Wikipedia:Main Page history/2023 October 7b
From today's featured article
Boukephala and Nikaia were two cities founded by Alexander the Great on either side of the Hydaspes river during his invasion of the Indian subcontinent. The cities, two of many founded by Alexander, were built shortly after his victory over the Indian king Porus at the Battle of the Hydaspes in early 326 BC. It is not certain which settlement had which name. Built on the site of the battlefield, the city on the eastern bank was most likely called Nikaia, while its western companion was probably named after Alexander's horse Bucephalus, who died during or after the battle. Their construction was supervised by Craterus, one of Alexander's leading generals. Boukephala seems to have had a more distinguished legacy than Nikaia: it was mentioned by Roman authors and appears on later manuscripts. The cities' precise locations are unknown, but it is considered likely that Boukephala was located in the vicinity of modern Jalalpur, Pakistan, and that Nikaia was across the river near present-day Mong. (Full article...)
Did you know ...
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- ... that the swordtail molly (examples pictured) and the Petén molly have been named and renamed so often, one even ending up with the other's name at one point, that the swordtail molly's current scientific name means 'confusion'?
- ... that physics, chemistry, and biology were all part of philosophy before they became separate disciplines?
- ... that artist Percy Delf Smith's work included lettering using Roman capitals and depictions of the First World War inspired by his experiences in the trenches?
- ... that the perpetrator of the 2006 San Miguel shooting greeted some former co-workers and shot at others?
- ... that a dispute over paid sick leave at a chocolate factory ended up before the High Court of Australia in Mondelez v AMWU?
- ... that the Park Avenue Armory was leased out as an art center because the New York state government could not pay for repairs?
- ... that during her 2023 season, Aryna Sabalenka became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the semifinals at all four majors in a season?
- ... that Death Valley Girls have been described as "doom-boogie psych-pop"?
In the news
- Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups launch a series of attacks against Israel. (aftermath pictured).
- The Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded to Norwegian author and playwright Jon Fosse.
- Twenty-one people are killed when a bus falls from a bridge in Venice, Italy.
- In the United States, Kevin McCarthy is removed as Speaker of the House.
On this day
- 1571 – Ottoman–Habsburg wars: The Battle of Lepanto was fought near the Gulf of Corinth, a significant setback for the Ottoman Empire and the last major naval battle fought entirely with galleys.
- 1878 – The state funeral of Mindon Min (pictured), who ruled Myanmar for 25 years, took place; his death was reportedly preceded by strange omens, and his senior princes were unable to attend as they had all been arrested.
- 1916 – Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland University 222–0 in the most lopsided college football game in American history.
- 1991 – Croatian War of Independence: The Yugoslav People's Army conducted an air strike on Banski Dvori, the official residence of the president of Croatia in Zagreb.
- 2008 – 2008 TC3 exploded above the Nubian Desert in Sudan, in the first time that an asteroid impact had been predicted prior to atmospheric entry.
- Pierre Le Muet (b. 1591)
- Charles XIII (b. 1748)
- Mariano Gagnon (b. 1929)
- Beatrice Hutton (d. 1990)
Today's featured picture
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Agrius cingulata, commonly known as the pink-spotted hawkmoth or sweetpotato hornworm, is a moth in the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It has a wide range throughout the Americas, with adults migrating north to Canada and south to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. It can also be found in the Galápagos Islands and Hawaii, and has been found in western Europe and West Africa. A nocturnal insect, A. cingulata feeds on the nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower, morning glories and petunia. Its larva is a large, stout caterpillar with a horn, which feeds during the day and the night on sweet potato, Datura, and other plants. This male A. cingulata moth was photographed in the Mount Totumas cloud forest in Panama. Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp
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