Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 July 8

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Today's featured article
Dendrocollybia is a genus of fungus in the family Tricholomataceae of the order Agaricales. It consists of the single species Dendrocollybia racemosa, a somewhat rare fungus found in the Northern Hemisphere, including the Pacific Northwest region of western North America, and Europe. It usually grows on the decaying fruit bodies of other agarics—such as Lactarius and Russula—although the host mushrooms may be decayed to the point of being difficult to recognize. Dendrocollybia racemosa fruit bodies have small pale grayish-white or grayish-brown caps and thin stems. The species is characterized by its unusual stem, which is covered with short lateral branches. The branches often produce spherical slimeheads of translucent conidiophores on their swollen tips. The conidiophores produce conidia (asexual spores) by mitosis. Because the fungus can rely on either sexual or asexual modes of reproduction, fruit bodies sometimes have reduced or even missing caps. The unusual stems originate from black pea-sized structures called sclerotia. It is able to reproduce at relatively low temperatures, an adaptation believed to improve its ability to grow quickly and fruit on decomposing mushrooms. (more...) Recently featured: Killer7 – Calgary Stampede – Hygeberht Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that mature specimens of the edible Oregon brown truffle (pictured) have an odor similar to Camembert cheese? ... that Malayisation has occurred in five Southeast Asian countries? ... that baseball pitcher Pete Appleton changed his surname from Jablonowski to embark on a musical career, which he never did? ... that Ginge Manor is currently occupied by William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor and his wife Annabel, who is the mother of Samantha Cameron, the wife of Prime Minister David Cameron? ... that there were calls for Alexander Aan to be executed for posting on Facebook? ... that in spite of the official Soviet ideology of gender equality, feminism continues to be a dirty word for women in Russia? ... that for the 1884 hanging of five Bisbee Massacre murderers in Tombstone, Arizona, invitations were sent out by the sheriff, and tickets were sold for grandstand seating? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
At least 141 people are killed in a flash flood in the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia. The Shard (pictured) in London is inaugurated as the tallest building in Europe, with a height of 310 metres (1,020 ft). In association football, the Copa Libertadores concludes with Corinthians defeating Boca Juniors in the Finals. CERN announces the discovery of a new particle with properties consistent with the Higgs boson after experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. GlaxoSmithKline pleads guilty to criminal charges of health care fraud and is fined a record US$3 billion. In association football, UEFA Euro 2012 concludes with Spain defeating Italy in the final to win a second consecutive European Football Championship. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
July 8: Seventeenth of Tammuz (Judaism, 2012); National Day of Commemoration in Ireland (2012) 1579 – Our Lady of Kazan, a holy icon of the Russian Orthodox Church, was discovered underground in Kazan, present-day Tatarstan, Russia. 1758 – French and Indian War: French forces defeated the British at Fort Carillon on the shore of Lake Champlain in the British Colony of New York. 1808 – Joseph Bonaparte approved the Bayonne Statute, a royal charter intended as the basis for his rule as King of Spain. 1994 – Upon the death of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il (pictured) became the Supreme Leader of North Korea. 2004 – After a 19-month trial, U.S. Marine Corps Major Michael Brown was convicted by a court in Naha, Okinawa, for an attempted indecent assault on a Filipina bartender. 2011 – Space Shuttle Atlantis was launched in STS-135, the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program. More anniversaries: July 7 – July 8 – July 9 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now July 8, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Hera is an Icelandic singer-songwriter who emigrated to New Zealand as a teenager. She is known for her facial art, which is "inspired by moko and also by Celtic warrior paint" and intended to represent both her Icelandic and New Zealand heritage. In 2002 she was named Best Female Singer at the Icelandic Music Awards.

Photo: Kyle Cassidy

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