Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 May 2

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Today's featured article
Golding Bird (1814–1854) was a British medical doctor and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. He lectured at Guy's Hospital, and published a popular textbook on science for medical students. He developed an interest in chemistry as a child, and through self-study was advanced enough to deliver lectures to his fellow pupils at school. He later applied this knowledge to medicine and became a great authority on urinary deposits. He was the first to describe oxaluria, a condition which leads to a particular kind of kidney stone. Bird was innovative in the medical use of electricity, designing much of his own equipment. He was instrumental in rescuing medical electrotherapy from quackery and bringing it into the mainstream. He was quick to adopt new instruments of all kinds; he invented the single-cell Daniell cell and made important discoveries in electrometallurgy with it. In 1840 he designed a flexible tube stethoscope, and published the first description of such an instrument. (more...) Recently featured: Disintegration – Planets beyond Neptune – Rainilaiarivony Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Fedor Kelling (pictured) twice pulled out of elections for the New Zealand Parliament in the Suburbs of Nelson electorate? ... that historian Yang Kuan believed that the history of China's Xia Dynasty was pure mythology? ... that Benji documents the life and 1984 death of Ben Wilson, who was at the time considered the best U.S. high school basketball player? ... that Indonesian newscaster Putra Nababan uses four names for different situations? ... that each of the Big Five personality traits can be further broken down into six facets? ... that The Poznań was copied by Manchester City football fans after their team played Polish team Lech Poznań? ... that Gouffier of Lastours tried to bring home a lion after the First Crusade? ... that Madonna's song "Gang Bang" was inspired by the films of director Quentin Tarantino? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Guggenheim Partners, LLC purchases the Los Angeles Dodgers (cap insignia pictured) for US$2.1 billion, a record for a professional sports franchise. A ferry capsizes in Assam, India, killing at least 103 people on board. Saudi Arabia closes its embassy and consulates in Egypt following protests over the Saudi detention of Egyptian lawyer Ahmed al-Gizawi. Malaysian police arrest more than 500 protesters in Kuala Lumpur rallying for election reform. Former Liberian President Charles Taylor is found guilty of aiding and abetting war crimes during the Sierra Leone Civil War. Connecticut becomes the fifth U.S. state in five years to abolish the death penalty. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
May 2: Teachers' Day in Iran; Flag Day in Poland 1194 – King Richard I of England gave the city of Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. 1559 – Scottish clergyman John Knox (pictured) returned to Scotland from exile to lead the Scottish Reformation. 1757 – Konbaung forces captured the city of Bago, Burma, to end the Konbaung–Hanthawaddy War. 1982 – Falklands War: HMS Conqueror launched three torpedoes and sank ARA General Belgrano, the only ship ever to have been sunk by a nuclear submarine. 1986 – Henri Toivonen was killed in an accident while leading the Tour de Corse rally, resulting in FISA, the sport governing body for motor racing events, banning the powerful and popular Group B rally cars for the following season. 2011 – Osama bin Laden was shot and killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in a private residential compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. More anniversaries: May 1 – May 2 – May 3 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now May 2, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Seeds of the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), an economically important tree because its sap-like extract (known as latex) is the primary source of natural rubber. The seeds themselves can be pressed to make rubber seed oil or used to feed livestock.

Photo: Luis Fernández García

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