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On this day
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June 15: Pentecost in Eastern Christianity (2008); Father's Day in several countries (2008)
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Today's featured article
The World Without Us is a non-fiction book about what would happen to the natural and built environment if humans suddenly disappeared, written by American journalist Alan Weisman and published by St. Martin's Thomas Dunne Books. It is a book-length expansion of Weisman's own February 2005 Discover article "Earth Without People". Written largely as a thought experiment, it outlines, for example, how cities and houses would deteriorate, how long man-made artifacts would last, and how remaining lifeforms would evolve. Weisman concludes that residential neighborhoods would become forests within 500 years, and that radioactive waste, bronze statues, plastics, and Mount Rushmore will be among the longest lasting evidence of human presence on Earth. The author of four previous books and numerous articles for magazines, Weisman traveled around the world to interview academics, scientists and other authorities. He used quotes from these interviews to explain the effects of the natural environment and to substantiate predictions. The book has been translated and published in France, Germany, Portugal and Spain. It was successful in the U.S., reaching #6 on the New York Times Best Seller list. It ranked #1 on Time and Entertainment Weekly's top 10 non-fiction books of 2007. The book has received largely positive reviews, specifically for Weisman's journalistic and scientific writing style, but some have questioned the relevance of its subject matter. (more...)
Recently featured: Flag of Canada – Priestley Riots – Durian
Today's featured picture
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A map of troop movements during the Waterloo Campaign, leading up to the Battle of Waterloo where Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated. Napoleon's Army of the North came up against a coalition army composed of forces from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Prussia, Hanover, Nassau, and Brunswick. Beginning 15 June 1815, the combatants fought successively in the Battle of Quatre Bras, the Battle of Ligny, the Battle of Waterloo, and lastly the Battle of Wavre. Map credit: Gsl/I. Pankonin Recently featured: Robber fly – Korean War train attack – Types of mustard |
Did you know
From Wikipedia's newest articles:
- ... that the Java (pictured), first mentioned in print in 1835, is the second oldest breed of chicken in the United States?
- ... that the Persian walled city of Ray was a military objective so frequently that, starting in the late 12th century, its inhabitants gradually moved out to an undefended village nearby called Tehran?
- ... that Joseph Hugh Allen was a member of the so-called reform "Dirty 30" of the Texas House of Representatives who pushed for ethics legislation in light of the Sharpstown banking scandal?
- ... that one of the humanoid robots created by Japanese roboticist Tomotaka Takahashi was listed in Time’s Coolest Inventions in 2004?
- ... that the winners of the Twenty20 Champions League, a tournament between Twenty20 cricket champions from Australia, England, India and South Africa, will collect a prize estimated at £2.5 million?
- ... that Marcus J. Ranum suggested that the U.S. government register whitehouse.com long before it was registered by an adult entertainment site?
In the news
- A magnitude 6.8 Mw earthquake strikes Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures on the Japanese island of Honshū.
- Flooding (rising Des Moines River pictured) continues in the Midwestern United States, leading to the evacuation of thousands of homes.
- NBC journalist Tim Russert dies suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 58.
- Irish voters reject the Treaty of Lisbon in a referendum, thus putting into question the reform program of the European Union.
- The People's Republic of China and Taiwan hold their first formal talks in a decade on improving Cross-Strait relations.
- Pakistan condemns a United States air strike near the Afghan border that killed 11 Pakistani paramilitary troops, along with eight Taliban militants.
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