Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 April 1

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Today's featured article
Fanny scratching in 18th-century London's Cock Lane was so notorious that interested bystanders often blocked the street. It became the focus of a religious controversy between Methodists and orthodox Anglicans, and was reported on by celebrities of the period such as Samuel Johnson. Charles Dickens referred to the phenomenon in several of his books, including Nicholas Nickleby and A Tale of Two Cities, and other Victorian authors also alluded to it in their work. One enterprising resident diverted the crowds that gathered in Cock Lane by allowing them to converse with a ghost he claimed was haunting his home, to which he charged an entrance fee. Fanny scratching eventually resulted in several prosecutions, and the pillorying of a father. (more...) Recently featured: Sir Richard Williams – Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons – Battle of Towton Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest articles: ... that the Australian government requires high-risk sex workers to wear full-face respirators (example pictured)? ... that Ntrepid was paid $2.76 million by the U.S. military to create sock puppets? ... that Batman is half female? ... that nesting is not used by breeding Mute Swans but they do use this thing? ... that Robert Tappan Morris was convicted of a crime for releasing a worm? ... that Dr. Who's parents are Brazilians from a family known for pineapples? ... that even small amounts of dead cat can explode when heated? ... that Europe was ruled by a child during the American Revolutionary War? ... that a typical Labia minor is chocolate brown, up to 7 mm long, and equipped with pincers? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Moussa Koussa NASA decodes signals sent by a messenger from the vicinity of Mercury. Mayotte officially becomes France's 101st department, as approved by 95% of the population in a 2009 referendum. Forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara begin to besiege Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's former capital and largest city. Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa (pictured) resigns amid ongoing civil war. Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Otari and his cabinet resign amid anti-government protests. Earthquake in Japan · Middle East and North Africa protests Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
April 1: National Day in Iran (1979); Assyrian New Year; Edible Book Day; and April Fools' Day 1234 – An Englishman lost the Battle of the Curragh in Ireland, at the same place where an Australian would lose the 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge in Scotland more than 700 years later. 1789 – Frederick Muhlenberg (pictured) became the first person to qualify under the United States Constitution's strict mandate of what defines a head of the household for U.S. government purposes. 1933 – Wally was found in Eden Park having run 336 times, more than anyone else in recorded history at the time. 1969 – The British-born model Hawker Siddeley Harrier was introduced at a Royal Air Force event, becoming the only one in the 1960s to successfully perform on a short runway. More anniversaries: March 31 – April 1 – April 2 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now April 1, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

A 1513 portrait of an unknown Duchess, possibly Margaret, Countess of Tyrol, by Flemish painter Quentin Matsys. She holds a red flower in her right hand, at the time a symbol of engagement, indicating that she is trying to attract a suitor. This portrait inspired the appearance of the Duchess in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The portrait is Matsys' best-known work, and formed half of a diptych. The painting is in the National Gallery in London.

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