Podcasts about Curmudgeon

fWotD Episode 3364: Lope Martín Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Tuesday, 21 July 2026, is Lope Martín.Lope Martín (marooned 21 July 1566) was an Afro-Portuguese maritime pilot who successfully navigated across the Pacific Ocean east–west and then west–east, becoming the first to complete the return voyage from Asia to the Americas. Martín was a free mulatto from Lagos, Portugal, who became a licensed pilot in Spain. He was contracted for Miguel López de Legazpi's expedition from Mexico to the Philippines and was designated the sole pilot of a patache called the San Lucas. Martín and the San Lucas separated from the rest of the fleet after ten days and sailed through the Marshall Islands and the Caroline Islands before arriving at the Philippines in January 1565. Without the rest of the fleet, Martín then embarked upon the return voyage from Asia to the Americas, which had been attempted but never completed; the San Lucas arrived in Mexico in August 1565.In spite of Martín's accomplishments, the Real Audiencia of Mexico soon ordered him to return to the Philippines and appear before Legazpi, who was expected to execute him for having allegedly deserted the rest of his fleet. Martín's ship, the San Jerónimo, departed Mexico in May 1566; recognizing the danger that he faced, Martín led two successive mutinies and took command of the ship. He anchored the San Jerónimo at Ujelang Atoll in July 1566, intending to maroon any members of the crew who were not loyal to him; instead, Martín and 26 other men were left behind and never seen again.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:48 UTC on Tuesday, 21 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Lope Martín on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Geraint.

rWotD Episode 3365: First Cevallos expedition Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Tuesday, 21 July 2026, is First Cevallos expedition.The First Cevallos expedition was a series of Spanish military operations in South America during the Fantastic War. Under the command of the governor of Buenos Aires, Pedro de Cevallos, the expedition captured the Portuguese settlement of Colónia do Sacramento and fought off a joint Anglo-Portuguese attempt to recapture it. All military activities in the region concluded with the 1763 Treaty of Paris.In 1762, Spain entered the Seven Years' War on the side of France as part of the Family Compact, motivated in part by diplomatic efforts on the part of the French government. Having been notified months in advance that Spain was planning to enter the conflict and declare war on Portugal, Cevallos launched an expedition against Colónia do Sacramento on 3 September 1762, sailing at the head of an expeditionary fleet from Buenos Aires which carried 2,700 soldiers. The Portuguese authorities in Colónia do Sacramento, already alerted to Cevallos' plans, received reinforcements on 24 September.The expedition arrived near Colónia do Sacramento on 7 September and began to besiege it on 1 October. By 3 November, the settlement capitulated to the Spanish. A month later, a joint Anglo-Portuguese expedition attempted to recapture it, attacking the city walls by bombarding it; after a British warship was destroyed, the Anglo-Portuguese force withdrew. From January to April 1763, Cevallos launched several attacks on Portuguese outposts in the region, capturing the forts of Santa Tereza and San Miguel and occupying the village of Rio Grande. There, Cevallos learned of the Treaty of Paris and concluded his campaign.The expedition's success was received positively in Spain, as the war had gone badly for the Spanish on all other fronts. Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, Colónia do Sacramento was returned to Portugal, though other outposts captured by Cevallos remained under Spanish control. The Portuguese refused to accept losing control over these outposts, launching several incursions into Spanish-held territory; these actions eventually resulted in an undeclared war breaking out between Spain and Portugal between 1776 and 1777. During this conflict, Cevallos once again captured Colónia do Sacramento, and it was permanently ceded to Spain in the First Treaty of San Ildefonso.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:08 UTC on Tuesday, 21 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see First Cevallos expedition on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Justin.

pWotD Episode 3366: Kevin Keegan Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 688,797 views on Monday, 20 July 2026 our article of the day is Kevin Keegan.Joseph Kevin Keegan (14 February 1951 – 20 July 2026) was an English footballer and manager. Nicknamed "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse", Keegan was recognised for his dribbling ability, finishing and presence in the air, and is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.Keegan began his playing career at Scunthorpe United in 1968, before Bill Shankly signed him for Liverpool. There, he won three First Division titles, the UEFA Cup twice, the FA Cup and, in his final season, the European Cup. During this period, he was a regular member of the England national team, and captained the team on 31 occasions, including at UEFA Euro 1980. He moved to Hamburger SV in the summer of 1977 and was named European Footballer of the Year in both 1978 and 1979. Hamburg won the Bundesliga title in the 1978–79 season and reached the 1980 European Cup final. Keegan left Hamburg and played at Southampton for two seasons, before transferring to Newcastle United in the Second Division in 1982. He helped Newcastle secure promotion in his second season, and retired from playing in 1984. He scored 204 goals in 592 appearances in his club career, adding 21 goals in 63 caps for England.He moved into management at Newcastle in 1992, and the team won promotion to the Premier League as First Division champions in his first full season. Newcastle finished second in the Premier League in the 1995–96 season, despite leading the way for most of the campaign. After managing Fulham for two seasons, he took charge of the England national team in February 1999, but resigned in October 2000 following a 1–0 loss against Germany in qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In 2001, he became manager of Manchester City for four years, until he resigned in 2005. Keegan had been out of football for almost three years when he returned to Newcastle for a second spell as manager in January 2008, but this lasted only eight months, as he resigned in September following speculation about a dispute with the club's directors. He had the unique distinction of being promoted as champions in his first full season with the three clubs he managed.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:38 UTC on Tuesday, 21 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Kevin Keegan on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Aditi.

fWotD Episode 3363: Curlew sandpiper Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Monday, 20 July 2026, is Curlew sandpiper.The curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) is a small wader. It is a long-distance migrant, breeding in the bogs and coastal lowlands of the Siberian Arctic, arriving there in June and staying until August or September. After the breeding season, it migrates south to spend the winter in Africa and along the coasts of Oceania and southern Eurasia, occupying tidal mudflats and saltpans.It has three main plumages that change with maturity and season. The non-breeding plumage shows brown-greyish upperparts and white underparts. The breeding plumage is much more striking, with the entire front tinted a deep rusty colour, more intensely so in males. The first-year bird does not migrate or breed, instead remaining in its overwintering range throughout the breeding season. It may occasionally moult into its breeding plumage, which is largely similar to that of an adult but with white spots on the chest. The non-breeding juvenile plumage is also like that of an adult, except with creamy-coloured streaking on the breast and pale fringes on some of the wing feathers, leading to a scaly appearance. Adults superficially resemble the larger but shorter-billed red knot and the red phalarope in breeding plumage, and the dunlin and stilt sandpiper while not breeding. Juveniles may be confused with the larger and yellow-legged juvenile ruff, or the juvenile dunlin, which has a streaked chest.The curlew sandpiper's courtship behaviour is complex and involves several distinct displays. In one, the male constructs a faux nest on the ground to present to the female. Another is a graceful aerial chase accompanied by frequent warbling calls. In a third, the male dances around the female on the ground, displaying his tail feathers and rump; this display sometimes culminates in copulation. The female almost always lays one clutch of eggs, usually around the end of June, which hatch after 20 days and fully fledge at 14–20 days. Chicks are relatively mature and mobile at birth. The curlew sandpiper's breeding success is linked to the lemming population; in years with many lemmings, its predators hunt them instead. It is omnivorous, foraging in large flocks in wetlands for various invertebrates, including crabs and insects.It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List because land development and the invasive smooth cordgrass have caused significant habitat loss to its overwintering and migratory sites, and climate change has lowered its breeding productivity. The curlew sandpiper has an estimated annual survival rate of 75–80%.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:53 UTC on Monday, 20 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Curlew sandpiper on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Kimberly.

rWotD Episode 3364: Council of Jerusalem (536) Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Monday, 20 July 2026, is Council of Jerusalem (536).The Council of Jerusalem of 536 was a meeting of Chalcedonian representatives of the church of the Three Palestines (Prima, Secunda, Tertia) to condemn certain persons accused of the Monophysite heresy. It was convoked at the initiative the Roman emperor Justinian I following the forced resignation of the Patriarch Anthimus I of Constantinople in February or March, an event in which Pope Agapetus I had played the main role.Following the Council of Constantinople in May–June 536, Patriarch Menas of Constantinople wrote to Patriarch Peter of Jerusalem urging him to hold a council of the Three Palestines to condemn the same heretics as had Constantinople: Anthimus, Severus of Antioch, Zaʿūra the Stylite and Peter of Apamea. The emperor also sent a letter. These letters were delivered by the monks of the Judaean Desert who had traveled to Constantinople to take part in the council there. Since Jerusalem had only been raised to a patriarchate by the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the authority of the bishop of the city over the church in the Three Palestines was not accepted by anti-Chalcedonians.The council met on 19 September 536 in Jerusalem (formally Aelia Capitolina). It conducted its business in Greek. Its acts are preserved in the collection known as the Collectio Sabbaitica. The verdicts of the Council of Constantinople were read into the record and the assembled clergy at Jerusalem discussed all four condemned clerics. Their own verdict, however, only explicitly condemned Anthimus. It was subscribed by 47 bishops, which was almost every bishop in the Three Palestines. There is no logical sequence to the subscriptions and they were all made in Greek.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:14 UTC on Monday, 20 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Council of Jerusalem (536) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Kajal.

pWotD Episode 3365: FIFA Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 101,698 views on Sunday, 19 July 2026 our article of the day is FIFA.The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is an international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to oversee international competition among the national associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, its membership now comprises 211 national associations. These national associations must also be members of one of the six regional confederations: CAF (Africa), AFC (Asia), UEFA (Europe), CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean), OFC (Oceania), and CONMEBOL (South America). FIFA has several objectives in its organisational statutes, including growing the game internationally, ensuring it is accessible to everyone, and advocating for integrity and fair play. It is responsible for organising and promoting association football's major international tournaments, notably the World Cup which began in 1930, and the Women's World Cup which commenced in 1991. FIFA is a member of the International Football Association Board, which is responsible for the laws of the game, and FIFA applies and enforces the rules across its competitions. FIFA tournaments generate revenue from sponsorships; in 2022, FIFA had revenues of over US$5.8 billion, ending the 2019–2022 cycle with a net positive of $1.2 billion, and cash reserves of over $3.9 billion.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 04:00 UTC on Monday, 20 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see FIFA on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Joanna.

fWotD Episode 3362: The Halo Graphic Novel Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Sunday, 19 July 2026, is The Halo Graphic Novel.The Halo Graphic Novel is a graphic novel anthology published by Marvel Comics in partnership with Bungie, set in the universe of the science fiction franchise Halo. The Halo Graphic Novel was the series' first entry into the sequential art medium, and features aspects of the Halo universe which until then had not been discussed or seen in any medium.The majority of the book is divided into four short stories by different writers and artists from the computer game and comic industries. Each story focuses on different aspects of the Halo universe, revealing stories that are tangential to the main plot of the game. Apart from the stories, the book also contains an extensive art gallery compiled of contributions from Bungie, Marvel and independent sources.Released on July 19, 2006, The Halo Graphic Novel was well-received, with reviewers noting the cohesiveness of the work as a whole, as well as the diversity of the individual material. The success of the novel led to Marvel announcing a new limited comic series, Halo: Uprising, and other future Halo comic books.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:50 UTC on Sunday, 19 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see The Halo Graphic Novel on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Matthew.

rWotD Episode 3363: That Vision Thing Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Sunday, 19 July 2026, is That Vision Thing."That Vision-Thing" is the second episode of the third season of the American television series Angel. Written by Jeffrey Bell and directed by Bill L Norton, it was originally broadcast on October 1, 2001 on the WB network. In "That Vision-Thing", Cordelia's vision gift grows dangerous when it begins physically affecting her. She is on the verge of death when Angel discovers Wolfram & Hart lawyer Lilah Morgan is sending the painful visions to force Angel to free a man imprisoned in an alternate dimension.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:39 UTC on Sunday, 19 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see That Vision Thing on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Amy.

pWotD Episode 3364: Sonam Wangchuk Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 230,297 views on Saturday, 18 July 2026 our article of the day is Sonam Wangchuk.Sonam Wangchuk (born 1 September 1966) is an Indian engineer, activist, innovator, education reformer, and environmentalist. He is the founding-director of the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), which was founded in 1988 by a group of students who had been, in his own words, the 'victims' of an alien education system foisted on Ladakh. He was also known for designing the SECMOL campus that runs on solar energy and uses no fossil fuels for cooking, lighting or heating.Wangchuk was instrumental in the launch of Operation New Hope in 1994, a collaboration of the government, village communities and the civil society to bring reforms in the government school system. He was inspired by artificial glaciers designed and constructed by Padma Shri awardee Chewang Norphel, in creating his own version known as Ice Stupa technique, used for storing winter water in the form of a cone-shaped ice heap.Wangchuk's contributions to Ladakh’s education sector and climate-related challenges, and his innovative solutions to local problems have earned him numerous accolades. As of 2025, he has received around 15 awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2018), the title of Eminent Technologist of the Himalayan Region by IIT Mandi (2018), and the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture (2017).This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:46 UTC on Sunday, 19 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Sonam Wangchuk on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Joey.

rWotD Episode 3362: Beausoleil, Alpes-Maritimes Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Saturday, 18 July 2026, is Beausoleil, Alpes-Maritimes.Beausoleil (French: [bosɔlɛj]; Occitan: Bèusoleu [ˌbɛwsuˈlew]; lit. 'Beautiful Sun') is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. It adjoins the Principality of Monaco to its south. The commune of Beausoleil was established in 1904; it was supposed to be named Monte-Carlo Supérieur (French: [mɔ̃t kaʁlɔ sypeʁjœʁ]; lit. 'Upper Monte Carlo') for a time but the idea was abandoned after protests from Monégasque authorities.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:37 UTC on Saturday, 18 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Beausoleil, Alpes-Maritimes on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Kendra.

fWotD Episode 3361: Hamilcar's defeat of Spendius and Autaritus Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 18 July 2026, is Hamilcar's defeat of Spendius and Autaritus.Hamilcar's victory with Naravas took place in 240 BC in what is now north-west Tunisia. A Carthaginian army led by Hamilcar Barca defeated a rebel army led by Spendius and Autaritus, after 2,000 Numidian cavalry led by Naravas defected from the rebels to Carthage. The precise location of the battle is unknown. Carthage was fighting a coalition of mutinous soldiers and rebellious African cities in the Mercenary War which had started in 241 BC.Hamilcar's army had manoeuvred to bring rebel-controlled towns back to Carthage while a rebel army under the command of Spendius, which included a contingent of Gauls under Autaritus and a group of Numidian cavalry under Naravas, shadowed it. Unable to confront the Carthaginian war elephants and cavalry on open ground, the rebels stayed on higher and rougher terrain and harassed the Carthaginian army. The Carthaginians became trapped in a mountain valley and their situation was bleak. Naravas defected to Carthage, bringing his 2,000 cavalry with him. Hamilcar, with his route of retreat now clear, deployed for battle. Spendius chose to engage and in a hard-fought battle was heavily defeated.Spendius perceived Hamilcar's generous treatment of rebel prisoners as the motivation behind Naravas's defection and feared the disintegration of his army. To remove the possibility of any goodwill between the sides, he had 700 Carthaginian prisoners tortured to death. The Carthaginians, in turn, killed their prisoners. From this point, neither side showed any mercy, and the unusual ferocity of the fighting caused the contemporary historian Polybius to term it the "Truceless War". The rebel army was finally defeated in 238 BC, with the last rebel city surrendering in 237 BC.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:32 UTC on Saturday, 18 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Hamilcar's defeat of Spendius and Autaritus on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Joey.

pWotD Episode 3363: Odyssey Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 311,479 views on Friday, 17 July 2026 our article of the day is Odyssey.The Odyssey (; Ancient Greek: Ὀδύσσεια, romanized: Odýsseia [odýsseːa]) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the Iliad, the Odyssey is divided into 24 books. It follows the heroic king of Ithaca, Odysseus, also known by the Latin variant Ulysses, and his homecoming journey after the ten-year-long Trojan War. His journey from Troy to Ithaca lasts an additional ten years, during which time he encounters many perils and all of his crewmates are killed. In Odysseus's long absence, he is presumed dead, leaving his wife Penelope and son Telemachus to contend with a group of unruly suitors competing for Penelope's hand in marriage.The Odyssey was first composed in Homeric Greek around the 8th or 7th century BC; by the mid-6th century BC, it had become part of the Greek literary canon. In antiquity, Homer's authorship was taken as true, but contemporary scholarship predominantly assumes that the Iliad and the Odyssey were composed independently, as part of long oral traditions. Given widespread illiteracy, the poem was performed for an audience by an aoidos or rhapsode.Key themes in the epic include the ideas of nostos (νόστος; 'return', homecoming), wandering, xenia (ξενία; 'guest-friendship'), testing, and omens. Scholars discuss the narrative prominence of certain groups within the poem, such as women and slaves, who have larger roles than in other works of ancient literature. This focus is especially remarkable when contrasted with the Iliad, which centers upon the exploits of soldiers and kings during the Trojan War.The Odyssey is regarded as one of the most significant works of the Western canon. The first English translation of the Odyssey was in the 16th century. Adaptations and re-imaginings continue to be produced across a wide variety of media. In 2018, when BBC Culture polled experts around the world to find literature's most enduring narrative, the Odyssey topped the list.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 16:13 UTC on Saturday, 18 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Odyssey on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Jasmine.

fWotD Episode 3360: Black hole Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Friday, 17 July 2026, is Black hole.A black hole is an astronomical body so compact that its gravity prevents anything, including light, from escaping. Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, which describes gravitation as the curvature of spacetime, predicts that any sufficiently compact mass will form a black hole. The boundary of no escape is called the event horizon. In general relativity, crossing a black hole's event horizon traps an object inside but produces no locally detectable change. General relativity also predicts that every black hole should have a central singularity, where the curvature of spacetime is infinite.Objects whose gravitational fields are too strong for light to escape were first considered in the 18th century. In 1916, the first solution of general relativity that would characterise a black hole was found. By the late 1950s, this solution began to be interpreted physically as a region of space from which nothing can escape. Black holes were long considered a mathematical curiosity; it was not until the 1960s that theoretical work showed they were a generic prediction of general relativity. The first widely accepted black hole was Cygnus X-1, identified by several researchers independently in 1971.Black holes typically form when very massive stars collapse at the end of their life cycle. After a black hole has formed, it can grow by absorbing mass from its surroundings. Supermassive black holes of millions of solar masses may form by absorbing stars and merging with other black holes, or via direct collapse of gas clouds. There is consensus that supermassive black holes exist in the centres of most galaxies.Quantum field theory in curved spacetime predicts that event horizons emit Hawking radiation, with its rate of emission being inversely proportional to its mass. This causes the black hole to lose mass very slowly, provided it is not accreting matter. However, even the smallest class of black holes observed, stellar black holes, are gaining mass from the cosmic microwave background faster than they are losing mass via Hawking radiation.The presence of a black hole can be inferred through its interaction with matter and electromagnetic radiation such as visible light. Matter falling toward a black hole can form an accretion disk of infalling plasma, heated by friction and emitting light. In extreme cases, this creates a quasar, some of the brightest objects in the universe. Merging black holes can be detected by the gravitational waves they emit. If stars are orbiting a black hole, their motions can be used to determine the black hole's mass and location. In this way, astronomers have identified numerous stellar black hole candidates in binary systems and established that the radio source known as Sagittarius A*, at the core of the Milky Way galaxy, contains a supermassive black hole of about 4.3 million solar masses.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:37 UTC on Friday, 17 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Black hole on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Brian.

rWotD Episode 3361: Donn Everett Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Friday, 17 July 2026, is Donn Everett.Donn James Everett (April 29, 1929 – November 29, 2007) was an American politician who served as a Republican in the Kansas State Senate and Kansas House of Representatives from 1969 to 1978.Everett was born in Emporia, Kansas. He served in the U. S. Marine Corps during the Korean War; after returning to Kansas, he married Frederica Voiland in 1956 and worked as an attorney. The couple had six children before divorcing acrimoniously; the youngest child, Bridget Everett, became a noted comedian and cabaret performer.Everett's first forays into elected office were winning races for county attorney of Riley County and serving as a member of the city council in Manhattan, Kansas (including a stint as mayor). In 1968, he was elected to the Kansas House, serving until 1975. While in the Kansas House, he rose to the post of Majority Leader.During his fourth term, in 1975, he was appointed to the Kansas Senate to fill the seat left vacant by Richard Dean Rogers, who resigned to serve as a federal judge. He served in the Senate until his own resignation in 1978.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:21 UTC on Friday, 17 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Donn Everett on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Raveena.

pWotD Episode 3362: The Odyssey (2026 film) Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 614,398 views on Thursday, 16 July 2026 our article of the day is The Odyssey (2026 film).The Odyssey is a 2026 epic fantasy action film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. An adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic the Odyssey, the film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, and chronicles his long and perilous journey home after the Trojan War and his encounters with mythical beings as he attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope, portrayed by Anne Hathaway. The ensemble cast includes Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. Nolan and his wife Emma Thomas produced the film through their production company, Syncopy.Nolan began writing The Odyssey in March 2024, secured the project with Universal Pictures by October, and the film was announced in December. Casting occurred from late 2024 through early 2025, and Damon was confirmed for the lead role in February 2025. Nolan studied several translations of the Odyssey. He depicted a realistic interpretation of Greek mythology, drawing inspiration from the epic historical films Andrei Rublev (1966) and Ran (1985), as well as the films of special effects artist Ray Harryhausen. Filming took place from February to August 2025 in Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Iceland, Western Sahara, and Malta, as well as at the Universal Studios Lot in Los Angeles. With an estimated budget of $250 million, the film is among the most expensive of Nolan's career, and the first to be shot entirely on IMAX's 70 mm film cameras. Leading up to the film's release, the costume and production designs, accents, dialogue, and casting choices sparked critical discussion and scrutiny regarding historical accuracy to the source material and the setting depicted.The Odyssey premiered on July 6, 2026, at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, ahead of a theatrical release by Universal Pictures on July 17 in the United States and the United Kingdom. It was made available in IMAX and multiple premium large formats. The film received critical acclaim, with praise for Nolan's direction.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 07:13 UTC on Friday, 17 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see The Odyssey (2026 film) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Tiffany.

rWotD Episode 3360: L'anneau de vitesse Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Thursday, 16 July 2026, is L'anneau de vitesse.L'anneau de vitesse (French for 'speed oval') is an outdoor sports venue in Albertville, France. It hosted speed skating events at the 1992 Winter Olympics.The stands, which remain present, were constructed as an airfoil from aerospace designs. The ice was made using 70 km (43 mi) of piping using R32 and brine refrigeration to cool the track to between −5 and −8 °C (23 and 18 °F) with 4 cm-thick (1.6 in) ice. Before this the surface was covered with 1.20 m (3 ft 11 in) of base sand in order to lay down the piping.The track serves nowadays as a multipurpose stadium used for athletics and football events.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:08 UTC on Thursday, 16 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see L'anneau de vitesse on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Brian.

fWotD Episode 3359: Holden Commodore (VE) Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Thursday, 16 July 2026, is Holden Commodore (VE).The Holden Commodore (VE) is a full-size car that was produced from 2006 to 2013 by Holden, the former Australian subsidiary of General Motors. Dubbed Holden's "billion dollar baby", the car was available as the Holden Berlina—the mid-range model—and the Holden Calais, the luxury variant; utility body styles were marketed as the Holden Ute.Succeeding the VZ series, the VE was the first iteration of the fourth generation of the Holden Commodore, a series of automobiles built between 1978 and 2020. Unlike its predecessors, which used Opel-sourced platforms adapted to mechanics and sizes that would suit the local market, the VE was the first Commodore entirely designed and developed by Holden in Australia. To minimise export redevelopment costs, features such as a symmetrical centre console housing a flush-fitting hand brake lever facilitated the conversion to left-hand drive. The VE was internationally badge-engineered as the Chevrolet Lumina, Chevrolet Omega, Bitter Vero Sport and Pontiac G8.Holden introduced the VE body styles in stages, beginning with the sedan in July 2006. Before this, the company stated they would manufacture two parallel generations of Commodores until the launch of the station wagon and utility. Variants by Holden's performance vehicle partner, Holden Special Vehicles, were released soon after the sedan's debut alongside the long-wheelbase WM Statesman/Caprice models. The VE Ute entered production in 2007, coinciding with the unveiling of the Sportwagon concept car. The production version of the VE Sportwagon—which shared its 2,915 mm (114.8 in) wheelbase with the sedan instead of the extended wheelbase from the Caprice, like previous models—was introduced in July 2008.Named the 2006 Car of the Year by Wheels, the VE frequently ranked as the annual best-selling automobile in Australia over its production run. Holden introduced updates to the VE as model year (MY) changes. Typically subtle, these recurring changes have involved alterations to colours and trim, increased standard equipment and reduced fuel consumption. More noteworthy adjustments have come in the form of a smaller 3.0-litre V6 engine for entry-level versions and "Series II" styling revisions in September 2010.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:02 UTC on Thursday, 16 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Holden Commodore (VE) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Matthew.

pWotD Episode 3361: 2026 FIFA World Cup Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 489,237 views on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 our article of the day is 2026 FIFA World Cup.The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the 23rd FIFA World Cup and the current edition of the quadrennial international men's soccer championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. The tournament began on June 11, 2026, and will conclude on July 19. It is jointly hosted by 16 cities—11 in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada. The tournament is the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three countries and the first to include 48 teams, an expansion from the previous 32-team format.The 2026 tournament is the first World Cup since 2002 to be hosted by multiple nations. Mexico became the first country to host the World Cup three times, having hosted the 1970 and 1986 tournaments. The United States previously hosted the World Cup in 1994, while it is Canada's first time hosting the tournament. The event returned to its traditional June–July schedule after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was uniquely held in November and December to avoid Qatar's extreme summer heat.As host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States all automatically qualified for the tournament. Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan all made their World Cup debuts. Argentina is the defending champion, having won its third World Cup in 2022. On June 25, 2026, total attendance reached 3,605,357 spectators, setting the record for the highest attendance in World Cup history and surpassing the previous record held by the American-hosted 1994 edition.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:31 UTC on Thursday, 16 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Niamh.

rWotD Episode 3359: Hulhumalé Grand Mosque Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Wednesday, 15 July 2026, is Hulhumalé Grand Mosque.The Hulhumalé Grand Mosque, formally known as the Masjid al Sheikh Qasim bin Muhammad Al-Thani (Dhivehi: ހުޅުމާލެ ގުއްބު މިސްކިތް; Arabic: مسجد الشيخ قاسم بن محمد آلثاني), is a Sunni Islam mosque, located in Hulhumalé, on the North Malé Atoll, in the Maldives. The mosque, which accommodates more than 1,500 worshippers, was opened in the early 2000s in the framework of the Hulhumalé land reclamation and development project. It was a gift by the state of Qatar to the Maldives. A variety of new mosques has been opened ever since. This mosque marks the foundation of beautiful mosques being constructed in Hulhumalé as this is a great and symbolic achievement in mosque construction, not only in Hulhumalé but also in the whole Maldives.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:10 UTC on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Hulhumalé Grand Mosque on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Arthur.

fWotD Episode 3358: Cognition Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Wednesday, 15 July 2026, is Cognition.Cognition encompasses mental processes that deal with knowledge. It includes psychological activities that acquire, store, retrieve, transform, or apply information. Cognitions are a pervasive part of mental life, helping individuals understand and interact with the world.Cognitive processes are typically categorized by their function. Perception organizes and interprets sensory information, such as light and sound, to construct a coherent experience of objects and events. Attention prioritizes specific aspects while filtering out irrelevant information. Memory is the ability to retain, store, and retrieve information, including working memory and long-term memory. Thinking encompasses psychological activities in which concepts, ideas, and mental representations are considered and manipulated. It includes reasoning, concept formation, problem solving, and decision-making. Many cognitive activities deal with language, including language acquisition, comprehension, and production. Metacognitive processes deal with information about other mental processes, such as knowing that one can recall a specific memory. Classifications also distinguish between conscious and unconscious processes and between controlled and automatic ones.There are many theories of the nature of cognition. Classical computationalism posits that cognitive processes manipulate symbols according to formal rules, similar to how computers execute algorithms. Connectionism models the mind as a complex network of nodes where information flows as they communicate with each other. Representationalism and anti-representationalism disagree about whether cognitive processes operate on internal representations of the world.Many disciplines explore cognition, including psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science. They examine different levels of abstraction and employ distinct methods of inquiry. Some scientists study cognitive development, investigating how mental abilities grow from infancy through adulthood. While cognitive research mostly focuses on humans, it also explores how other animals acquire knowledge and how artificial systems can emulate cognitive processes. The study of cognition has its roots in antiquity and has gained particular interdisciplinary prominence since the cognitive revolution starting in the 1950s.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:34 UTC on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Cognition on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Justin.

pWotD Episode 3360: Lamine Yamal Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 381,020 views on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 our article of the day is Lamine Yamal.Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana (born 13 July 2007) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. He is regarded as one of the best players in the world.Yamal was a member of FC Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, before breaking into the first team squad in the 2023–24 season. He became the youngest player to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or (at age 17) and also won the Kopa Trophy in 2024 and 2025, presented to the best young player in the world. In the following season, he was integral to Barcelona winning the domestic treble: the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España. At 18 years old, Yamal finished as runner-up for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.Yamal has represented Spain internationally at various youth levels and made his debut for the senior team in 2023, becoming the youngest player to represent and score for the country at age 16. He was selected for UEFA Euro 2024, playing an important role in helping Spain win their fourth title, while also winning the tournament's Young Player Award. He holds multiple records in his international career, including the youngest player and youngest goalscorer in the UEFA European Championship (aged 16) as well as the youngest in a championship final (aged 17). In 2026, Yamal reached the FIFA World Cup final with Spain.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:27 UTC on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Lamine Yamal on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Jasmine.

fWotD Episode 3357: Maraba coffee Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Tuesday, 14 July 2026, is Maraba coffee.Maraba coffee (Kinyarwanda: Ikawa ya Maraba; French: Café de Maraba) is grown in the Maraba area of southern Rwanda. Maraba's coffee plants are the Bourbon variety of the Coffea arabica species and are grown on fertile volcanic soils on high-altitude hills. The fruit is handpicked, mostly during the rainy season between March and May, and brought to a washing station in Maraba, where the coffee beans are extracted and dried. At several stages, the beans are sorted according to quality. The farmers receive credits based on the amount and quality of the beans they provide.The beans are sold to various roasting companies, including Union Coffee Roasters of the United Kingdom who produce a Fairtrade-certified brand, and Community Coffee of the United States. Rwanda Smallholder Specialty Coffee Company (RWASHOSCCO) buys from Maraba and sells to the domestic market. Maraba coffee is also brewed into a beer.About 500,000 smallholder farmers grow the coffee plants under the Abahuzamugambi cooperative, founded in 1999. Since 2000, the cooperative has been supported by the National University of Rwanda (UNR) and the Partnership for Enhancing Agriculture in Rwanda through Linkages (PEARL). The cooperative has improved coffee quality and penetrated the speciality market.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:07 UTC on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Maraba coffee on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Amy.

rWotD Episode 3358: 2016 Primera B Metropolitana Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Tuesday, 14 July 2026, is 2016 Primera B Metropolitana.The 2016 Argentine Primera B Metropolitana was the 117th. season of Primera B Metropolitana, the third division of the Argentine football league system. The season began on 5 Febrero and ended on 13 June 2016. Twenty teams competed in the league.The championship had the addition of San Telmo and Talleres de Remedios de Escalada, which had promoted from the 2015 Primera C season.Flandria won their first Primera B title, earning 37 points in 19 matches played and promoting to the upper division, Primera Nacional. On the other hand, Deportivo Armenio was relegated as the worst placed team.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:09 UTC on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see 2016 Primera B Metropolitana on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Joanna.

pWotD Episode 3359: Sam Neill Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 2,453,026 views on Monday, 13 July 2026 our article of the day is Sam Neill.Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (14 September 1947 – 13 July 2026) was a New Zealand actor and businessman. Known as a leading man in film and television, he has received nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services as an actor.Born in Northern Ireland to an English mother and a New Zealand father, Neill moved to Christchurch with his family in 1954. He first achieved recognition with his appearance in the film Sleeping Dogs (1977), followed by leading roles in My Brilliant Career (1979), The Final Conflict (1981), Possession (1981), Evil Angels (1988), Dead Calm (1989), Death in Brunswick (1990), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Piano (1993), In the Mouth of Madness (1994), Event Horizon (1997), The Dish (2000), and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016). He came to international prominence as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park (1993), a role he reprised in Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022).On television, he portrayed Merlin in the miniseries Merlin (1998) and Merlin's Apprentice (2006), the former of which earned him nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award and the Golden Globe Award. He was also Golden Globe-nominated for playing Sidney Reilly in Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983) and a British Officer during World War II in One Against the Wind (1991). He also played Thomas Wolsey in The Tudors (2007), and as Major Chester Campbell in Peaky Blinders (2013–2014). He is also known for narrating various documentary projects.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 04:05 UTC on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Sam Neill on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm long-form Patrick.

This week on Curmudgeon's Corner, Ivan is unexpectedly away, so Sam once again carries the show! After the usual TV and Movies bits, Sam talks about Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, and Graham Planter, then a smorgasbord of other topical bits. Woo! Show Details: Recorded 2026-07-11 Length this week 1:45:56 0:00:33 - But First Ivan Out TV: True Detective (2014-2024) Movie: Love, Classified (2022) 0:20:54 - But Second Lindsey Graham Mitch McConnell Graham Platner 1:04:28 - But Third NATO Summit Iran War Air Force One Binface The Curmudgeon's Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is The Oh of Pleasure (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is Celestial Soda Pop (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album Deep Breakfast (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

fWotD Episode 3356: Manufacturers Trust Company Building Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Monday, 13 July 2026, is Manufacturers Trust Company Building.The Manufacturers Trust Company Building, also known as 510 Fifth Avenue, is a commercial building at the southwest corner of West 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Opened in 1954, it is the first bank building in the United States to be built in the International Style. Charles Evans Hughes III and Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) designed the building for the Manufacturers Trust Company. The structure has four full stories, a penthouse, and a basement. The facade is made largely of glass panes and aluminum mullions. The first story includes a door for the bank vault, designed by Henry Dreyfuss and visible from the street. The second story, recessed from the facade, has a luminous ceiling. The building's height and design were influenced by a lease restriction that prohibited the construction of a taller building on a portion of the site. A smaller penthouse rises above the fourth story.The building was commissioned by Manufacturers Trust in 1944; the original plan was designed by Walker & Gillette and canceled in 1948. Walker & Poor was hired in 1950 to modify the original proposal but was replaced with consulting architect SOM. The building was instantly popular upon its opening, becoming one of Manufacturers Trust's busiest branches and a tourist attraction in itself. Manufacturers Trust's successor, Chase Bank, sold the building in 2000 to Tahl-Propp Equities. After Vornado Realty Trust bought the building in 2010, the Chase branch closed that year. SOM renovated 510 Fifth Avenue in 2012, converting it into a commercial structure, and Reuben Brothers acquired the property in 2023.The building was praised for the design of its facade, ceiling lighting, and visible vault door, and the design inspired other bank buildings erected in the 1950s and 1960s. The building's facade was designated as an official landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) in 1997, and its interior was similarly designated in 2011.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:10 UTC on Monday, 13 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Manufacturers Trust Company Building on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm long-form Gregory.

rWotD Episode 3357: Inalfa Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Monday, 13 July 2026, is Inalfa.Inalfa Roof Systems is a tier-One automotive supplier serving over 40 vehicle brands globally, including Daimler Benz, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Hyundai, Kia, Honda, Land Rover, and Nissan. The company delivers more than 2.5 million roof modules annually specializing in complex automotive sunroof and reconfigurable roof systems — designing, developing, manufacturing, prototyping, testing, assembling and supplying sunroof modules. The company is headquartered in Venray, Netherlands, as a wholly owned subsidiary of Beijing Hainachuan Automotive Parts Co., Ltd. (BHAP), headquartered in Beijing, China.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:11 UTC on Monday, 13 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Inalfa on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Emma.

pWotD Episode 3358: Lindsey Graham Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 2,652,838 views on Sunday, 12 July 2026 our article of the day is Lindsey Graham.Lindsey Olin Graham ( GRAM; July 9, 1955 – July 11, 2026) was an American politician and attorney who represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 2003 until his death in 2026. A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented South Carolina's 3rd congressional district in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 and served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1993 to 1995.Born in Central, South Carolina, Graham graduated from the University of South Carolina and its law school. He served on active duty in the United States Air Force from 1982 to 1989 as a member of the Judge Advocate General's Corps, working as a defense attorney and as the Air Force's chief prosecutor in Europe. He later served in the South Carolina Air National Guard and the United States Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 2015. He received the Bronze Star Medal in 2014 for his legal work relating to military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.Graham gained national attention as a member of the House Judiciary Committee and as a House impeachment manager during the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. He was elected to the Senate in 2002 and reelected in 2008, 2014, and 2020. He won the Republican nomination for a fifth term in June 2026 but died before the general election.A foreign-policy hawk, Graham advocated an interventionist role for the United States and was a prominent supporter of Israel, Ukraine, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He frequently worked with members of both parties, particularly on immigration and national-security legislation, and was closely associated with senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, with whom he formed a group known as the "Three Amigos". Graham chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021 and the Senate Budget Committee from 2025 until his death. He also played a prominent role in the confirmation of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees.Graham sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 but withdrew before the primaries began. Although he was an outspoken critic of Trump during the 2016 campaign, he later became one of Trump's closest congressional allies and supported him throughout both of his presidencies.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:08 UTC on Monday, 13 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Lindsey Graham on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Kendra.

fWotD Episode 3355: History of Liverpool F.C. (1985–present) Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Sunday, 12 July 2026, is History of Liverpool F.C. (1985–present).The history of Liverpool Football Club from 1985 to the present day covers the appointment of Kenny Dalglish as manager, the Hillsborough disaster, and the club's return to European competition in 1991. Throughout this period, the club played in the top tier of English football, which in 1992 became the Premier League.Dalglish was appointed as player-manager after Joe Fagan resigned following the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster, which resulted in Liverpool's indefinite ban from European competition. Liverpool won a league and FA Cup double in Dalglish's first season, and won a further league title in 1987–88. The Hillsborough disaster, which occurred during an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in April 1989, resulted in the deaths of 97 of the club's supporters. After the disaster, Dalglish led the club to their eighteenth title in 1989–90; he resigned in February 1991. The Taylor Report into the disaster recommended the end of standing terraces; to comply with its findings, Anfield was converted to an all-seater stadium during the early 1990s, which greatly reduced its capacity. Dalglish's successor Graeme Souness won the FA Cup in his first full season. In the newly formed Premier League, he struggled to sustain the club's domestic successes and was replaced by Roy Evans midway through 1993–94. Liverpool improved to fourth the following season and won the League Cup.In 1998, Gérard Houllier was appointed co-manager alongside Evans. The arrangement lasted until November when Evans resigned and Houllier became the sole manager. The club won a unique treble of trophies in 2001, and a year later finished second to Arsenal, their highest league finish in 11 years. Houllier departed the club in mid-2004. Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League for the fifth time in Rafael Benítez's debut season, and he guided the club to a further FA Cup success in 2006. Midway through the 2006–07 season, the club was bought by Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett. At the start of the 2010–11 season, Liverpool were on the verge of bankruptcy; the club was sold to New England Sports Ventures following a high court ruling. Roy Hodgson, who took over from Benítez, left the club in 2011; Dalglish was again placed in charge of team affairs and won the 2012 League Cup, Liverpool's eighth win in the competition.Dalglish was replaced by Brendan Rodgers after the team finished eighth in the 2011–12 Premier League. Rodgers guided Liverpool to second in 2013–14, but board disagreements over transfers and poor team performances led to his sacking in October 2015. His replacement, Jürgen Klopp, has led the club to a resurgence in form as they appeared in consecutive Champions League finals, winning the latter in 2019 to earn a sixth European Cup ending a seven-year trophy drought. The following season, he guided the team to the 2019–20 Premier League title, the club's first league title in 30 years and the first under the Premier League format.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:08 UTC on Sunday, 12 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see History of Liverpool F.C. (1985–present) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Olivia.

rWotD Episode 3356: Democratic Community of Welfare and Freedom Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Sunday, 12 July 2026, is Democratic Community of Welfare and Freedom.The Democratic Community of Welfare and Freedom (Hungarian: Jólét és Szabadság Demokrata Közösség, pronounced [ˈjoːleːt ˈeːʃ ˈsɒbɒt͡ʃːaːɡ ˈdɛmokrɒtɒ ˈkøzøʃːeːɡ]), abbreviated to JESZ, was a centre-right political party in Hungary. It had a liberal conservative and Christian democratic ideology. The party was the legal successor to the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF). From 2014 to its eventual dissolution nine years later, the party became inactive.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:21 UTC on Sunday, 12 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Democratic Community of Welfare and Freedom on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Kendra.

pWotD Episode 3357: Linda Nosková Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 386,024 views on Saturday, 11 July 2026 our article of the day is Linda Nosková.Linda Nosková (Czech pronunciation: [ˈlɪnda ˈnoskovaː]; born 17 November 2004) is a Czech professional tennis player. She has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 10 by the WTA, and a doubles ranking of No. 58, both achieved on 22 June 2026. Nosková has won three WTA Tour singles titles, including a major, the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, and one in doubles.From an early age, Nosková showed signs of becoming a promising tennis player. As a junior, she peaked at world No. 5 in the rankings, achieved on 14 June 2021. She won the 2021 French Open in the girls' singles event and made the semifinals of the girls' doubles event, as well as the girls' doubles quarterfinals of the 2020 Australian Open.In August 2022, she became the youngest player ranked in the world's top 100 and in February 2023 the youngest in the top 50. On the ITF Circuit, she has collected six singles titles and one doubles title.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:48 UTC on Sunday, 12 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Linda Nosková on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Danielle.

rWotD Episode 3355: 2024 Democratic Party presidential candidates Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Saturday, 11 July 2026, is 2024 Democratic Party presidential candidates.The following is a list of candidates associated with the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries for the 2024 United States presidential election. By March 2024, more than 190 candidates had filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run for the Democratic nomination in 2024. As in previous cycles, the majority of these candidates did not appear on any ballots, raise money, or otherwise attempt to formally run a campaign.On July 21, 2024, incumbent President Joe Biden, then-presumptive Democratic nominee after his victories in the primaries, suspended his re-election campaign. Biden immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who quickly announced her own presidential campaign later that day and officially became the Democratic nominee on August 5. On August 6, 2024, Harris chose Tim Walz to be her running mate.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:17 UTC on Saturday, 11 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see 2024 Democratic Party presidential candidates on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Matthew.

fWotD Episode 3354: Meurig ab Arthfael Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 11 July 2026, is Meurig ab Arthfael.Meurig ab Arthfael (or Mouric, ruled c. 848 – c. 874) was a king in south-east Wales. In the seventh century, Gwent was a single kingdom covering south-east Wales, but in the ninth century it was divided between Glywysing (now called Glamorgan), which had a higher status, and a smaller Gwent, covering the area which is now Monmouthshire. Historians disagree whether Meurig was king of Glywysing, with authority across south-east Wales, or only of Gwent. His sons Brochfael ap Meurig and Ffernfael ap Meurig were only kings of Gwent, and they were subject to their cousin Hywel ap Rhys, king of Glywysing.The twelfth-century Book of Llandaff records charters in which Meurig granted land to bishops or guaranteed grants by others. Two charters state that he freed all churches from obligations to laymen, and in the view of the historian Wendy Davies, he was one of the few kings recorded in the charters who attempted to guarantee ecclesiastical immunity from widespread lawlessness and arbitrary use of power. Historians disagree when he died. Deaths of kings called Meurig are recorded in 849 and 874, and some historians date Meurig ab Arthfael's death definitely to 874, but others think that it is possible that he was the Meurig who died in 849.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:26 UTC on Saturday, 11 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Meurig ab Arthfael on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Kevin.

pWotD Episode 3356: Ann Widdecombe Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 1,272,087 views on Friday, 10 July 2026 our article of the day is Ann Widdecombe.Ann Noreen Widdecombe (4 October 1947 – c. 9 July 2026) was a British politician and television personality. As a member of the Conservative Party, she was Member of Parliament (MP) for Maidstone and The Weald and the former Maidstone constituency from 1987 to 2010. She was a member of the Brexit Party from 2019 and served as the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South West England from 2019 to 2020. She joined Reform UK in 2023 and served as the party's Immigration and Justice spokesperson from 2023 until her death in 2026.Born in Bath, Somerset, Widdecombe read Latin at the University of Birmingham, then PPE at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She was a religious convert from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism and was a member of the Conservative Christian Fellowship. She served as Minister of State for Employment from 1994 to 1995 and Minister of State for Prisons from 1995 to 1997. She later served in the Shadow Cabinet of William Hague as Shadow Secretary of State for Health from 1998 to 1999 and Shadow Home Secretary from 1999 to 2001. She was appointed to the Privy Council in 1997.Widdecombe stood down from the House of Commons at the 2010 general election. From 2002 she made numerous television and radio appearances, including as a television presenter. She was a contestant on the eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, and was runner-up of the twenty-first series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2018. A prominent Eurosceptic, in 2016 she supported the Vote Leave campaign to withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU). Widdecombe returned to politics as the lead candidate for the Brexit Party in South West England at the 2019 European Parliament election; she won the seat in line with results nationally and served until the country left the EU on 31 January 2020. In the general election of December 2019, she fought Plymouth Sutton and Devonport for the Brexit Party, where she came third but retained her deposit.Ideologically, Widdecombe identified herself as a social conservative and stressed the importance of traditional values and conservatism. As a member of the House of Commons, she opposed the legality of abortion, opposed granting LGBT people legal rights such as the same age of consent as heterosexuals, and opposed the repeal of Section 28. She supported the reintroduction of the death penalty for murder. She was opposed to all forms of assisted dying. She had a history of supporting rigorous laws on animal protection and was opposed to fox hunting.Widdecombe was found dead at her home on Dartmoor, Devon, on 9 July 2026, aged 78. The following day, police arrested a man on suspicion of murder.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 04:06 UTC on Saturday, 11 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Ann Widdecombe on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Matthew.

fWotD Episode 3353: Gu Yanwu Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Friday, 10 July 2026, is Gu Yanwu.Gu Yanwu (Chinese: 顧炎武; pinyin: Gù Yánwǔ, 1613 – 1682) was a Chinese historian, philologist, and poet. After failing to advance through the civil service examination system and surviving the upheaval of the Qing conquest of the Ming dynasty, he became an itinerant scholar, traveling across much of China while collecting notes for his work.Born to a family of scholar-officials in the village of Qiandun in modern Kunshan, Jiangsu, Gu was adopted as the grandchild of his paternal uncle as an infant. He was tutored in the Chinese classics by his adoptive family, and began to pursue advancement in the imperial examination system. After the death of his adoptive grandfather, he passed preliminary examinations in 1626, but repeatedly failed to advance to the rank of juren. He abandoned the exams in 1641. He became a Ming loyalist after the Qing conquest, changing his personal name from Jiang to Yanwu ('warlike and blazing'), but declined any political position in the Ming rump state, after which he began traveling across China, likely financed by his family's landholdings in Kunshan.The most notable of Gu's works was the Rizhilu (日知錄; 'Record of Daily Knowledge'), an edited collection of his notes on various topics, most mainly related to statecraft and historiography. He was critical of Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. He criticized political centralization and reliance on law codes, arguing this ultimately reduced central authority by delegating power to clerks and officials. He advocated for historical study centered on primary sources. Only two of his works – the first edition of the Rizhilu and his phonology treatise Yinxue wushu (音學五書; 'Five Books on Phonology') – were published during his lifetime; the rest of his surviving works, including a variety of poetry, geographical texts, and notes, were published by his lone disciple Pan Lei after his death. Many of his works were lost.Gu's thought influenced scholars throughout the Qing period, and 19th-century scholars such as He Shaoji venerated him at a Beijing temple constructed in his honor. Later, revolutionaries such as Liang Qichao praised his work, stressing his empiricism and resistance to Qing rule.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:06 UTC on Friday, 10 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Gu Yanwu on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Salli.

rWotD Episode 3354: Charlesworth Cliffs Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Friday, 10 July 2026, is Charlesworth Cliffs.The Charlesworth Cliffs (80°14′S 25°18′W) are a series of steep cliffs near the north end of the central ridge of the Herbert Mountains, Shackleton Range. They were photographed from the air by the U. S. Navy, 1967, and surveyed by the British Antarctic Survey, 1968–1971. In association with the names of glacial geologists grouped in this area, they were named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee after John K. Charlesworth (1889–1972), Irish geologist; Professor of Geology, Queen's University Belfast, 1921–1954; author of The Quaternary Era, With Special Reference to its Glaciation, London, 1957.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:15 UTC on Friday, 10 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Charlesworth Cliffs on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Nicole.

pWotD Episode 3355: Bonnie Tyler Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 1,271,358 views on Thursday, 9 July 2026 our article of the day is Bonnie Tyler.Gaynor Sullivan (née Hopkins; 8 June 1951 – 8 July 2026), known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, was a Welsh singer and songwriter. Known for her distinctive husky voice, she came to prominence with the release of her debut studio album The World Starts Tonight (1977) and its singles "Lost in France" and "More Than a Lover". Her 1977 single "It's a Heartache" reached number four on the UK singles chart and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.In the 1980s, Tyler ventured into rock music with songwriter and producer Jim Steinman. He wrote Tyler's biggest hit, "Total Eclipse of the Heart", which sold over 13 million copies worldwide and was released as the lead single from her UK chart-topping album Faster Than the Speed of Night (1983). Steinman also wrote Tyler's other major 1980s hit, "Holding Out for a Hero". Her other successful singles during this period included "Here She Comes" from the 1984 soundtrack to Metropolis and "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)", written by Desmond Child and produced by Steinman. She had success in mainland Europe during the 1990s with Dieter Bohlen, who wrote and produced her hit "Bitterblue". In 2003, Tyler re-recorded "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with singer Kareen Antonn; their bilingual duet, titled "Si demain... (Turn Around)", topped the French charts.Tyler released Rocks and Honey in 2013, featuring the single "Believe in Me", which she performed while representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden. After reuniting with the producer David Mackay, she released Between the Earth and the Stars (2019) and The Best Is Yet to Come (2021).Tyler's work earned her three Grammy Award nominations and three Brit Award nominations (including twice for British Female Solo Artist), among other accolades. In 2022, she was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to music. Her singles "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "It's a Heartache" have estimated sales of over 6 million units each, and are among the best-selling singles of all time.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 04:11 UTC on Friday, 10 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Bonnie Tyler on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Brian.

rWotD Episode 3353: Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church Chicago Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Thursday, 9 July 2026, is Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church Chicago.Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church located in Maywood, Illinois in the United States is the first Knanaya Catholic Church established outside the juridical boundary of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam. This church is also the first church of the Knanaya Region under the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago. The migrants from the Archdiocese of Kottayam living in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin were members of this parish at the time of its establishment on 24 September 2006. The parishioners were formerly members of the Knanaya Catholic Mission established by the Archdiocese of Chicago since 28 October 1983. Later another church was established in Morton Grove on 18 July 2010 for the parishioners living in the north side of 90 Expressway. The church was elevated as a forane church by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath on 22 March 2015. The parish servers around 400 Knanaya Catholic families.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:48 UTC on Thursday, 9 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church Chicago on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Matthew.

fWotD Episode 3352: Virus Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Thursday, 9 July 2026, is Virus.A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Viruses are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth and are the most numerous type of biological entity. Since Dmitri Ivanovsky's 1892 article describing a non-bacterial pathogen infecting tobacco plants and the discovery of the tobacco mosaic virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, more than 16,000 of the millions of virus species have been described in detail. The study of viruses is known as virology, a subspeciality of microbiology.When infected, a host cell is often forced to rapidly produce thousands of copies of the original virus. When not inside an infected cell or in the process of infecting a cell, viruses exist in the form of independent viral particles, or virions, consisting of (i) genetic material, i.e., long molecules of DNA or RNA that encode the structure of the proteins by which the virus acts; (ii) a protein coat, the capsid, which surrounds and protects the genetic material; and in some cases (iii) an outside envelope of lipids. The shapes of these virus particles range from simple helical and icosahedral forms to more complex structures. Most virus species have virions too small to be seen with an optical microscope and are one-hundredth the size of most bacteria.The origins of viruses in the evolutionary history of life are still unclear. Some viruses may have evolved from plasmids, which are pieces of DNA that can move between cells. Other viruses may have evolved from bacteria. In evolution, viruses are an important means of horizontal gene transfer, which increases genetic diversity in a way analogous to sexual reproduction. Viruses are considered by some biologists to be a life form, because they carry genetic material, reproduce, and evolve through natural selection, although they lack some key characteristics, such as cell structure, that are generally considered necessary criteria for defining life. Because they possess some but not all such qualities, viruses have been described as "organisms at the edge of life" and as replicators.Viruses spread in many ways. One transmission pathway is through disease-bearing organisms known as vectors: for example, viruses are often transmitted from plant to plant by insects that feed on plant sap, such as aphids; and viruses in animals can be carried by blood-sucking insects. Many viruses spread in the air by coughing and sneezing, including influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2, chickenpox, smallpox, and measles. Norovirus and rotavirus, common causes of viral gastroenteritis, are transmitted by the faecal–oral route, passed by hand-to-mouth contact or in food or water. The infectious dose of norovirus required to produce infection in humans is fewer than 100 particles. HIV is one of several viruses transmitted through sexual contact and by exposure to infected blood. The variety of host cells that a virus can infect is called its host range: this is narrow for viruses specialized to infect only a few species, or broad for viruses capable of infecting many.Viral infections in animals provoke an immune response that usually eliminates the infecting virus. Immune responses can also be produced by vaccines, which confer an artificially acquired immunity to the specific viral infection. Some viruses, including those that cause HIV/AIDS, HPV infection, and viral hepatitis, evade these immune responses and result in chronic infections. Several classes of antiviral drugs have been developed and around 100 individual antiviral drugs or combinations of them are used worldwide.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:26 UTC on Thursday, 9 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Virus on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Amy.

pWotD Episode 3354: Anna's Archive Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 44,990 views on Wednesday, 8 July 2026 our article of the day is Anna's Archive.Anna's Archive is an open source search engine for shadow libraries that was launched by the pseudonymous Anna shortly after law enforcement efforts to shut down Z-Library in 2022. The site aggregates records from Z-Library, Sci-Hub, and Library Genesis (LibGen), among other sources. It calls itself "the largest truly open library in human history", and has said it aims to "catalog all the books in existence" and "track humanity's progress toward making all these books easily available in digital form". It claims not to be liable for downloads of copyrighted works since it does not directly host any files, instead linking to third-party downloads. It has nonetheless been targeted for engaging in large-scale copyright infringement, facing government blocks and legal action from rightsholders and publishing trade associations.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:28 UTC on Thursday, 9 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Anna's Archive on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Brian.

rWotD Episode 3352: Gilan University of Medical Sciences Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Wednesday, 8 July 2026, is Gilan University of Medical Sciences.Guilan University of Medical Sciences (GUMS), is one of the northern medical universities located in Gilan Province of Iran.Located in the city of Rasht, the university fell under the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 1986, two years after it was established. The university consists of four schools of Medicine, Dental, Nursing, and Allied Health Sciences, and administers seven hospitals and several research centers in the city of Rasht.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:20 UTC on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Gilan University of Medical Sciences on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Salli.

fWotD Episode 3351: Al-Altan Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Wednesday, 8 July 2026, is Al-Altan.Al-Altan (c. 1196 – 1246), also known as Altalun and Altaluqan, was the youngest child and favourite daughter of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, and Börte, his primary wife. As part of Genghis's policy of marrying his daughters to powerful rulers in exchange for their submission to him, she married Barchuq Art Tegin, the ruler of the wealthy Uyghur people to the southwest, in around 1211.After Genghis died in 1227 and Ögedei Khan, his third son by Börte, ascended to the Mongol throne, it is likely that the Mongol imperial government began to appropriate the territory and taxes of the Uyghurs for themselves. When Ögedei died after an extended drinking binge in 1241, Al-Altan was present—she had probably travelled to her brother's court to defend her Uyghur subjects against the encroachment. She was rumoured to have poisoned Ögedei, and remained under suspicion until the accession of her nephew Güyük Khan five years later. Shortly afterwards, Al-Altan was put on trial and executed by the general Eljigidei. Accounts of Al-Altan's life and death were heavily suppressed, with official chronicles compelled to excise or obscure potentially troublesome details. The injustice of her death became a major contention during the Toluid Revolution in 1251, during which Eljigidei was executed by Al-Altan's sympathisers in revenge.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:43 UTC on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Al-Altan on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Amy.

pWotD Episode 3353: Mitch McConnell Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 461,984 views on Tuesday, 7 July 2026 our article of the day is Mitch McConnell.Addison Mitchell McConnell III ( mə-KON-əl; born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky, a seat he has held since 1985. A member of the Republican Party, McConnell is in his seventh Senate term, making him the longest-serving senator in Kentucky history. He served from 2007 to 2025 as the leader of the Senate Republican Conference, including two stints as minority leader (2007 to 2015 and 2021 to 2025), and was majority leader from 2015 to 2021, making him the longest-serving Senate party leader in U. S. history.McConnell holds conservative political positions, although he was known as a pragmatist and a moderate Republican early in his political career. He led opposition to stricter campaign finance laws, culminating in the U. S. Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. FEC, which partially overturned the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold) in 2010. McConnell worked to withhold Republican support for major presidential initiatives during the Obama administration, making frequent use of the filibuster, and blocked many of President Barack Obama's judicial nominees, including Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.During the first Trump administration, the Senate Republican majority under McConnell's leadership passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act in 2018, the First Step Act, and the Great American Outdoors Act, and confirmed a record number of federal appeals court judges during a president's first two years. McConnell invoked the nuclear option to eliminate the 60-vote requirement to end a filibuster for Supreme Court nominations, after his predecessor Harry Reid had eliminated the filibuster for all other presidential nominations; Trump subsequently won Supreme Court confirmation battles over Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. While supportive of most of Trump's domestic and foreign policies, McConnell criticized Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and despite voting to acquit in Trump's second impeachment trial for reasons related to the constitutionality of impeaching a former president, deemed him "practically and morally responsible" for the January 6 United States Capitol attack.In 2015, 2019, and 2023, Time listed McConnell as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. On February 28, 2024, McConnell announced that he would step down as the Senate Republican Conference Leader in January 2025, but would serve the remainder of his Senate term. An internal election to fill the post of Senate Republican Leader was held on November 13, in which South Dakota senator John Thune was selected. On February 20, 2025, McConnell announced he would not run for an eighth Senate term in 2026 and would retire from politics. This came after increasing concerns about his health and ability to continue serving following multiple public episodes and health scares. McConnell has made no appearances or statements since his hospitalization after being found unconscious on June 14, 2026, and very little information has been given about his whereabouts or condition, leading some to question the severity of his condition.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:54 UTC on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Mitch McConnell on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Aria.

fWotD Episode 3350: Cardinal-nephew Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Tuesday, 7 July 2026, is Cardinal-nephew.A cardinal-nephew (Latin: cardinalis nepos; Italian: cardinale nipote; Spanish: valido de su tío; Portuguese: cardeal-sobrinho; French: prince de fortune) was a cardinal elevated by a pope who was that cardinal's relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The last cardinal-nephew was named in 1689 and the practice was abolished in 1692. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to this practice, when it appeared in the English language about 1669. From the middle of the Avignon Papacy (1309–1377) until Pope Innocent XII's anti-nepotism bull (a papal charter) Romanum decet pontificem (1692), a pope without a cardinal-nephew was the exception to the rule. Every Renaissance pope who created cardinals appointed a relative to the College of Cardinals, and the nephew was the most common choice, although one of Alexander VI's creations was his own son.The institution of the cardinal-nephew evolved over seven centuries, tracking developments in the history of the papacy and the styles of individual popes. From 1566 until 1692, a cardinal-nephew held the curial office of the Superintendent of the Ecclesiastical State, known as the Cardinal Nephew, and thus the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The curial office of the Cardinal Nephew as well as the institution of the cardinal-nephew declined as the power of the Cardinal Secretary of State increased and the temporal power of popes decreased in the 17th and 18th centuries.The list of cardinal-nephews includes at least fifteen, and possibly as many as nineteen popes (Gregory IX, Alexander IV, Adrian V, Gregory XI, Boniface IX, Innocent VII, Eugene IV, Paul II, Alexander VI, Pius III, Julius II, Leo X, Clement VII, Benedict XIII, and Pius VII; perhaps also John XIX and Benedict IX, if they were really promoted cardinals; as well as Innocent III and Benedict XII, if in fact they were related to their elevators); one antipope (John XXIII); and two or three saints (Charles Borromeo, Guarinus of Palestrina, and perhaps Anselm of Lucca, if he was really a cardinal).This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:29 UTC on Tuesday, 7 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Cardinal-nephew on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Olivia.

rWotD Episode 3351: Toungoo Yazawin Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Tuesday, 7 July 2026, is Toungoo Yazawin.Ketumadi Toungoo Yazawin (Burmese: ကေတုမတီ တောင်ငူ ရာဇဝင်, lit. 'Chronicle of Toungoo') is a Burmese chronicle that covers the history of Toungoo from 1279 to 1613. An 1837 palm-leaf manuscript copy of an earlier copy has survived. The chronicle only provides a brief summary of early rulers. A more detailed account of later rulers begins with the reign of Min Sithu of Toungoo (r. 1481–1485), suggesting that the chronicle was first compiled in the late 15th century.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:52 UTC on Tuesday, 7 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Toungoo Yazawin on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Brian.

On this week's Curmudgeon's Corner, Ivan and Sam chat about the triumphant Great American State Fair in DC (cough), SCOTUS, Mitch McConnell, the World Cup, a couple movies, and a ton of other random things. Fun fun fun! Show Details: Recorded 2026-07-03 Length this week 1:51:14 0:01:21 - But First World Cup Road rage Movie: The Fog of War (2003) Movie: National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) 0:45:28 - But Second Great American State Fair Trump Centricity William Henry Harrison Makeup for the 253rd? 1:07:10 - But Third SCOTUS Results Mitch McConnell European AC dialog Trump Phone The Curmudgeon's Corner theme music is generously provided by Ray Lynch. Our intro is The Oh of Pleasure (Amazon MP3 link) Our outro is Celestial Soda Pop (Amazon MP3 link) Both are from the album Deep Breakfast (iTunes link) Please buy his music and support his GoFundMe.

rWotD Episode 3350: Quaker Street Historic District Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Monday, 6 July 2026, is Quaker Street Historic District.Quaker Street Historic District is a national historic district located at Duanesburg in Schenectady County, New York. The district includes 61 contributing buildings on 43 properties in the hamlet of Quaker Street. It is predominantly residential, consisting mainly of one and one half and two story frame buildings. The district also includes the Quaker Meetinghouse (c. 1807), McDonald Shoe Factory (c. 1850), and Darious Gaige Store (c. 1830s). The buildings date from about 1807 to about 1910 and are representative of vernacular Federal and Greek Revival styles.The property was covered in a 1984 study of Duanesburg historical resources.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:25 UTC on Monday, 6 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Quaker Street Historic District on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Tiffany.

fWotD Episode 3349: Destiny's Child Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Monday, 6 July 2026, is Destiny's Child.Destiny's Child was an American girl group formed in Houston, Texas, in 1990. Its final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. Known for their vocal harmonies, stage performances, and themes of female empowerment, Destiny's Child is regarded as one of the most influential girl groups in popular music. Integral to the girl group resurgence of the 1990s, they are credited with helping shape the sound of contemporary R&B and contributing to the emergence of rap-singing.The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme. After years of limited success, the original quartet—Beyoncé, Rowland, LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett—were signed to Columbia Records in 1996 as Destiny's Child, gaining recognition with the single "No, No, No". They then released their best-selling second album, The Writing's on the Wall (1999), which spawned the US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". Despite critical and commercial success, the group was plagued by internal conflict and legal turmoil, as Roberson and Luckett attempted to split from the group's manager, Mathew Knowles, due to his favoritism of his daughter Beyoncé and Rowland, who had lived with the family in her youth.In early 2000, both Roberson and Luckett were replaced by Williams and Farrah Franklin; Franklin quit after a few months, leaving the group as a trio. The group's third album, Survivor (2001), drew on the internal conflicts and lineup changes, yielding the US number-one singles "Independent Women" and "Bootylicious". After releasing the Christmas album 8 Days of Christmas (2001), Destiny's Child announced a hiatus so that each member could pursue a solo career. They reunited to release their fifth and final album, Destiny Fulfilled (2004), which produced the US top-three singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier".Since the group officially disbanded in 2006, Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams have reunited several times, including at the 2013 Super Bowl halftime show, the 2018 Coachella festival, and the final show of the Cowboy Carter Tour (2025). Destiny's Child is one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, with estimated sales of over 60 million records. The group received many accolades, including three Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Billboard named the final lineup of Destiny's Child one of the greatest musical trios of all time.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:11 UTC on Monday, 6 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Destiny's Child on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Joanna.

rWotD Episode 3349: Russia–Transnistria relations Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Sunday, 5 July 2026, is Russia–Transnistria relations.Russia–Transnistria relations are the bilateral relations between the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transnistria), an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as part of Moldova, and the Russian Federation. Russia does not officially recognise the independence of Transnistria; nevertheless, Russia maintains special relations with Transnistria in the political, military, cultural, and economic spheres.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:20 UTC on Sunday, 5 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Russia–Transnistria relations on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Olivia.

fWotD Episode 3348: Lyon-class battleship Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Sunday, 5 July 2026, is Lyon-class battleship.The Lyon class was a set of battleships planned for the French Navy (Marine Nationale) in 1913, with construction scheduled to begin in 1915. The class was to have consisted of four ships, named Lyon, Lille, Duquesne, and Tourville. The first two were named for the French cities of Lyon and Lille, and the latter pair honored the French admirals Abraham Duquesne and Anne Hilarion de Tourville. The Lyon class' design was an improvement on the previous Normandie class, utilizing a fourth quadruple-gun turret to mount a total of sixteen 34 cm (13.4 in) guns. Construction on the Lyons was cancelled due to the August 1914 outbreak of World War I, before any of the ships were laid down.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:13 UTC on Sunday, 5 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Lyon-class battleship on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Raveena.