of homoeroticism in American art?
Afghan Muscles 8,600 ... that the director of Afghan Muscles avoided the role of Afghan women in bodybuilding, noting "It's men looking at men," and "60% [of men] have their first sexual experience with another man"?
John W. Rogers, Jr. 8,400 ... that at a fantasy basketball camp, John W. Rogers, Jr. defeated Michael Jordan in a game of one-on-one, witnessed by John Thompson, Jr., Mike Krzyzewski and Damon Wayans?
Shoulder presentation 8,400 ... that an impacted shoulder presentation during childbirth (pictured) can lead to both the death of the baby and of the mother?
Westland Dreadnought 8,300 ... that although its design and construction are now appreciated for being modern and futuristic, the Westland Dreadnought monoplane crashed and was crippled on its inaugural flight?
Half Acre, Alabama 8,200 ... that the community of Half Acre, Alabama, once contained half an acre of land that was deeded to The Devil?
yes and no 8,200 ... that English once had a four-form yes and no system, employed by Shakespeare and others, instead of the two-form system that it has today?
Havmanden class submarine (1911) 8,000 ... that plans for the Royal Danish Navy's 1911 Havmanden-class submarines (pictured) were seized by the Austro-Hungarian Navy during the First World War and used as the basis for their own U-20-class submarines?
German submarine U-558 7,600 ... that the German submarine U-558 sank ships as far north as Ireland and as far south as Trinidad during World War II?
Andean Cock-of-the-rock 7,600 ... that male Andean Cocks-of-the-rock (pictured) gather in a lek to put on a competitive mating performance?
aluminum Christmas tree 7,600 ... that the 1965 broadcast of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is credited with ending the era of the aluminum Christmas tree (pictured)?
Spence Broughton 7,500 ... that the body of Spence Broughton remained hanging in a gibbet on Attercliffe Common, near Sheffield, for 36 years after his execution for robbery in 1792?
Thaumatichthys 7,500 ... that the deep-sea anglerfish Thaumatichthys (pictured) has been called "one of the oddest creatures in the teeming variety of the fish world"?
Lego Modular Houses Theme 7,400 ... that the first themed Lego Modular Houses set, released in April 2007, was designed for people aged 16 and older and meant to be "toys for adults"?
Dead Rabbits Riot 7,400 ... that during the Dead Rabbits Riot of 1857, residents of Mulberry Street in New York City were forced to barricade themselves in their homes?
Portuguese Expeditionary Corps 7,400 ... that the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps in the First World War ([[:|pictured]]) took 14,000 casualties out of a strength of 60,000 men?
Jacob's Well 7,300 ... that Jacob's Well (pictured) in Nablus is a site associated with Jacob in Jewish, Samaritan, Christian and Muslim tradition?
Moscow Pride 7,300 ... that Moscow Gay Pride has been described as "satanic" and likely to increase the spread of HIV/AIDS by Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov (pictured)?
Herman Landon 7,200 ... that Herman Landon (pictured) commanded five different British Army divisions during the First World War?
Lasiognathus 7,100 ... that the name of the Lasiognathus genus of anglerfish (L. amphirhampus pictured), distinctive for its huge upper jaw, derives from the Greek for "hairy jaw"?
Scorched (film) 7,000 ... that the 2003 film Scorched cost US$7 million to make but only earned US$8,000 at the box office, approximately 0.1% of its initial cost?
Abyssobrotula galatheae 6,900 ... that Abyssobrotula galatheae lives deeper in the ocean than any other known fish?
H-1 upgrade program 6,900 ... that the U.S. Marine Corps H-1 upgrade program is replacing the aging AH-1W SuperCobra and UH-1N Twin Huey helicopters with the AH-1Z Viper (pictured) and UH-1Y Venom, respectively?
Kasim Reed 6,800 ... that Kasim Reed, a 2009 Atlanta mayoral candidate, is known for keeping the battle emblem of the Confederate States of America (pictured) from being considered for inclusion on the Georgia State Flag?
320 mm mortar 6,600 ... that the Japanese Army used 320 mm mortars to frighten American Marines during the Battle of Iwo Jima?
Royal Enfield Bullet 6,500 ... that the Royal Enfield Bullet (pictured) has the longest production run of any motorcycle, having remained continuously in production since 1948?
M44 generator cluster 6,500 ... that the BZ-laden white smoke produced by the M44 generator cluster bomb was problematic because BZ is easily defeated with a few layers of cloth?
Kellogg Co. v. National Biscuit Co. 6,500 ... that Kellogg v. Nabisco, a court case about Shredded Wheat breakfast cereal, "may be the [U.S.] Supreme Court's most ... influential trademark decision"?
Forage fish 6,400 ... that forage fish (anchovy pictured), which feed the world's great marine predators, are now being removed from the oceans on an industrial scale and fed instead to farmed fish, pigs, and poultry?
Gale Benson 6,400 ... that Gale Benson was not a spy according to her brother, even though the 2008 film The Bank Job depicted her as one?
Swaledale (cheese) 6,300 ... that the production of Swaledale cheese (pictured) includes soaking the cheese wheel in 85 percent brine for 24 hours?
Ken Mink 6,300 ... that, at 73 years old, Ken Mink became the oldest person ever to score in a college basketball game?
AMX-30 6,100 ... that production of the French AMX-30 and its variants amounted to a total of 3,571 units?
Suicide bag 6,100 ... that an exit bag, consisting of a large, clear plastic bag with a drawstring, is a commercially available device for committing suicide?
redeye gaper 6,000 ... that when threatened, the redeye gaper ([[:|pictured]]) rapidly takes in water to swell its body?
Sue K. Hicks 5,900 ... that Sue K. Hicks, a prosecutor in the Scopes Monkey Trial who later became a judge in Tennessee, may have been the inspiration for the song, "A Boy Named Sue," popularized by singer Johnny Cash in 1969?
Florizel von Reuter 5,800 ... that Florizel von Reuter (pictured), a child prodigy on the violin, later developed psychic interests and wrote books describing communications with dead composers, including Paganini and Rimsky-Korsakov?
SS Princess Sophia 5,800 ... that at least 343 persons on the SS Princess Sophia (pictured) died in 1918 when the ship was grounded near Juneau, Alaska, the captain decided not to evacuate, and the ship sank?
The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon 5,800 ... that while working on The Last Sleep of Arthur in Avalon, painter Edward Burne-Jones identified so strongly with King Arthur that he even assumed Arthur's pose when he slept?
Lisa the Vegetarian 5,800 ... that Paul McCartney's condition for guest starring in The Simpsons episode "Lisa the Vegetarian" was that Lisa, who becomes a vegetarian in the episode, remain one for the rest of the series?
Nendrum Monastery 5,800 ... that the ancient, but lost, Nendrum Monastery was found in 1844, when a visitor recognized the remains of a round tower?
Tree House, Crawley 5,800 ... that the 14th-century Tree House, the former manor house of Crawley, England, was named after an ancient elm whose trunk was hollowed out to form a room in which travellers stayed overnight?
McLaren M20 5,700 ... that the radiator layout of the McLaren M20 was initially intended to increase driver comfort, but also led to a more aerodynamically efficient bodywork design?
USS PC-496 5,700 ... that the captain of the Italian submarine who misidentified patrol boat USS PC-496 for a destroyer and torpedoed her was court-martialed for "wasting" a torpedo on such a small ship?
Cors Caron 5,600 ... that Cors Caron ([[:|pictured]]) represents the most intact surviving example of a raised bog landscape in the United Kingdom?
Grasshopper Junction, Arizona 5,600 ... that the population of Grasshopper Junction in Arizona, USA, received the same estimated radiation dose pre-Plumbbob (pictured) as they did afterward?
Battle of the Severn 5,500 ... that the Battle of the Severn in 1655 in Annapolis, Maryland, was closely related to the conflicts of the English Civil War, which had concluded four years earlier in England?
Mangaloreans 5,500 ... that Mangaloreans hold a Guinness world record for non-stop singing for 40 hours?
Helaeomyia petrolei 5,400 ... that the Petroleum fly, Helaeomyia petrolei, is the only known insect that develops in naturally occurring crude oil?
Peyton Short 5,400 ... that Peyton Short may have been responsible for the break-up of the first marriage of U.S. President Andrew Jackson's wife Rachel?
M34 cluster bomb 5,400 ... that the M34 cluster bomb was the first major U.S. chemical weapon designed to deliver sarin nerve agent?
death of Brian Rossiter 5,400 ... that following the death of Brian Rossiter, his father took High Court action ([[:|Four Courts pictured]]) against An Garda Síochána?
Manor House, 21 Soho Square 5,400 ... that between 1778 and 1801, Manor House, 21 Soho Square, London, (pictured) was a high-class magic brothel called The White House, described by Henry Mayhew as a "notorious place of ill-fame"?
Formula one rule changes since 1950 5,300 ... that changes in Formula One car racing rules introduced in 1978 banned the use of the Brabham BT46B "fan car" ([[:|pictured]]) after it won its first—and only—race at the Swedish Grand Prix?
Fredrik Heffermehl 5,200 ... that Norwegian jurist and peace activist Fredrik Heffermehl claimed that 45 percent of Nobel Peace Prize awards after 1945 are "illegal"?
Ganggangsullae 5,100 ... that the Korean women's dance Ganggangsullae (pictured) was used by Admiral Yi Sun-sin to intimidate the Japanese army during their invasion of Korea?
Berlin (sculpture) 5,100 ... that the sculpture Berlin (pictured), created as a testament to East and West Berlin being close yet separate, was commissioned for the city's 750th anniversary?
Kłomino 5,100 ... that Poland's only "official" ghost town, Kłomino, used to be a base of both the Wehrmacht and the Soviet Army?
Operation Big Itch 5,100 ... that U.S. testing during Operation Big Itch successfully dispersed rat fleas from an aircraft?
What's Cooking? with Jamie Oliver 5,000 ... that celebrity chef Jamie Oliver (pictured) narrates the Nintendo DS cooking video game What's Cooking? with Jamie Oliver?
Valery Kobelev 5,000 ... that Russian ski jumper Valery Kobelev's 1999 crash in Planica, Slovenia, has been called one of the worst ski jumping crashes ever?

November 2008

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(Full-checking on articles complete from Nov. 1-2, 6-12, and 22-30)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Saxbe fix 39,600 ... that Hillary Rodham Clinton (pictured) may be ineligible for appointment as United States Secretary of State by Barack Obama unless a Saxbe fix can be worked out?
Lazarus syndrome 27,800 ... that the Lazarus syndrome is named after Lazarus of Bethany (pictured), who the Bible says was raised from the dead by Jesus?
Barack Obama presidential acceptance speech, 2008 21,400 ... that U.S. president-elect Barack Obama delivered his acceptance speech (pictured) from behind 2 inches (51 mm) of bulletproof glass?
Nassak Diamond 20,900 ... that the Nassak Diamond (replica pictured), pillaged in the 1800s from a Hindu temple where it had resided for 300 years, was later used as a gimmick to attract partygoers to a 1976 benefit?
Fort Nepean 15,200 ... that the guns at Fort Nepean (pictured) in Victoria, Australia fired the first Allied shots of both World War I and World War II?
Lilian Lenton 13,200 ... that the force-feeding (pictured) of suffragette, arsonist and hunger-striker Lilian Lenton caused food to enter her lungs and led to public outrage?
BOHICA 13,000 ... that BOHICA is an acronym that means "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again"?
The Ghost of a Flea 12,500 ... that William Blake's painting The Ghost of a Flea (pictured) caused some contemporaries to believe that he was a madman?
Jack Dorsey 11,800 ... that at age 14, Jack Dorsey (pictured) developed software that is still used to dispatch taxicabs and inspired him to create Twitter?
The Sea of Ice 11,700 ... that Caspar David Friedrich's 1824 painting The Sea of Ice (pictured) was seen as too radical in composition, and went unsold until after his death in 1840?
[NOTE: Image received 23,000 DYK views]
Cat gap 10,900 ... that the cat gap is a period in the fossil record (cat illustration pictured) of approximately 25 to 17 million years ago in which there were few cats or cat-like species?
CZ 2075 RAMI 10,800 ... that the CZ 2075 RAMI (pictured) was named by combining the first two initials of the two people who originally designed it?
Nebuchadnezzar (Blake) 10,800 ... that Nebuchadnezzar (pictured), a colour monotype by William Blake, depicts the Babylonian king "crawling like a hunted beast" with "his wild eyes full of sullen terror"?
Apega of Nabis 10,500 ... that the Apega of Nabis was an ancient torture device similar to the iron maiden, invented by King Nabis of Sparta (pictured on coin)?
Uroplatus sikorae 10,400 ... that the mossy leaf-tail gecko (pictured) of Madagascar possesses dermal flaps which disguise its outline?
Rolls-Royce LiftSystem 10,000 ... that the Rolls-Royce LiftSystem (pictured) was awarded the prestigious Collier trophy in 2001?
Templo Mayor 9,500 ... that at the inauguration of the sixth Aztec Templo Mayor in 1487 (scale model pictured), thousands of prisoners of war were ritually sacrificed, bathing the steps of the pyramid in blood?
C/1743 X1 8,900 ... that C/1743 X1, the Great Comet of 1744 (pictured), is thought to have been the sixth intrinsically brightest on record and went on to develop six tails?
Precambrian rabbit 8,800 ... that biologist J. B. S. Haldane replied "Precambrian rabbits" when asked what would destroy his confidence in the theory of evolution?
M33 cluster bomb 8,700 ... that after testing the biological Brucella cluster bomb on 11,000 guinea pigs, a U.S. general remarked "Now we know what to do if we ever go to war against guinea pigs"?
Smoking in Japan 8,700 ... that there are 30 million smokers in Japan, making the country one of the largest tobacco markets in the world?
Klismos 8,400 ... that ancient Greek klismos chairs became fashionable again in the late 18th century?
M139 bomblet 8,100 ... that in 1967, the M139 bomblet (interior pictured) was tested in Hawaii using live Sarin nerve agent?
George Julian Zolnay 7,800 ... that George Julian Zolnay (pictured), the so-called "sculptor of the Confederacy," was actually Hungarian and did not move to the United States until decades after the Confederacy had ceased to exist?
Lebanese Navy SEALs Regiment 7,800 ... that the Lebanese Navy SEALs undergo heavy military training, which spans three months and sometimes reaches 20 hours per day?
Mermithidae 7,700 ... that a parasitic worm of the family Mermithidae (pictured) has been found in a spider preserved in Baltic amber for 40 million years?
A Message From Earth 7,700 ... that a digital time capsule "A Message From Earth" was transmitted to the planet Gliese 581c and included a message by actress Gillian Anderson consisting of images of George W. Bush and Barack Obama?
Extreme points of Sweden 7,300 ... that the northernmost extreme point of Sweden is Treriksröset (pictured), where the borders of Sweden, Norway and Finland meet?
Henri Pépin 7,200 ... that Henri Pépin extended the notion of riding the Tour de France to stopping in good restaurants and sometimes finishing 12 hours behind the leaders?
Lake Pichola 7,200 ... that Lake Pichola (pictured), an artificial fresh water lake created in 1362, is named after the nearby Picholi village in Udaipur city?
Ariel W/NG 350 7,100 ... that although the Ariel W/NG 350 (pictured) was not initially selected by the British War Department, they were in great demand after the evacuation of Dunkirk in the World War II?
Banc Ty'nddôl sun-disc 7,000 ... that the Banc Ty'nddôl sun-disc, a gold ornament discovered at Cwmystwyth, is over 4,000 years old, making it the earliest gold artifact discovered in Wales?
Nia Glassie abuse case 7,000 ... that the abuse suffered by Nia Glassie included being left in a tumble drier for 30 minutes?
World's Biggest Liar 6,700 ... that a bishop of the Church of England once won the World's Biggest Liar competition by simply stating, "I have never told a lie in my life"?
SS Sanct Svithun 6,500 ... that the 1943 sinking by Allied aircraft of the Hurtigruten passenger ship SS Sanct Svithun (pictured) led to protests by the Norwegian resistance movement?
Gay Kids – Kule barn som også finnes 6,500 ... that Norwegian researchers published Gay Kids in November 2008 to educate children about homosexual love?
Villa Cimbrone 6,500 ... that when asked what the most beautiful place he had ever seen in all his travels was, Gore Vidal chose the view from the belvedere at Villa Cimbrone?
Sandi Jackson 6,500 ... that Chicago alderman Sandi Jackson (pictured) transferred from Georgetown University Law Center to University of Illinois College of Law to be with her future husband, U.S. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.?
PZL.49 Miś 6,300 ... that almost all documentation of PZL.49 Miś, a development of advanced Polish medium bomber PZL.37 Łoś, was destroyed during the siege of Warsaw to prevent it from falling into Nazi German hands?
Miki Mizuasa 6,300 ... that pre-operative transsexual Miki Mizuasa was nominated for the Best Actress award at the 2007 Adult Broadcasting Awards even though she was born a male?
Moishe Tokar 6,200 ... that rather than await execution, Russian anarchist assassin Moishe Tokar doused himself in paraffin from his prison cell lamp and burned himself alive?
Hacienda Arms Apartments 6,100 ... that Hacienda Arms on the Sunset Strip was the "most famous brothel in California" in the 1930s and now houses a celebrity-owned restaurant described by Newsweek as "so hip it hurts"?
fortifications of Kotor 6,000 ... that Captain William Hoste captured the French-held fortifications of Kotor (pictured) in 1814 by hoisting cannons from the HMS Bacchante onto the higher ground of the surrounding mountains?
Henri Joseph Fenet 5,900 ... that Henri Joseph Fenet, a soldier in World War II, was awarded both the Croix de Guerre by France and the Knight's Cross by Germany?
November 11, 2008 incident off Somalia 5,900 ... that the deaths of two pirates during the November 11, 2008 incident off Somalia, are believed to be the first time since the 1982 Falklands War that the Royal Navy has killed anyone on the high seas?
Shugborough inscription 5,800 ... that theories about the Shugborough inscription ciphertext include a love message, a biblical verse, a clue to a preserved Jesus bloodline or a reference to the Priory of Sion and the Holy Grail?
Robert La Tourneaux 5,800 ... that openly gay actor Robert La Tourneaux considered his role as the gay hustler in the 1970 film The Boys in the Band to be the "kiss of death" for his career?
BankWest Tower 5,700 ... that when completed in 1988, the 52-storey BankWest Tower in Perth, Western Australia (pictured) was the eighth tallest concrete skyscraper in the world?
Bert Bolle Barometer 5,700 ... that the Bert Bolle Barometer (pictured) in Denmark, Western Australia, is the largest barometer in the world?
M143 bomblet 5,600 ... that the M143 bomblet held the equivalent of 300 million lethal doses of anthrax?
17th Panzer Division (Germany) 5,400 ... that by Christmas Eve 1942, the German 17th Panzer Division had only eight tanks and one anti-tank gun left after its failed attempt to break through to Stalingrad?
Quacker (sound) 5,400 ... that Soviet submarines patrolling in the North Atlantic in the 1970s reported mysterious frog-like sounds, dubbed "quackers", which have been classified as Unidentified Submerged Objects?
Star of the South 5,300 ... that the original owner of the diamond Star of the South (replica pictured) sold it for a mere £3,000, and the buyer later deposited it in the bank of Rio de Janeiro for £30,000?
Moon of Baroda File:Marilyn Monroe in The Prince and the Showgirl trailer cropped.jpg 5,300 ... that the Moon of Baroda, a 24.04-carat diamond, was worn by actress Marilyn Monroe and Empress Marie Therese of Austria?
Irving Brown 5,300 ... that Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Irving Brown was dubbed "The Most Dangerous Man" by Time in 1952?
Diamphidia 5,200 ... that the larvae (pictured) and pupae of African beetles in the genus Diamphidia are used by Bushmen to prepare arrow poisons?
Talheim Death Pit 5,200 ... that most of the skeletons found at Talheim Death Pit, a mass grave in Germany dating to 5000 BC, show signs of skull trauma, and scientists have concluded that those buried there were victims of genocide?
Hydnellum 5,200 ... that "bleeding tooth fungus" is a member of the woody toothed fungus genus Hydnellum (example pictured)?
Gerodermia osteodysplastica 5,100 ... that the connective tissue disorder gerodermia osteodysplastica is also known as "Walt Disney dwarfism" because the first known patients were described as resembling "dwarves from a Walt Disney film"?
Autism's False Prophets 5,100 ... that the author of Autism's False Prophets, a critique of claims that autism is linked to vaccines, reportedly received death threats?
Donora Smog of 1948 5,000 ... that the 20 deaths in the Donora Smog of 1948, called one of the worst air pollution disasters in American history, have been credited with leading to passage of the U.S. Clean Air Act in 1970?
Agustín de Iturbide 5,000 ... that the empire ruled by Agustín I of Mexico (pictured) lasted less than one year?
1996 Orange Bowl (December) 5,000 ... that the 1996 Orange Bowl had the lowest attendance of any Orange Bowl since 1947?
Ilse Stanley 5,000 ... that Ilse Stanley (pictured), a German Jewish actress, secured the release of 412 prisoners in Nazi Germany between 1936 and 1938?

October 2008

[edit]

(Total 69 articles. Note: The data for 21 and 22 October appear to be unavailable.)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Love dart 30,100 ... that some hermaphrodite snails and slugs pierce each other with love darts (pictured) during mating?
Neel Kashkari 29,200 ... that Neel Kashkari (pictured), six years after completing his MBA, was put in charge of the $700 billion U.S. Government bailout of financial institutions?
Scowle 25,600 ... that the ancient opencast iron ore workings known as scowles (pictured) in the Forest of Dean, England, are believed to have been an inspiration for settings in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings?
People sniffer 22,000 ... that during the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong hung buckets of mud with urine in trees to thwart American people sniffers?
Hannikel 21,700 ... that Hannikel (pictured), today a character of the Swabian-Alemannic carnival, was a 18th-century robber and murderer in Württemberg, Southern Germany?
MIM-46 Mauler 20,300 ... that the MIM-46 Mauler (pictured) was the first in a long string of failed attempts to add armored anti-aircraft missile systems into the US Army?
Nintendo DSi 19,600 ... that Nintendo plans to release a revised model of the Nintendo DS Lite handheld game console called the Nintendo DSi, with two built-in cameras?
Ye Olde Curiosity Shop 18,900 ... that the permanent collection on display at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in Seattle, Washington includes "Sylvester" (pictured), an excellently preserved mummy?
Battle of Khafji 18,100 ... that the Iraqi Army launched an offensive into Saudi Arabia on 29 January 1991, leading to the Battle of Khafji, the first major ground engagement of the Gulf War (U.S. Marine artillery pictured)?
Stroke Belt 14,900 ... that the existence of a Stroke Belt in the southeastern United States was recognized as early as 1962, but the causes of high stroke incidence in this region have not been determined?
The Queen's Jewels 13,500 ... that Queen Victoria wore the George III Tiara, part of Elizabeth II's jewel collection, while being painted in Franz Xaver Winterhalter's The First of May (pictured)?
Snuppy File:Snuppy cropped.jpg 12,400 ... that Snuppy (pictured) is the world's first cloned dog?
Encino Oak Tree 11,400 ... that Los Angeles police were sent to guard the remains of the 1000-year-old Encino Oak Tree, a victim of "slime flux", after it was felled by an El Niño storm in 1998?
Upper cloth revolt 10,800 ... that women baring their breasts in front of higher class people and deities was considered a sign of respect in the 19th-century Travancore kingdom in South India?
Striking and Picturesque Delineations of the Grand, Beautiful, Wonderful, and Interesting Scenery Around Loch-Earn 10,700 ... that the publication of his Striking and Picturesque Delineations of the Grand, Beautiful, Wonderful, and Interesting Scenery Around Loch-Earn led to Angus McDiarmid being called "the world's worst author"?
I'm a PC 10,600 ... that the recent series of "I'm a PC" advertisements for Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system were created using Apple Macintosh computers?
United States Navy Mark 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle 10,300 ... that Springfield Armory, Inc. assisted Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division in making the United States Navy Mark 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle by supplying the needed machinery to make it?
Wisconsin Department of Revenue v. William Wrigley, Jr., Co. 10,300 ... that the replacement of stale chewing gum, by a sales representative, led to the U.S. Supreme Court case of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue v. William Wrigley, Jr., Co.?
Heinkel Tourist 10,200 ... that more than 100,000 Heinkel Tourist (pictured) scooters were sold despite being heavier and more expensive than Vespas and Lambrettas?
Uniforms of the Confederate military 9,500 ... that the wool used in the uniforms of the Confederate military (pictured) caused many Confederate soldiers to suffer from heatstrokes on long marches??
Fiji Banded Iguana 9,400 ... that the Fiji government claims the entire U.S. zoo population of Fiji Banded Iguanas (pictured) are descended from illegally smuggled animals?
Portraiture of Elizabeth I 8,800 ... that the portraiture of Elizabeth I (pictured) contains complex iconography of empire and virginity that conveyed to Elizabethans the majesty and significance of the Virgin Queen?
Fiji Crested Iguana 8,700 ... that the Fiji Crested Iguana (pictured) was discovered when a scientist saw the lizard in the 1980 film Blue Lagoon?
Sherlock Holmes (2009 film) 8,600 ... that the upcoming film Sherlock Holmes revolves around Holmes and Watson, played by Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law, stopping a conspiracy to destroy Britain?
Cerberus 8,600 ... that in classical mythology, Cerberus (pictured) is a monstrous dog with multiple heads that guards the gates to the underworld?
Operation Top Hat 8,300 ... that in 1953, the U.S. Army used human subjects to test decontamination methods for chemical and biological agents as part of Operation Top Hat?
John Fancy 8,200 ... that British WWII prisoner of war John Fancy dug eight tunnels with a table knife and escaped a total of 16 times, but was always recaptured?
Don Quixote (unfinished film) 8,100 ... that Orson Welles originally planned to end his film Don Quixote by having Don Quixote and Sancho Panza survive an atomic cataclysm?
Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System 8,000 ... that the Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (pictured) destroyed more than 400,000 American chemical munitions from 1990 to 2000?
Choi Jin-sil 7,900 ... that a 1989 Samsung commercial began the late South Korean actress Choi Jin-sil's path to stardom?
Old German Shepherd Dog 7,900 ... that after the standardisation of the German Shepherd Dog, other herding dogs in Germany became known as Old German Shepherd Dogs which is now the name given to a rare modern breed (pictured)?
Napoleon Diamond Necklace 7,600 ... that Napoleon Bonaparte presented the Napoleon Diamond Necklace (pictured) to his wife to celebrate the birth of his son, Napoleon II?
Salt in the American Civil War 7,500 ... that salt workers in the Confederate States of America were immune from being drafted?
Urbilaterian 7,400 ... that the last common ancestor of bilaterian animals has been reconstructed as a tiny worm with a combined mouth and anus?
1891 Age of Consent Act 7,400 ... that a brutal rape of a Bengali child by her 35-year-old husband served as a catalyst for increasing the age of consummation to 12 in British India?
Sex in the American Civil War 7,400 ... that only three novels catering to soldiers' sexual proclivities during the American Civil War are known to still exist?
Indiana Gas Boom 7,300 ... that modern experts estimate that around 90% of the natural gas discovered in the Indiana Gas Boom was wasted in flambeau displays?
HMS Santa Margarita (1779) 7,200 ... that despite being built for the Spanish Navy, the frigate Santa Margarita spent just five years in service with them, but served for nearly 60 years with the Royal Navy?
Embassy of Germany in Saint Petersburg 7,200 ... that the Neoclassical style Embassy of Germany in Saint Petersburg (pictured), whilst reviled by the Saint Petersburg artistic community, was admired by Adolf Hitler?
Facial trauma 7,100 ... that as many as 50–70% of people who survive traffic accidents have facial injuries (X-ray pictured)?
Yellow-bellied slider 7,100 ... that yellow-bellied sliders (pictured), popular as pets, are found in a wide variety of habitats, including rivers, floodplain swamps, seasonal wetlands, and permanent ponds?
Spanish Inquisition Necklace 7,000 ... that the first recorded owner of the Spanish Inquisition Necklace (pictured) was an Indian Maharaja?
Merck headquarters 6,900 ... that the Merck headquarters campus (pictured) is home to the largest ground-mounted solar power tracking system east of the Mississippi River?
Indiana Klan 6,800 ... that the power of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana was once so great its Grand Dragon D. C. Stephenson claimed "I am the law in Indiana"?
Hollywood Undercover 6,700 ... that the author of Hollywood Undercover posed as an aspiring gay actor while investigating claims of a Church of Scientology "cure" for homosexuality?
The Best Little Girl in the World 6,700 ... that The Best Little Girl in the World, a 1981 film about anorexia nervosa, was back in the news in 1983 when performer Karen Carpenter died of complications from the same disorder?
M3 Amphibious Rig 6,600 ... that M3 Amphibious Rig, a self-propelled amphibious bridging vehicle, was originally developed by the German firm Eisenwerke Kaiserslautern?
Electrician and Mechanic 6,600 ... that the magazine Electrician and Mechanic (cover pictured) changed its title six times in two years before acquiring its current title, Popular Science?
Marguerite Sylva 6,500 ... that Marguerite Sylva (pictured) modestly told W. S. Gilbert at her sister's audition that she "sang a little" and, after demonstrating, was offered a part?
Ruffed lemur 6,500 ... that experiments have indicated that ruffed lemurs (pictured) can understand the outcome of simple arithmetic operations?
Kodaikanal Lake 6,400 ... that Kodaikanal Lake (pictured) was developed in 1863, amid the town of the same name, by the British and early missionaries from the USA?
Alfred Trzebinski 6,400 ... that the SS-physician Alfred Trzebinski, who was involved in the homicide of 20 children at the former school Bullenhuser Damm, was executed by hanging in 1946?
Emmeline Pankhurst 6,100 ... that British activist Emmeline Pankhurst (pictured) once slapped a police officer so she would get arrested to raise awareness about the need for women's suffrage?
USS Samoa (CB-6) 6,000 ... that USS Samoa (CB-6) was scheduled to be the last of six Alaska-class "large cruisers" built for the United States Navy, but was canceled prior to construction?
Dome of the Chain 5,900 ... that the Dome of the Chain (pictured), a free-standing dome functioning as a prayer house on the Temple Mount, was possibly used as a building model for the adjacent Dome of the Rock?
Kevin Wu 5,800 ... that deadpan comedian Kevin Wu was one of three Asians under the age of 21 to be in the top five of YouTube's all time most subscribed in 2008?
List of tallest buildings in Sweden 5,800 ... that Sweden's tallest building is Turning Torso (pictured), which rises 190 metres (620 ft)?
Henri Pélissier 5,700 ... that the 1923 Tour de France winner Henri Pélissier (pictured) was shot by his lover using the gun with which his wife had shot herself some years earlier?
Empress Wang (Dezong) 5,700 ... that Empress Wang, the wife of Emperor Dezong of Tang, was empress for only three days prior to her death in 786 AD?
Calyptra (genus) 5,600 ... that some types of vampire moth can bite and drink human blood?
Marine loading arm 5,600 ... that marine loading arms (pictured) are used to safely and efficiently move liquids between tankships and cargo terminals?
Meinong's jungle 5,500 ... that Meinong's jungle is the name given to the ontological realm in which non-existent objects such as unicorns, square circles, and golden mountains subsist?
Cairns Tilt Train derailment 5,500 ... that the 2004 Cairns Tilt Train derailment was the result of excessive speed which may have been caused by the driver leaving his seat?
Year of the Three Emperors 5,500 ... that three different emperors ruled over the German Empire during 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors?

Nicholas Carr wrote a controversial article titled "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" in the July/August 2008 edition of The Atlantic Monthly?

Goodpasture Bridge 5,200 ... that the Goodpasture Covered Bridge (pictured) spanning the McKenzie River near Vida, Oregon is decorated for the Christmas season?
Mother Shipton Moth 5,200 ... that the Mother Shipton Moth is named after the likeness of the legendary witch Ursula Southeil on its wings?
List of David Bowie awards and nominations 5,200 ... that David Bowie (pictured) was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the 2007 Webby Awards?
Flagellation of Christ 5,200 ... that the Flagellation of Christ first appears in art (example pictured) in the 9th century?
Ripple (electrical) 5,100 ... that ripple can cause wavy lines on television pictures?
Manasbal Lake 5,100 ... that Manasbal Lake (pictured), with the sobriquet "the supreme gem of all Kashmir Lakes", is the deepest lake in the Kashmir valley?
Sinop Fortress Prison 5,000 ... that Sinop Fortress Prison in Turkey, abandoned in 1997, hosts hundreds of thousands tourists yearly thanks to its featuring in popular literature, music and film?

September 2008

[edit]

(Full-checking up to the update at 20:37, 9 September 2008 inclusive. Total 55 articles listed)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Todd Palin 58,000 ... that Alaska's First Gentleman Todd Palin won the world's longest snowmobile race four times?
The Trons 25,000 ... that New Zealand band The Trons (pictured) has no human members?
La Princesse 24,000 ... that La Princesse (pictured), a giant mechanical spider, roamed the streets of Liverpool, England as part of the 2008 European City of Culture celebrations?
M247 Sergeant York 21,700 ... that during testing, M247 Sergeant York (pictured) locked onto an exhaust fan, shot into the ground instead of its target, and threatened to fire on the high-ranking review panel in nearby stands?
Corpus Clock 18,200 ... that the Corpus Clock (pictured), a large sculptural clock at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge featuring the world's largest grasshopper escapement, is entirely accurate only once every five minutes?
2008 Kerry bogslide 17,900 ... that the 2008 Kerry bogslide was described as "one of the most frightening and overwhelming events ever witnessed"?
Commodore Nutt Image:CommodoreNutt.jpg 17,600 ... that Commodore Nutt grew only 37 inches (94 cm) tall?
Nonsuch House 14,300 ... that Nonsuch House (pictured) is the earliest documented prefabricated building?
List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in the San Fernando Valley 13,700 ... that a tower of 2,000 wooden Schlitz beer pallets described as "a rotting vestige of one man's egotism" that festers "like a sore on the community's body" is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument?
prehistoric Orkney 12,900 ... that prehistoric Orkney has provided so many ancient ruins (pictured) that one of the islands in the archipelago has been described as "the Egypt of the North"?
Battles of the Kinarot Valley 12,500 ... that about 70 Jewish fighters held off an assault by an entire Syrian infantry brigade and several armored battalions as part of the Battles of the Kinarot Valley (see map) on May 20, 1948?
Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge 12,400 ... that a simple kite defeated cannons, steamers, and rockets in the bid to lay a line for the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge (ad pictured)?
Vickers V-1000 12,100 ... that despite the Vickers V-1000 jet airliner's being canceled, it was so admired that the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 were re-designed to compare with its six-abreast seating?
Disneyland with the Death Penalty 11,900 ... that "Disneyland with the Death Penalty" became a famous description for Singapore (pictured) following the 1993 publication of William Gibson's article of the same name?
Thermal imaging camera 11,500 ... that the thermal imaging camera (pictured) has been called the best advance in firefighting equipment in the last 25 years, and the most expensive?
Abell 39 11,300 ... that the planetary nebula Abell 39 is unusually spherical, yet its central star is offset from the center?
American Airlines Flight 96 10,200 ... that a failure to correct an aircraft flaw revealed by the "Windsor Incident" with American Airlines Flight 96 (pictured) caused the crash of Turkish Airlines Flight 981 two years later?
Porsche PFM 3200 10,200 ... that the Porsche PFM 3200 (pictured) was a version of the Porsche 911's air-cooled engine built for the general aviation market?
San Dimas Hotel 9,600 ... that the 33-room San Dimas Hotel (pictured) built in 1887 never had a paying guest due to a land boom that never occurred?
A Victim of the Mormons 9,400 ... that A Victim of the Mormons (ad pictured) is a 1911 Danish silent film that initiated a decade of anti-Mormon films in the United States?
Little Masters 9,300 ... that the German Renaissance Little Masters specialized in very small engravings (example pictured), often treated erotically?
Clifton Hall, Nottingham 9,300 ... that in August 2007, millionaire businessman Anwar Rashid and his family left Clifton Hall (pictured), their £3.6M home in Nottingham, because they thought it was haunted?
Simplified Spelling Board 9,000 ... that Andrew Carnegie (pictured) founded the Simplified Spelling Board in 1906, with the aim of making English the world language by addressing its difficult spelling?
gejang 8,900 ... that gejang (pictured) is a variety of jeotgal, fermented seafood in Korean cuisine, which is made by marinating fresh raw crabs in soy sauce?
Lester Apartments 8,500 ... that the Lester Apartments in Seattle, originally intended to be the world's largest brothel, were destroyed when a B-50 Superfortress crashed into it in 1951?
Millennium Wrestling Federation 7,900 ... that, in a video released by the Millennium Wrestling Federation, the Iron Sheik (pictured) challenged Seinfeld character Kramer to a match?
Mount Rennie rape case 7,600 ... that the Mount Rennie rape case in the 1880s in Sydney, Australia was likened by one newspaper to the British oppression of the Irish?
Loch Sloy 7,600 ... that survivors of the Loch Sloy disaster who made it ashore to Kangaroo Island, were eventually found with the remains of two dead penguins tied around their neck?
Mathematical diagram 7,500 ... that despite the long-established use of mathematical diagrams (Voronoi diagram pictured), going back to the Ancient Greeks, the scientific study of them has only recently begun?
Oswald Kaduk 7,300 ... that despite jointly murdering at least 1,000 inmates at Auschwitz, former SS-Unterscharführer Oswald Kaduk earned the nickname "Papa Kaduk" among patients at the hospital he worked at after the war?
Heritage turkey 7,100 ... that heritage turkeys (pictured) are the only domestic turkeys able to reproduce without artificial insemination?
Massacre of the Acqui Division 7,100 ... that the massacre of the Acqui Division provided the historical context for the novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin, which later became a Hollywood film?
Marie Castello 7,000 ... that although fortuneteller Madam Marie was "finally busted" in Bruce Springsteen's "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)", she was never arrested in real life?
Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department 6,900 ... that the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department (jacket pictured), which responded to the Flight 93 crash during the September 11 attacks, received a memorial made of steel from the World Trade Center?
Toby Philpott 6,500 ... that Jabba The Hutt puppeteer Toby Philpott (pictured) began his career as a homeless juggler in the streets of London?
World altitude record (mountaineering) 6,400 ... that early claims by European mountaineers to have set world altitude records in the Himalayas have been disproven by the discovery of Inca artefacts on the summit of Llullaillaco (pictured)?
Pseudofeces 6,400 ... that oysters deposit pseudofeces in such amounts that they can clean up an entire estuary?
Phillips Mansion 6,400 ... that the Phillips Mansion, described as having been built in the "Classic Haunted Mansion" style, was the home of the richest man in Los Angeles County from 1875 to 1900?
Hui'an maidens 6,300 ... that the traditional dress of Hui'an maidens (statue pictured) has been jokingly referred to as "feudal heads, thrifty jackets, democratic bellies, and wasteful trousers"?
Samuel Johnson's health 6,300 ... that it is accepted that Samuel Johnson had Tourette syndrome, after a 1967 diagnosis, a condition unknown during Johnson's lifetime?
Crimson Skies (PC game) 6,300 ... that the 2000 PC game Crimson Skies is set in an alternate history of the 1930s in which the United States has fractured into a number of smaller, independent nation-states?
Watch Your Own Heart Attack 6,200 ... that English director and actor Steven Berkoff featured in a two-minute film inviting the viewer to Watch Your Own Heart Attack?
Yang Jia (1980) 6,000 ... that Yang Jia, a Chinese man sentenced to death for murdering six policemen, is being hailed as a hero on Chinese internet forums?
Mongol invasion of Poland 6,000 ... that despite total defeat of the Polish forces in the Mongol invasion of Poland, the Mongols did not occupy the country?
Midtown Tower 5,900 ... that, at 248.1 metres (814 ft), Midtown Tower (pictured) is the tallest building in Tokyo, Japan?
George Gordon Byron's early life 5,900 ... that the young Lord Byron (1813 portrait pictured) shared his mother's violent temper and, during one fit of anger, bit into a saucer?
Charlie Nothing 5,800 ... that Charlie Nothing created the dingulator?
Operation Mole Cricket 19 5,800 ... that Operation Mole Cricket 19 was the first time a Western air force successfully destroyed a Soviet-built SAM network?
State Coach Britannia 5,800 ... that coach builder Jim Frecklington had to mortgage his house to pay for the estimated £620,000 building costs of the State Coach Britannia?
Millennium '73 5,600 ... that Guru Maharaj Ji's followers predicted that extraterrestrials would attend the Millennium '73 in the Astrodome (pictured) and that the festival's failure was a major setback for the Divine Light Mission?
Battle of Karameh 5,400 ... that the PalestinianJordanian alliance forged at the Battle of Karameh (house blown up during the battle pictured) is considered by observers to have led to Black September in Jordan?
Cadillac Gage Peacekeeper II 5,400 ... that the Cadillac Gage Peacekeeper II armoured vehicle has a 0.5-inch (13 mm) thick armour that can provide protection against 7.62mm armour piercing ammunition?
Jack Powers 5,300 ... that California Gold Rush-era bandit and highwayman Jack Powers, after being run out of several cities by vigilantes, was murdered in Mexico and his body fed to hogs?
Adamson House 5,300 ... that Adamson House, called the "Taj Mahal of Tile", uses local handmade Malibu tiles throughout and has an elaborately tiled dog bath (pictured)?
St. Michael's Cave 5,300 ... that Gibraltar's St. Michael's Cave, prepared as an emergency hospital during World War II, at present contains an auditorium and receives almost a million visitors a year?
Philip Goldberg 5,100 ... that Philip Goldberg (pictured), former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, was the eighth chief of mission in U.S. diplomatic history declared persona non grata and expelled from a country where he was serving?

August 2008

[edit]


(Full-checking up to the update at 01:38, 1 September 2008 inclusive. Total 76 articles listed)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
National Cleavage Day 24,000 ... that National Cleavage Day was started in South Africa in 2002?
Scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow 22,300 ... that 52 ships of the German High Seas Fleet were successfully scuttled in Scapa Flow (example pictured) in 1919, but many were later salvaged?
Millard House 20,200 ... that Frank Lloyd Wright said of the Millard House (pictured) that he "would rather have built this little house than St. Peter's in Rome"?
Battleship Illinois (replica) 18,200 ... that the battleship Illinois (pictured), exhibited at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, was actually a full scale, detailed replica made of brick and cement?
Mutinus caninus 14,400 ... that "eggs" of the foul-smelling, insect-attracting dog stinkhorn (pictured) have been eaten in West Virginia?
Martian Monkey 11,600 ... that the pranksters behind the Martian Monkey hoax were fined US$40?
Attack dog 11,400 ... that nearly 10% of dog attacks in the United States were caused by canines trained to be attack dogs (pictured)?
Leptotyphlops carlae 11,200 ... that the recently discovered smallest snake in the world, Leptotyphlops carlae (pictured), is thought to be near the evolutionary limit of how small any snake could be?
Vasili Blokhin 11,000 ... that Vasili Blokhin, chief executioner of the Stalinist NKVD, led a company of executioners that performed more than 828,000 official executions during Joseph Stalin's reign, including tens of thousands by his own hands?
AMX-30E 10,800 ... that the Spanish AMX-30E (pictured) underwent an extensive modernization program between 1989 and 1993, dramatically improving the tank's mobility, firepower and accuracy?
Spencer Barrett 10,100 ...that when scholar Spencer Barrett’s tax return was challenged, he showed that to understand a text of Pindar he had to know how Mount Etna (pictured) had appeared to a passing sailor?
Bombing of Kure (July 1945) 9,900 ... that the U.S. Third Fleet sank all of Japan's remaining undamaged battleships and heavy cruisers during the bombing of Kure in July 1945?
Abhinav Bindra 9,700 ... that champion shooter Abhinav Bindra is the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at any Olympic Games?
SS Montanan 9,600 ... that early in World War I, the cargo ship SS Montanan (pictured) of the then-neutral United States, was fired upon and stopped by a Japanese warship?
Scotland during the Roman Empire File:Claudiuscameo.jpg 9,400 ... that the earliest written record of Scotland during the Roman Empire is the submission of the King of Orkney to the Emperor Claudius (pictured) at Colchester in the year 43?
Bhutanatha group of temples 9,200 ... that the Bhutanatha temples (pictured) in India have a pillared hall extending into a lake?
Ralphs Grocery Store 9,000 ... that Ralphs Grocery Store (location pictured), part of a plan to build the "model college town" in 1929, was photographed by Ansel Adams?
Shirakumo class destroyer 9,000 ... that the Shirakumo class destroyers (example pictured) were amongst the last destroyers purchased by the Imperial Japanese Navy from overseas shipyards?
List of people executed by the Holy See 8,800 ... that Giovanni Battista Bugatti executed 516 people between 1796 and 1865 on behalf of the Papal States?
Tuff-E-Nuff (tugboat) 8,100 ... that the tugboat Tuff-E-Nuff, built in 1895 by Neafie & Levy, was still working commercially in 2007 after 112 years of service?
roller ship 8,100 ... that the roller ship was a steamship, raised above the water like a hydrofoil and moving on several large wheels?
Ramsay-Durfee Estate 8,000 ... that the widow-owner of the Durfee Mansion died in 1976 at age 99, leaving an untouched wine cellar stocked with vintage wines and whisky dating to the 1890s?
Ictineo II 8,000 ... that the original viewports of the pioneering submarine Ictineo II (replica pictured) ended up as bathroom windows?
potoo 8,000 ... that the potoos of the Neotropics have slits in their eyelids so that they can watch for danger without opening their large conspicuous eyes?
Type 89 I-Go 8,000 ... that the Imperial Japanese Army's Type 89 I-Go medium tank (Otsu version) was the first diesel-powered tank to be mass-produced?
Taste in High Life 7,900 ... that William Hogarth was paid sixty guineas to paint Taste in High Life (engraving pictured), a 1742 oil-on-canvas that pokes fun at the fashion of the upper class?
urban survival syndrome 7,700 ... that urban survival syndrome can be seen as a version of the battered woman syndrome?
Benjamin Anderson 7,600 ... that after switching sides multiple times during the American Civil War, Benjamin Anderson committed suicide, saying he "would prefer being dead than disgraced"?
Corfu Channel Incident 7,500 ... that the Corfu Channel Incident, involving the United Kingdom and Albania, is considered one of the early episodes of the Cold War?
Cheonhado 7,500 ... that the Cheonhado is a type of circular world map developed in Korea during the 17th century that displays both real and fictional places?
Alexandre Banza 7,400 ... that according to Le Monde, Central African Republic Lieutenant Colonel and politician Alexandre Banza was killed in circumstances "so revolting that it still makes one's flesh creep"?
Thomas Hines 7,300 ... that Confederate spy Thomas Hines (pictured, left) had to escape Detroit by ferryboat due to being confused with assassin John Wilkes Booth (pictured, right)?
Endicott Pear Tree 7,300 ... that the Endicott Pear Tree, located in Danvers, Massachusetts, is thought to be the oldest living cultivated fruit tree in North America?
John Webb's Mill, Thaxted 7,200 ... that John Webb's Mill, Thaxted (pictured) has walls 4 feet (1.22 m) thick at the base, and that it was used for a time as a Scout hut?
Choctaw Hog 7,200 ... that the Choctaw Hog is a "critically rare" breed of pig found in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma?
James Dalton II 7,200 ... that U.S. Army Brigadier General James Dalton II was one of only 11 US general officers killed in action during World War II?
Jean-Baptiste Belley 7,100 ... that Jean-Baptiste Belley (pictured), a former slave from Saint-Domingue, became a member of the National Convention of France, where in 1794 he took part in the decision to abolish slavery?
panemone 7,000 ... that although the first type of wind turbine, the panemone, is one of the least efficient designs it is also one of the most commonly reinvented and patented?
Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill 6,900 ... that Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill (pictured) is a Scheduled Ancient Monument?
Creation Evidence Museum 6,800 ... that the Creation Evidence Museum sponsors hunts for living pterodactyls in Papua New Guinea?
mazzatello 6,800 ... that mazzatello—a method of execution employed in the Papal States in the 18th and 19th centuries—involved smashing a mallet into the head of the condemned?
Unknown Confederate Dead Monument in Perryville 6,600 ... that although on private property, the Unknown Confederate Dead Monument (pictured) outside Perryville, Kentucky was built by the federal government sixty-six years after the battle?
SWEAT (hypothesis) 6,400 ... that what is now the southwestern United States was at one time connected to East Antarctica according to the SWEAT model?
Odd lotter 6,400 ... that Odd Lot Theory held that you could make money by finding small, and hence uninformed, stock market investors and simply making the opposite investment?
Stewart Sapphire 6,400 ... that Queen Victoria had the ancient Stewart Sapphire set into the Imperial State Crown in 1838?
Plan Dog memo 6,200 ... that the Plan Dog memo, one of the best known documents of World War II, laid the basis for America's Europe First policy?
Stan Cox 6,200 ... that British athlete Stan Cox was nearly killed after being struck with a javelin while working as a judge for the British Amateur Athletic Association?
Extatosoma tiaratum 6,200 ... that Macleay's Spectre (pictured) is a stick insect that grows up to 20 cm (8 inches) long?
Aptostichus stephencolberti 6,100 ... that satirist Stephen Colbert has a species of spider called Aptostichus stephencolberti named after him?
Deroplatys desiccata 6,100 ... that that the Giant Dead Leaf Mantis ([[:|pictured]]) falls to the ground and lies motionless when threatened?
WRNY 6,000 ... that WRNY began television broadcasting in August 1928 to thousands of New York City viewers with home made television sets (pictured)?
Empègue 6,000 ... that stencils known as Empègue (pictured) were placed by youths on houses in Beauvoisin, France in August 2000?
Highland Park Masonic Temple 5,900 ... that the old Lodge Room at the Highland Park Masonic Temple (pictured) has been preserved with original anaglyphs and cherry wood paneling?
Inuit diet 5,900 ... that seal (pictured) is the most important part of the Inuit diet?
Skaga stave church 5,900 ... that Skaga stave church was built in the 1130s to Christianise the area, but was demolished in 1826 as a stronghold of remaining Norse paganism?
Idaho in the American Civil War 5,900 ... that the last living veteran of the Civil War in Idaho died in 1952?
Pre-Columbian savannas of North America 5,900 ... that pre-Columbian savanna once covered much of North America?
Q-Flex 5,800 ... that Q-Flex is the world's largest LNG carrier type currently in service?
Huis ter Nieuwburg 5,800 ... that the Dutch palace Huis ter Nieuwburg (pictured) in Rijswijk was demolished in 1790 after years of neglect?
Science, Evolution, and Creationism 5,600 ... that Science, Evolution, and Creationism was published by the National Academy of Sciences to address the creation-evolution controversy?
Getty kouros 5,600 ... that the disputed authenticity of the Getty kouros (pictured) has led the J. Paul Getty Museum to label the sculpture "6th century Greek or modern forgery"?
Hebert box 5,600 ... that most strong hurricanes that have struck South Florida since 1900 have passed through one of two Hebert boxes on their way to landfall?
Black Lemur 5,500 ... that a subspecies of Black Lemur (pictured) is the only primate other than humans to have blue eyes?
Flower robot 5,500 ... that a flower robot mimics the appearance of a common flower and contains simple sensing and home appliance functionalities, thus making it a service robot?
Lactarius blennius 5,400 ... that Lactarius blennius has been described by various mycologists as edible, inedible and even poisonous?
Mitsubishi Type 73 Light Truck 5,400 ... that the Mitsubishi Type 73 Light Trucks were made bulletproof for the Japanese military deployed in Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq?
Obelisk of Theodosius 5,300 ... that the Obelisk of Theodosius (pictured), installed in Istanbul since 390, was originally erected in Egypt by Pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BC?
Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry Natural Area 5,300 ... that the smallest Natural Area in Pennsylvania protects a stand of box huckleberry, but another stand nearby is the oldest plant in the United States?
Davida 5,300 ... that the Brazilian sex worker organization Davida created the fashion label Daspu which prostitutes presented at fashion shows, culminating in a show at the 2006 São Paulo Art Biennial?
SS Dakotan 5,300 ... that SS Dakotan (pictured), a 1910 American cargo ship, was transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease during World War II and continued sailing into the 1960s?
Iranistan 5,200 ... that Mark Twain and General Custer visited P. T. Barnum in Iranistan?
Shō Tai 5,200 ... that Shō Tai (pictured) was the last king of the Ryūkyū Kingdom who abdicated when the Ryukyu Islands were annexed by Japan in 1879?
SS El Occidente 5,200 ... that cargo ship El Occidente fought off two German submarines in World War I, only to be sunk by one in World War II?
Orphan Girl at the Cemetery 5,100 ... that Orphan Girl at the Cemetery (pictured), a painting by Eugène Delacroix, is believed to be a preparatory work for his portrayal of the 1822 Chios Massacre?
Crime in Israel 5,100 ... that the Israeli mafia have extended their activities to foreign countries like the United States, South Africa, and the Netherlands?
John Kane House 5,000 ... that the first three residents of the John Kane House were a man nearly hanged for treason, a Patriot turned British Loyalist, and George Washington?

July 2008

[edit]


(Full-checking up to the update at 22:13, 12 July 2008 inclusive.)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Edward Oldcorne 12,600 ... that an eye of Edward Oldcorne, who was tortured to reveal his part in the Gunpowder Plot, is kept as a holy relic?
F-20 Tigershark 12,000 ... that due to shifting political winds, the production of the F-20 Tigershark (pictured) for the Taiwanese Air Force failed to start on three separate occasions?
Gevingåsen Tunnel 11,700 ... that when the Gevingåsen Tunnel (pictured) opens in 2012 it will cut rail travel time north of Trondheim, Norway, by five minutes?
Snake-witch 10,700 ... that the origin and significance of the picture stone known as the snake-witch (pictured) remain a mystery?
Bethany Black 10,300 ...that Bethany Black has been described as "Britain's only goth, lesbian, transsexual comedian"?
Operation Strangle 10,300 ... that the success of the World War II bombing campaign Operation Strangle was unrelated to its original objective?
Oreochromis aureus 9,100 ...that Blue Tilapia (pictured) have become the most widespread foreign fish in Florida waters since their introduction in 1961, and are now a serious management problem in Everglades National Park?
Rosemary's Baby (30 Rock) 7,200 ...that a scene from "Rosemary's Baby", an episode of 30 Rock featuring Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan, was described by one critic as "one of the funniest scenes ... on TV this season"?
Siege of Bangkok 6,700 ... that the 1688 Siege of Bangkok (illustration pictured) ended with the total retreat of French troops from Siam, modern-day Thailand?
Mononymous persons 6,600 ... that Madonna, Michelangelo, Napoleon, Pelé and Voltaire (pictured) are all mononymous persons — each is commonly known by a single name?
Ctenochelys 6,500 ... that an almost-complete juvenile specimen of Ctenochelys was uncovered in 2005?
Ship John Shoal Light 6,400 ... that the superstructure of the Ship John Shoal Light (pictured) was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876, while inhabited by a lighthouse keeper?
Battle of Ollantaytambo 5,900 ...that in the 1537 Battle of Ollantaytambo, an Inca army resorted to flooding the battlefield as a way to counter the Spanish cavalry?
Garbutt House 5,700 ...that the 20-room Garbutt House in Los Angeles, California was built with concrete walls and ceilings, steel-reinforced doors and no fireplaces due to the owner's intense fear of fire?
Horace H. Fuller 5,600 ...that when American General Horace H. Fuller (pictured) asked to be relieved in 1944, he became the only division commander to be relieved in the Western New Guinea campaign in World War II?
Caeca et Obdurata 5,500 ...that Caeca et Obdurata, promulgated by Pope Clement VIII (pictured) in 1593, ordered that Jews be expelled from the Papal States except Rome, Ancona, and the Comtat Venaissin, within three months?
Yucca Flat 5,400 ... that a subsidence crater (pictured) resulting from a nuclear test in 1962 at Yucca Flat is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places?
NGC 1553 File:NGC 1553 Xray cropped.jpg 5,300 ... that lenticular galaxy NGC 1553 (pictured) is located at the center of the Dorado Group and has a spiral feature that is only visible in X-rays?
Age controversies in gymnastics 5,000 ...that age controversies in gymnastics once resulted in the North Korean women's team being banned from the World Championships?

June 2008

[edit]

(Full-checking up to the update at 19:15, 30 June 2008 inclusive. Total 77 articles listed)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Veena Malik 16,100 ...that Pakistani actress Veena Malik (pictured) was a part of a news story surrounding a nude photo shoot?
Hook changed after 1-1/2 hours on the main page to:
... that Pakistani actress Veena Malik (pictured) has emerged as one of the leading women on Pakistani television with her abilities in improvisational mimicry?
Cushion plant 14,100 ...that cushion plants (example pictured), which grow extremely slowly, can live for up to 350 years?
Operation Noble Eagle 12,900 ... that as part of Operation Noble Eagle (service badge pictured), Canada provided air defense protection for the Super Bowl XL?
12 basic principles of animation 12,300 ... that "squash and stretch" (example pictured) is considered the most important of the 12 basic principles of animation?
Anti-tobacco movement in Nazi Germany 12,200 ... that the first public anti-smoking campaign in modern history was launched in Nazi Germany?
Human feet on British Columbia beaches 11,500 ... that five detached human feet have been discovered on British Columbian beaches since August 2007, with no confirmed explanation?
New Fighter Aircraft program 11,100 ... that the New Fighter Aircraft program selected the CF-18 Hornet (pictured) for the Canadian Forces Air Command when attempts to purchase Iran's fleet of F-14 Tomcats failed?
Siamese method 10,800 ... that the Siamese method (example pictured) is a simple method for creating magic squares, which was brought to France in 1688 following Simon de la Loubère's embassy to Siam?
Subpersonalities 10,300 ... that average people use subpersonalities to allow them to cope with certain types of psychosocial situations?
Murphy drip 10,200 ... that administering a strong solution of coffee through the rectum by means of a Murphy drip was alleged to have been a treatment for shock at the Battle of Midway?
First-generation Ford Taurus 10,200 ... that the design of the first-generation Ford Taurus was so ahead of its time that it was chosen to be used in the 1987 science fiction film RoboCop?
Skyline Towers 10,100 ... that the Skyline Towers apartment building in Saint Paul, Minnesota is often referred to as a "ghetto in the sky"?
Verdeja (tank) 10,100 ... that the relatively unknown Verdeja (pictured) was an indigenous Spanish tank program to replace the T-26 and Panzer I?
Jeita Grotto 9,900 ... that Jeita Grotto (statue pictured) in Lebanon has the world's longest stalactite, at 8.2 m (27 ft)?
Esperanto profanity 9,700 ... that while some Esperanto profanity consists of informal neologisms, much of it is generated from the fundamental vocabulary?
Attack Squadron 46 (United States Navy) File:Attack Squadron 46 Insignia (US Navy).jpg 9,200 ... that John McCain was a member of the VA-46 Clansmen when he was wounded during the 1967 USS Forrestal fire off the coast of Vietnam?
Gällsta Runestones 9,100 ... that four generations of Vikings can be traced on the Gällsta Runestones (example pictured)?
Agujjim 8,900 ... that although the blackmouth angler is known for its ugly appearance, it is used for making agujjim (pictured), a popular Korean dish?
Yasmeen Ghauri 8,800 ... that Canadian supermodel Yasmeen Ghauri was the daughter of an Islamic cleric who opposed his daughter's career?
Viktorija Čmilytė 8,800 ... that the first coach of Lithuanian chess International Master and Woman Grandmaster Viktorija Čmilytė (pictured) was her father?
Yellowwood State Forest 8,700 ... that large sandstone boulders rest atop trees in Yellowwood State Forest (example pictured) and no one knows how they got there?
Battle of Sparrsätra 8,300 ... that the medieval Battle of Sparrsätra is held to have deeply changed Swedish society?
Rupprecht Gerngroß 8,300 ... that Rupprecht Gerngroß is considered the leader of the only successful putsch against Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany?
No Escape: Male Rape in U.S. Prisons 8,200 ... that No Escape: Male Rape in U.S. Prisons, a 2001 report by Human Rights Watch, blamed feigned ignorance by prison officials for the allegedly widespread prison rape in the United States?
Proof without words 8,100 ... that the Pythagorean theorem can be proven without words?
Neil Hamilton Fairley 8,000 ... that the British Army changed its plans for operations in Greece during World War II on medical advice from Australian Brigadier Sir Neil Fairley (pictured)?
HNoMS Kjell 7,900 ... that the Norwegian torpedo boat HNoMS Kjell (pictured) was known as "Terror of the smugglers" when she intercepted rum runners during Norway's prohibition?
Devils Punch Bowl State Natural Area 7,900 ... that Oregon's Devils Punch Bowl State Natural Area has a naturally eroded bowl carved in the rock by swirling ocean waves?
Virginals 7,700 ... that one theory why the virginal (pictured) was so called is that the keyboard instrument was thought to sound like the voice of a young girl?
Suitport 7,600 ... that the problem of harmful lunar or planetary dust adhering to spacesuits and being brought inside spacecraft by astronauts could be eliminated by the use of suitports (pictured), patented in 1996?
Hartmann Grasser 7,500 ... that fighter ace Hartmann Grasser, who is credited for shooting down 103 enemy aircraft during World War II, later worked as an adviser for the Syrian Air Force?
Manx Runestones 7,500 ... that there are more than twenty runestones on the Isle of Man?
Jim Limber 7,400 ... that Confederate president Jefferson Davis had a young mulatto ward named Jim Limber‎?
Estherwood (Dobbs Ferry, New York) 7,200 ... that Estherwood (pictured) is the only major châteauesque building in Westchester County, New York?
Eberswalde Hoard 7,200 ... that the Eberswalde Hoard (pictured), a collection of 81 gold objects weighing 2.59 kilograms (5.7 lb), is an important find from the European Bronze Age?
Medieval Bulgarian Army 7,100 ... that the core of the Medieval Bulgarian Army (pictured) was the heavy cavalry, which consisted of 12,000–30,000 heavily armed riders?
El Greco Apartments 6,900 ... that the El Greco Apartments (pictured), once home to Casablanca director Michael Curtiz, were saved from demolition with fund-raising help from Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy?
Peter Harding (climber) 6,900 ... that rock climber Peter Harding developed the art of hanging from one hand jammed into a crack, while smoking a cigarette with the other?
Delaware (chicken) 6,800 ... that the Delaware breed of chicken (chick pictured) was once the favorite broiler on U.S. East Coast farms, but is now critically endangered?
Lake Delton 6,800 ... that most of the water in the 267 acre (1.08 km²) Lake Delton emptied out in two hours after heavy rains caused it to overflow its banks?
Uri-On 6,800 ... that Uri-On (pictured), created by Michael Netzer in 1987, was the first Israeli superhero to be published in color?
Budweiser Clydesdales 6,500 ... that the Budweiser Clydesdales (pictured) were first introduced to the public on April 7, 1933, to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition?
Tinkinswood 6,500 ... that legend has it that anyone who spends a night at Tinkinswood on the evenings before May Day, St John's Day (23 June), or Midwinter Day would either die, go mad, or become a poet?
Haridasa Thakur 6,400 ... that after being sentenced, beaten and left for dead for refusing to recite Muslim scriptures, Vaishnava convert Haridasa Thakur's (pictured) instant recovery convinced many he was a pir?
Simon Marmion 6,400 ... that Burgundian manuscript illuminator and painter Simon Marmion created many images of Heaven and Hell (detail pictured)?
Nutritional gatekeeper 6,400 ... that an estimated 73 percent of what and how much all children eat is determined by nutritional gatekeepers?
Murder of Celia Douty 6,300 ... that the murder of Celia Douty was the first murder in Australia to be solved using DNA profiling, after remaining unsolved for 18 years?
Kramgasse 6,200 ... that a calf is said to haunt the Kramgasse (pictured), a main street in the Old City of Berne, Switzerland, where it had been flayed alive?
Platte Mound M 6,200 ... that Platte Mound M, maintained by students from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, is believed to be the largest letter "M" in the world?
Murder of Celia Douty 6,200 ... that the murder of Celia Douty was the first murder in Australia to be solved using DNA profiling, after remaining unsolved for 18 years?
Exploding cigar 6,100 ... that an exploding cigar was at the heart of an alleged plot by the Central Intelligence Agency to assassinate Fidel Castro?
Jencks v. United States 6,100 ... that Clinton Jencks (pictured), the petitioner in the case Jencks v. United States, starred in the 1954 film Salt of the Earth, which was loosely based on his story?
sternal fracture 6,100 ... that because it is frequently accompanied by serious injuries, sternal fracture is associated with a mortality rate of 25–45%?
Satanicide 6,000 ... that the New York-based mock metal/glam metal band Satanicide replaced their bassist when they became aware that he "secretly liked Billy Joel"?
Tracheobronchial injury 6,000 ... that tracheobronchial injury was considered fatal until a survivor was reported in 1927?
Cozy Dog Drive In 5,900 ... that the original hot dog on a stick to be served at Cozy Dog Drive-in (pictured) was called a Crusty Cur?
Daisy Lowe 5,900 ... that British model Daisy Lowe began her modelling career at the age of two?
Christopher Smart 5,800 ... that Christopher Smart's The Parables of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was mocked for its dedication to a three-year-old child?
Topaz Hotel 5,800 ... that employee uniforms at the Topaz Hotel in Washington, D.C. have been described as "punk Buddhist"?
Bakers Creek air crash 5,700 ... that a USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft crashed shortly after take-off at Bakers Creek, Queensland in 1943, killing 40 of the 41 service personnel on board and making it Australia's worst aviation disaster?
Indian coracles 5,700 ... that Indian coracles, which probably existed since the prehistoric times, have recently been used for giving tourists rides on the Kaveri River?
John Sowden House 5,700 ... that the Lloyd Wright-designed John Sowden House (pictured) is known as the "Jaws House" because its facade resembles the open mouth of a shark?
820 Naval Air Squadron 5,700 ... that 820 Naval Air Squadron (aircraft pictured) was involved in attacks on the German battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz during the Second World War?
Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars 5,700 ... that Winston Churchill was an Honorary Colonel in the "Queer Objects On Horseback"—better known as the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars?
History of slavery in Alaska 5,700 ... that some Aleutian natives were still enslaved in Alaska as late as 1903?
Jenny Wiley State Resort Park 5,600 ... that Jenny Wiley State Resort Park is named after a woman who escaped from Cherokees after her three-month-old child was killed by tomahawk?
Harry Price (Royal Navy) 5,400 ... that Royal Navy seaman Harry Price recounted in a memoir how he once instigated a minor mutiny, only to end it when it reached "ugly proportions"?
The dirty trick (Israel) 5,500 ... that the affair known in Israel as "the dirty trick" included the only successful vote of no confidence issued against an Israeli government to date?
Ozzie Yue 5,500 ... that Liverpool actor and guitarist Ozzie Yue used to flick pieces of paper at Paul McCartney in art class when they attended the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys?
Pinnacle@Duxton 5,300 ... that Pinnacle@Duxton (model pictured), at 50 floors, is set to be the tallest public housing in Singapore upon completion?
Prague pneumatic post 5,300 ... that the Prague pneumatic post system is the last remaining of its kind in the world?
Engkanto 5,200 ... that the Engkanto, a Philippine mythical creature, might be based on early encounters with European friars?
Tourism in Egypt 5,200 ... that the worst terrorist attack against tourists in Egypt was in November 1997, when gunmen killed 57 tourists and 4 Egyptians (location pictured)?
British Army during the Napoleonic Wars 5,200 ... that the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars increased in size from 40,000 regular troops to over 250,000?
Lake Delton 5,100 ... that most of the water in the 267 acre (1.08 km²) Lake Delton emptied out in two hours after heavy rains caused it to overflow its banks?
Marie Studholme 5,100 ... that Marie Studholme, one of the popular postcard beauties of Edwardian musical comedy, was wooed by her wealthy second husband under an assumed name?
1804 silver dollar 5,000 ... that the United States Class II 1804 Silver Dollar (pictured) is alleged to have been struck over a Swiss Shooting Thaler?
Leopard 2E 5,000 ... that the Spanish Leopard 2E is the most expensive Leopard 2 tank built to date?

May 2008

[edit]

(Full-checking up to Fersommling hook on May 8 (Archive 219).)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Omid Tahvili 27,500 ... that in April 2008, Forbes listed Omid Tahvili (pictured) as one of the world's ten most wanted fugitives?
William H. Mumler 20,700 ... that William H. Mumler claimed to take a photograph (pictured) showing Mary Todd Lincoln with the spirit of her deceased husband, Abraham Lincoln?
n-dimensional sequential move puzzles 17,900 ... that the 120-cell 4-dimensional puzzle (pictured) is one of several n-dimensional sequential move puzzles that have been implemented as virtual puzzles but have never been solved?
Tama (cat) 17,300 ... that the stationmaster of the Kinokawa train station in Kinokawa, Japan is a cat named Tama (pictured)?
Jacqueline Voltaire 16,900 ... that British actress Jacqueline Voltaire won a "most bizarre sex scene" award in 2005 for her performance in the Mexican film Matando Cabos?
Prostitution in Pakistan 11,900 ... that male prostitutes in Pakistan generally range from fifteen to twenty-five years of age?
The Seven Lady Godivas 11,900 ... that Dr. Seuss's book The Seven Lady Godivas is one of his only books written for adults, and though it was initially a failure when first published in 1939, original editions have sold for upwards of US$300?
Dummy tank 11,800 ... that inflatable and wooden dummy tanks (pictured) were used in Operation Fortitude to confuse German intelligence?
Accolade 11,200 ... that the accolade (pictured) was a ceremony for knighthood in the Middle Ages?
Ralph Fitzherbert 10,300 ... that the suit of armour on the effigy of Sir Ralph Fitzherbert (pictured) has been reproduced as a Second Life avatar?
Berthouville Treasure 9,800 ... that the Berthouville Treasure (pictured) of first and second-century Roman silver was uncovered accidentally by a farmer's plough in 1830?
Aberdour Castle 9,400 ... that Aberdour Castle (pictured), with parts dating from around 1200, is one of the two oldest datable standing castles in Scotland?
Tripurantaka Temple 9,100 ... that erotic sculptures (example pictured) found in the 11th-century Tripurantaka Temple in Karnataka state, India, are miniatures?
Buddha footprint 9,000 ...that the footprints of the Buddha (pictured) often bear distinguishing marks, such as a Dharmachakra or the 32, 108 or 132 auspicious signs of the Buddha?
Fersommling 8,700 ... that, during a Fersommling, the only language spoken is Pennsylvania Dutch and that anyone who speaks English has to pay a fine for each word?
Rim Drive 8,300 ... that Rim Drive in Oregon, a scenic highway cited by the American Automobile Association as one of the ten most beautiful roads in the U.S., is a 33-mile loop that follows the caldera rim around Crater Lake (pictured)?
Mara Carfagna 8,100 ... that Italy's newly appointed Minister for Equal Opportunity, Mara Carfagna, used to be a showgirl and a glamour model?
The White Bird 7,800 ... that the 1927 disappearance of the French biplane The White Bird (L'Oiseau Blanc), in an attempt to make the first nonstop transatlantic flight from Paris to New York, is one of the great unexplained mysteries of aviation?
samite 7,600 ... that samite was a luxurious and heavy silk fabric worn in the Middle Ages, and famously by Tennyson's Lady of the Lake (pictured)?
shrew's fiddle 7,500 ... that a shrew's fiddle was used to punish women who were caught fighting or arguing in Germany and Switzerland, and slaves in the United States?
Buffalo City, North Carolina 7,000 ... that the ghost town of Buffalo City, North Carolina (pictured) was once the largest community in Dare County?
¡Qué viva México! 6,800 ... that Soviet film director Sergei Eisenstein (pictured) shot many miles of film in Mexico with the backing of American author Upton Sinclair to make ¡Qué viva México!?
Pulmonary laceration 6,100 ... that pulmonary laceration was thought to be uncommon before CT scanning (example pictured) became widely available, because the injury is difficult to detect with X-rays alone?
Warrior Rock Light 6,000 ... that Oregon's Warrior Rock Light (pictured) operated uneventfully for 80 years until it was struck by a barge in 1969?
Charles Frederick Henningsen 5,900 ... that Swedish soldier Charles F. Henningsen participated in civil wars and independence movements in Spain, Nicaragua, Hungary and the United States, but died without ever winning any of the causes for which he fought?
bombardment of Brussels 6,000 ... that the bombardment of Brussels by French troops (ruins pictured) in 1695 was later described by Napoleon Bonaparte as being "as barbarous as it was useless?"
BOAC Flight 712 5,878 ... that the only peacetime George Cross won by a woman was awarded to Barbara Jane Harrison as a result of her actions during the fire on board BOAC Flight 712 in 1968?
Clarence Hailey Long 5,800 ... that Clarence Hailey Long, a ranch foreman in the Texas Panhandle, was the inspiration for the original Marlboro Man advertising campaign by Philip Morris?
Windmills in the Isle of Man 5,700 ... that the windmill at South Barrule, Isle of Man (pictured) worked an incline on a railway at a slate quarry?
Ishvara Temple (Arasikere) 5,700 ... that although the Ishvara temple (pictured) in Karnataka, India, seems modest in construction, it is in fact the most complicated Hoysala monument?
Nitrate Kisses 5,600 ... that in her 1992 documentary film Nitrate Kisses Barbara Hammer filmed an elderly lesbian couple making love as part of an exploration of the repression and marginalization of LGBT history?
Fizzle (nuclear test) 5,400 ... that a nuclear bomb test that significantly fails to produce its estimated yield is called a fizzle?
Kosa Pan 5,400 ... that Kosa Pan (pictured) led one of the earliest Siamese embassies to France in the 1680s?
St Peter's Church, Heysham 5,100 ... that in St Peter's Church, Heysham, Lancashire, is a Viking hogback stone, and in the churchyard is the base of an Anglo-Saxon cross (pictured)?
Hollywood Masonic Temple 5,000 ... that the Neoclassical Hollywood Masonic Temple (pictured) has been used as a Masonic Lodge, opera house, and nightclub, and is now the home of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! television show?
L'Île-du-Grand-Calumet, Quebec 5,000 ... that the sacrifice of Jean Cadieux on behalf of his companions during an Iroquois attack in 1707 is still commemorated by the inhabitants of Calumet Island?

April 2008

[edit]

(Full-checking up to __.)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
24 Hours of LeMons 14,600 ... ...that the 24 Hours of LeMons includes such penalties as tarring and feathering a racer's car and crushing a car via audience vote (crushing of a car pictured)?
Needlegun scaler 16,300 ... that sailors use a tool called a needlegun (pictured) to remove old paint and corrosion aboard ships?
Red Dog (Karratha) 16,200 ... that Red Dog was such a well-known and beloved dog in Western Australia's Pilbara region that a statue (pictured) was built in his honour?
Woodside, Utah 7,500 ...that Woodside, Utah is a ghost town with a roadside cold water geyser?
Bahá'í Faith in Cameroon 6,300 ...that the Bahá'í Faith is one of only a few non-Christian religions recognised by the government of Cameroon?
Decker Building 5,400 ...that the Decker building (pictured), an 1892 Moorish-influenced design, is where Andy Warhol had his Factory from 1967 to 1973, and was shot in 1968?

March 2008

[edit]

(Full-checking up to __.)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Gdov Kremlin 8,600 ...that in February 1944, the retreating forces of Nazi Germany razed the Gdov Kremlin almost entirely with only its walls remaining?
MV Baffin Strait (T-AK W9519) 7,900 ...that the U.S. Department of Defense pays the owners of the MV Baffin Strait (T-AK W9519) US$12,550 per day to carry cargo from Singapore to Diego Garcia?
Kolka Glacier 6,800 ...that the 2002 surge of the Kolka Glacier resulted in deaths of at least 125 people?
Goozex 6,700 ...that if all the video games traded at Goozex in 2007 were stacked on top of each other, the resulting pile would reach 2,132 feet (650 m), more than 450 feet (137 m) taller than Taipei 101?
Home of Truth, Utah 6,200 ...that Home of Truth, Utah was a religious utopian community in the 1930s whose leader claimed to receive divine revelations through her typewriter?
Mosida, Utah 5,700 ...that Mosida, Utah was a failed planned community whose developers tried to irrigate the desert with water pumped from Utah Lake?
Endel Puusepp 5,100 ...that Endel Puusepp became a Hero of the Soviet Union after flying a Soviet delegation over the front line from Moscow to Washington and back to negotiate the opening of the Western Front?

January 2008

[edit]

(Full-checking up to __.)

Article Image DYK views DYK hook
Westinghouse Time Capsules 25,252 ...that the Westinghouse Time Capsules (pictured) of the 1939 New York World's Fair and the 1964 New York World's Fair were made of special metal alloys to resist corrosion for 5000 years, the time span of all previous recorded human history?