Wikipedia:Main Page history/2016 October 31

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From today's featured article

Drowned God is a science fiction adventure game developed by Epic Multimedia Group, published by Inscape and released on October 31, 1996. The game advances the conspiracy theory that all of accepted human history is false and the human race's development and evolution have been aided by extra-terrestrials. The player attempts to uncover the truth within the game by traveling to different worlds, interacting with historical and fictional characters, and solving puzzles. The game is based on a forged manuscript written by Harry Horse in 1983. After facing legal trouble and fines when he attempted to sell the text, Horse shelved it for more than a decade before deciding a first person adventure game would be the best way to tell its story. Producer Algy Williams hired a team of multimedia artists and programmers to help Horse develop the game. Upon its release, it sold well, but faded in popularity due to software bugs. Its concept and visuals were widely praised, but its gameplay, audio, and puzzles received a mixed reception. A planned sequel never came to fruition. (Full article...)

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Did you know...

Pterosaur portrayed as spawn of Satan

... that early in the history of pterosaur research, these flying Mesozoic reptiles were variously mistaken for aquatic animals, bats, birds, and even the spawn of Satan (pictured)?
... that Vlad Dracula forced Dan III of Wallachia to dig his own grave?
... that the ant Pachycondyla aberrans was described from a headless adult of unknown gender?
... that the ghost of Henry Trigg is said to roam his house searching for his remains, which were stolen from his coffin?
... that the French punished a queen by sending her to Hellville?
... that before he became mayor of Charleston, West Virginia, Danny Jones worked as a gravedigger?
... that the racket-tailed roller makes a racket as it rockets?
... that the "Gates of Hell" could be found in Washington, D.C.?

In the news

Brandon Laird

In baseball, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters defeat the Hiroshima Toyo Carp to win the Japan Series (MVP Brandon Laird pictured).
Yazidi human rights activists Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar win the Sakharov Prize.
More than 60 people are killed in an attack on a police training centre in Quetta, Pakistan.
At least 70 people are killed and around 600 others injured in a train derailment in Cameroon.

On this day...

October 31: Halloween; Samhain begins (Northern Hemisphere); Beltane begins (Southern Hemisphere); Reformation Day (Protestantism)

Benito Mussolini

1517 – According to traditional accounts, Martin Luther first posted his Ninety-five Theses onto the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, present-day Germany, marking the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
1822 – Emperor Agustín de Iturbide of the First Mexican Empire dissolved the Mexican Congress and replaced it with a military junta answerable only to him.
1922 – Benito Mussolini (pictured) became Prime Minister of Italy; three years later he set up a legal dictatorship.
1941 – More than 101 crew members of the USS Reuben James perished when their vessel became the first United States Navy ship sunk by hostile action during World War II after it was torpedoed by the German submarine U-552.

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From today's featured list

The Adelaide Oval

As of September 2016, 206 international cricket centuries have been scored at the Adelaide Oval. The Adelaide Oval is a cricket ground in Adelaide, Australia. It is the home ground of the South Australia cricket team and both the men's and women's Adelaide Strikers as well as Australian rules football and soccer teams. The first century at the Adelaide Oval was scored by Australian Percy McDonnell. He made 124 runs during the first Test of the 1884–85 English tour of Australia in the first ever Test match at the Adelaide Oval. The first overseas player to score a century at the ground was Englishman Billy Barnes, who made 134 in the same match in which McDonnell made his century. Australian Don Bradman's 299 not out, against South Africa in early 1932, is the highest individual score by a batsman at the ground. Australia's Michael Clarke has scored the most centuries at the venue with seven. As of September 2016, 176 Test centuries have been scored at the stadium. England's David Gower was the first player to score an One Day International (ODI) century at the ground. He made 109 against New Zealand during the 1982–83 Australian Tri-Series. Graeme Wood became the first Australian to score a ODI century at the Adelaide Oval when he scored 104 not out against the West Indies in January 1985. (Full list...)

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Today's featured picture

The Royal Kurgan is a 4th century BC kurgan (burial barrow) located near present-day Kerch, Crimea. The mound is almost 20 metres high and its base perimeter is about 250 metres. It holds a burial chamber with a square floor plan which gradually merges into the circular shape of a corbelled dome ("false vault"). It is assumed that the Royal Kurgan was the final resting place of a ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom.

Photograph: Anatoly Shcherbak

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