Wikipedia:Main Page history/2021 May 31

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From today's featured article

Hottentotta tamulus

Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always ending with a stinger. There are over 2,500 described species. They mainly live in deserts but have adapted to a wide range of environments. Most species give birth to live young, and the female cares for the juveniles while their exoskeletons harden, transporting them on her back. Scorpions primarily prey on insects and other invertebrates, but some species take vertebrates. They use their pincers to restrain and kill prey. Scorpions themselves are preyed on by larger animals. Their venomous sting can be used both for killing prey and for defense. Only about 25 species have venom capable of killing a human. In regions with highly venomous species, human fatalities regularly occur. Scorpions with their powerful stingers appear in art, folklore, mythology, and commercial brands. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

... that the international numbered-node cycle network (example sign pictured) gives more freedom to cycle arbitrary routes across Europe?
... that American legislator Uriah F. Abshier rescued his son from an 1894 Christmas Eve fire in Silver Lake, Oregon, that killed 43 people, including his wife?
... that Gertrude Michelson sat on the board of trustees of Columbia University before it began admitting female students?
... that the original video about the slang term "cheugy" didn't go "TikTok viral", but two months later, a New York Times article about the video did?
... that Stephen Chow initially declined to become Bishop of Hong Kong, but relented after receiving a handwritten letter from Pope Francis?
... that there are more than thirty Eagles around the world?
... that Jim Johnson scored the first goal in Philadelphia Flyers history during an exhibition game?
... that males of the fossil ant Klondikia have "massive" genitalia?

In the news

N'Golo Kanté

In association football, the UEFA Champions League concludes with Chelsea (man of the match N'Golo Kanté pictured) defeating Manchester City in the final.
A mass grave containing the remains of 215 children is found at a former Kamloops school, part of the Canadian Indian residential school system.
Bashar al-Assad is re-elected as president of Syria.
The district court of The Hague orders Royal Dutch Shell to cut its global carbon emissions by 45 per cent by the end of 2030.

On this day

May 31: World No Tobacco Day; Feast of the Visitation (Catholicism and Anglicanism); Memorial Day in the United States (2021)

Revolutionary Tribunal

1795 – French Revolution: The Revolutionary Tribunal (depicted), a court instituted by the National Convention for the trial of political offenders, was suppressed.
1921 – The Tulsa race massacre, "the single worst incident of racial violence in American history", began in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
1961 – The Union of South Africa was dissolved by the Constitution Act and replaced by the Republic of South Africa.
1981 – An organized mob of police and government-sponsored Sinhalese paramilitary forces began three days of attacks that led to the burning of the Jaffna Library in Sri Lanka.

Rosa May Billinghurst (b. 1875)
Jørgen Jensen (d. 1922)
Derek Hodge (d. 2011)

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From today's featured list

Giacomo Agostini

The Grand Prix Road-Racing World Championship was established in 1949 by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), and is the oldest motorsport World Championship. Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing, which has been divided into three classes since the 1990 season: 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP, with the addition of MotoE, an electric motorcycle class, in 2019. Classes that have been discontinued include 350cc and 50cc/80cc. Giacomo Agostini (pictured), with fifteen victories, has won the most world championships. Ángel Nieto is second with thirteen world championships and Valentino Rossi, Mike Hailwood and Carlo Ubbiali are third with nine world championships. Agostini holds the record for the most victories in the 500cc/MotoGP and 350cc classes with eight and seven world championships respectively. Phil Read and Max Biaggi have won the most 250cc/Moto2 championships, with four victories each. Nieto won the most championships in the 125cc and 50cc/80cc classes with seven and six victories respectively. (Full list...)

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Today's featured picture

Shōrin-zu byōbu is a pair of six-panel folding screens (byōbu) by the Japanese artist Hasegawa Tōhaku, the founder of the Hasegawa school. The ink-on-paper work dates from the late 16th century and depicts a view of Japanese pine trees in the mist, with parts of the trees visible and other parts obscured. The screens are held by the Tokyo National Museum, and were designated as a National Treasure of Japan in 1952.

Painting credit: Hasegawa Tōhaku

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