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[[File:|180px|Ceilings of the Central Hall at the Natural History Museum, London ]]
The decorated ceilings of the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London, were designed by the museum's architect Alfred Waterhouse, and were unveiled at the building's opening in 1881. The ceiling of the large Central Hall (pictured) consists of 162 panels, 108 of which depict plants considered significant to the history of the museum, to the British Empire or to the museum's visitors. The remaining 54 are highly stylised decorative botanical paintings. The ceiling of the smaller North Hall consists of 36 panels, 18 of which depict plants growing in the British Isles. Both ceilings make extensive use of gilding for visual effect. Built of lath and plaster to save costs, the ceilings are unusually fragile and require extensive maintenance and restoration. Since 2016 the skeleton of a blue whale has been suspended from the ceiling of the Central Hall. (Full article...)
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Nine people have served as President of Burundi since the country became a republic in 1966. The president of Burundi is the head of state and head of government, as well as the commander-in-chief of the National Defence Force. The office of the presidency was established when Michel Micombero declared Burundi a republic in a coup d'état on 28 November 1966. The first constitution to specify the powers and duties of the president was the constitution of 1974, which was adopted in 1976. The president's stated role is to represent Burundi's national unity and ensure that the laws and functions of the state are created and executed in full compliance with the constitution. Sylvie Kinigi, the first and only woman in the office, served as interim president from 1993 to 1994. Évariste Ndayishimiye (pictured) has served as president since 18 June 2020. (Full list...)
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Pomacanthus maculosus, commonly known as the yellowbar angelfish, is a species in the marine angelfish family, Pomacanthidae, found in the western Indian Ocean and, more recently, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It has a deep and compressed body with a small mouth that is equipped with small bristle-like teeth. The background colour of adults is brownish blue with each scale having a blue margin creating the impression that it is predominantly blue. There is an uneven, yellow bar close to the centre of the flanks with dark blue, vertically elongated spots towards the head. The species is occasionally collected for the aquarium trade and has also been recorded on sale as food in fish markets. This P. maculosus fish was photographed in Ras Muhammad National Park in the Red Sea off the coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Photograph credit: Diego Delso
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