Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 January 12

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

Today's featured article
Compsognathus was a small, bipedal, carnivorous theropod dinosaur. The animal was the size of a turkey and lived around 150 million years ago, the early Tithonian stage of the late Jurassic Period, in what is now Europe. Paleontologists have found two well-preserved fossils, one in Germany in the 1850s and the second in France more than a century later. Many presentations still describe Compsognathus as a "chicken-sized" dinosaur because of the small size of the German specimen, which is now believed to be a juvenile form of the larger French specimen. Compsognathus is one of the few dinosaurs for which the diet is known with certainty: the remains of small, agile lizards are preserved in the bellies of both specimens. Although not recognized as such at the time of its discovery, Compsognathus is the first theropod dinosaur known from a reasonably complete fossil skeleton. Until the 1980s and 1990s, it was the smallest known non-avialan dinosaur and the closest supposed relative of the early bird Archaeopteryx. Thus, the genus is one of the few dinosaur genera to be well known outside of paleontological circles. (more...) Recently featured: Mathew Charles Lamb – Brad Pitt – The Green Child Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that French architect Léon Azéma, a prisoner of the Germans during World War I, designed the Douaumont ossuary (pictured) to hold the bones of 130,000 unidentified soldiers of both sides? ... that Scottish footballer Dan Friel played more than 300 matches for Burnley, many of them as captain? ... that writer Christian Keymann and composer Andreas Hammerschmidt collaborated on a hymn, the base for Bach's cantata Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht, BWV 124 ("I will not let go of my Jesus")? ... that in Mexico, tea prepared using tarbush, a shrub native to the Chihuahuan Desert, is consumed to treat indigestion and diarrhea? ... that footballer Adam Cunnington's strike partnership with Kevin Charley produced more than 50 goals for Barwell in 2009–10, helping the club win the Midland Football Alliance? ... that "Monday" was ranked among UGO Networks' 100 Greatest Moments in Time Travel? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Scientists describe new species of frog, Paedophryne amauensis, the smallest known vertebrate. Malam Bacai Sanhá (pictured), President of Guinea-Bissau, dies in office at the age of 64. Anwar Ibrahim, leader of the Malaysian opposition and former Deputy Prime Minister, is acquitted of a sodomy charge. A hot air balloon crash near Carterton, New Zealand, kills 11 people. A suicide bombing in Damascus kills 26 people and wounds more than 60, according to Syrian officials. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
January 12: Memorial Day in Turkmenistan (1881); Zanzibar Revolution Day in Tanzania (1964) 1777 – Mission Santa Clara de Asís, a Spanish mission that formed the basis of both the city of Santa Clara, California, and the University of Santa Clara, was established. 1921 - Seeking to restore confidence after the Black Sox Scandal, owners of Major League Baseball teams elected former United States district court judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis (pictured) as the league's first commissioner. 1945 – World War II: The Soviet Union's Red Army crossed the Vistula River in Poland on their way to invade Germany. 1964 – Rebels led by John Okello overthrew Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah, ending 200 years of Arab dominance in Zanzibar. 1969 – British rock band Led Zeppelin released their eponymous first album. More anniversaries: January 11 – January 12 – January 13 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now January 12, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

A United Nations vehicle patrols the streets of the Bel-Air neighborhood of Port-au-Prince in the aftermath of the catastrophic 2010 Haiti earthquake. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. An estimated three million people were affected by the earthquake, with an estimated 280,000 buildings severely damaged or destroyed.

Photo: Marcello Casal Jr, Agência Brasil

Recently featured: US Navy recruitment poster – Pine Grosbeak – Nazi propaganda poster

Archive – More featured pictures...

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.