Welcome to Wikipedia

,

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

127,724 active editors
6,954,562 articles in English

From today's featured article

The Boot Monument is an American Revolutionary War memorial located in Saratoga National Historical Park in the state of New York. Sculpted by George Edwin Bissell and erected during 1887 by John Watts de Peyster, it commemorates Major General Benedict Arnold's service at the Battles of Saratoga while in the Continental Army, but does not mention him on the monument as Arnold later defected from the Americans to the British. Instead, it commemorates Arnold as the "most brilliant soldier of the Continental Army". While fighting at the Battle of Bemis Heights, the second of the Saratoga engagements, Arnold was shot and severely injured in his left leg. His horse was also hit by gunfire and fell on Arnold, crushing his already injured leg. Arnold was then passed over for promotion and court-martialed. Feeling hard done by, he attempted to help the British capture the fortification of West Point but was discovered and fled to the British army. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

Olive Swezy

... that zoologist Olive Swezy (pictured) appeared in the 1944 American Men of Science?
... that the communist-era science-fiction novel Małe zielone ludziki presents a futuristic depiction of Africa that reflects Polish perceptions of the continent during the Cold War?
... that Bill Pulte describes himself as the "inventor of Twitter philanthropy"?
... that the Andu Masjid, which might have been built as a women's mosque, banned the entry of women?
... that copies of 7 Wonders Duel sold twice as fast as the board game of which it is a spinoff?
... that Oliver Cromwell's decision in 1648 to launch the attack that became the Battle of Preston was an enormous gamble and hardly credible?
... that Allbirds invited Amazon to copy its materials after look-alikes appeared on the site?
... that Chinese embroiderers created seven tapestries about the Trojan War in the 1620s?
... that Jin the otter went loose for almost a month after escaping Auckland Zoo?

In the news

Albin Kurti

The ruling party Vetëvendosje, led by Albin Kurti (pictured), wins the most seats in the Assembly of Kosovo.
The Patriotic Union, led by Brigitte Haas, wins the most seats in the Landtag of Liechtenstein.
In American football, the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.
Former president of Namibia Sam Nujoma dies at the age of 95.
A series of boycotts against retail stores expands to several countries in Southeast Europe.

On this day

February 15: National Flag of Canada Day; Statehood Day in Serbia; Susan B. Anthony Day in some parts of the United States

Don Dunstan

438 – The Codex Theodosianus, a compilation of the laws of the Roman Empire, was published.
1763 – Prussia, Saxony and the Habsburg monarchy signed the Treaty of Hubertusburg, ending the Third Silesian War.
1940 – The official premiere of Paul Creston's Saxophone Sonata took place at the Carnegie Chamber Hall, with saxophonist Cecil Leeson, who commissioned the work, and Creston on piano.
1979 – Don Dunstan (pictured) resigned as Premier of South Australia, ending a decade of sweeping social liberalisation.
2018 – Following nationwide protests, Hailemariam Desalegn announced his resignation as prime minister of Ethiopia, remaining in post as a caretaker until he was succeeded by Abiy Ahmed.

Gisela of Swabia (d. 1043)
Matt Groening (b. 1954)
Mo Tae-bum (b. 1989)
Dawa Dem (d. 2018)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

Ernest Shackleton (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922) was an explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. He and three companions established a new record Farthest South latitude, 112 miles (180 km) from the South Pole, as part of the Nimrod Expedition of 1907–1909; Shackleton was knighted on his return home. He planned the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917 but his ship, Endurance, became trapped in pack ice and then sank on 21 November 1915. The crew escaped and used the lifeboats to reach Elephant Island and ultimately the island of South Georgia in a stormy ocean voyage of more than 700 nautical miles (800 mi; 1,300 km), Shackleton's most famous exploit. He returned to the Antarctic in 1921 with the Shackleton–Rowett Expedition but died of a heart attack on South Georgia, where he was buried at his wife's request. This photograph of Shackleton was taken by George Charles Beresford before 1909.

Photograph credit: George Charles Beresford; restored by Adam Cuerden

Recently featured:

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – The central hub for editors, with resources, links, tasks, and announcements.
Village pump – Forum for discussions about Wikipedia itself, including policies and technical issues.
Site news – Sources of news about Wikipedia and the broader Wikimedia movement.
Teahouse – Ask basic questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
Help desk – Ask questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
Reference desk – Ask research questions about encyclopedic topics.
Content portals – A unique way to navigate the encyclopedia.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is written by volunteer editors and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other volunteer projects: