May 1

Epistemology is the branch ofphilosophy that examines the nature, origin, and limits ofknowledge. It investigates various types of knowledge, including theoretical and practical knowledge, and related concepts, such asbelief,truth, andjustification. Epistemologists distinguish different sources of knowledge, ranging fromperception andintrospection tomemory,reason, andtestimony. The schools ofskepticism andfallibilism question the existence and certainty of knowledge, whileempiricism andrationalism debate whether all knowledge stems from sense experience. Theories discussing the nature and role of justification includefoundationalism,coherentism,internalism, and externalism. Separate branches of epistemology focus on knowledge in specific fields, such as scientific, mathematical, moral, and religious knowledge. Other branches are characterized by the aspects of knowledge they investigate or the research methodologies they use. Early reflections on the nature, sources, and scope of knowledge are found inancient Greek,Indian, andChinese philosophy. (Full article...)

May 2

Margaret Sibella Brown (1866–1961) was a Canadian amateurbryologist specializing in species native toNova Scotia. Early in her career she was involved with gatheringsphagnum moss to be used assurgical dressings during World War I, when cotton was in short supply. After the war, she researchedmosses from around the world, publishing papers on materials she had collected herself as well as cataloging samples collected by others; her collections are now housed at majorherbaria in North America and Europe. Born into upper-class society, Brown was educated in Nova Scotia and abroad. Although lacking formal scientific training, she has been recognized for her contributions to bryology and as an authority on the mosses andliverworts of Nova Scotia. At the age of 84, Brown was awarded an honorary MA degree fromAcadia University after declining their offer of a PhD. She died at her home inHalifax aged 95 and in 2010 was posthumously inducted into the Nova Scotia Scientific Hall of Fame. (Full article...)

May 3

De Kuip, venue of the 2015 KNVB Cup final

The2015 KNVB Cup final was anassociation football match betweenPEC Zwolle andFC Groningen for the 97thKNVB Cup final, the Dutch Cup competition, played on 3 May 2015 atDe Kuip inRotterdam. PEC, the defending champions aftertheir5–1 victory overAjax the previous year, were appearing in their fourth final. Groningen had reached the final once before, losing toPSV Eindhoven in 1989. PEC and Groningen entered the competition in the second round and progressed through five rounds to reach the final. Groningen scored 22 goals en route, the most of any team during the qualifying rounds. In front of more than 46,000 spectators, the first half ended goalless. The SlovakAlbert Rusnák scored twice halfway through the second half, leading Groningen to a2–0 victory and their first major honour. By winning the KNVB Cup, Groningen qualified for the2015 Johan Cruyff Shield and the2015–16 UEFA Europa League group stage. (Full article...)

May 4

Hualca Hualca is a 6,025-metre-high (19,767 ft)extinct volcano in theAndes of southern Peru. It is part of the Peruvian segment of theCentral Volcanic Zone, one of severalvolcanic belts in the Andes. It lies about 70 kilometres (43 mi) northwest ofArequipa and is part of a north–south chain that includes the volcanoesAmpato andSabancaya, the last of which has been historically active. Hualca Hualca features a wideamphitheatre-like structure on the northern flank, which was created by a gigantic landslide during thePleistocene. After the collapse, renewed volcanic activity built a new summit and severallava dome complexes within the collapse scar. After the cessation of volcanic activity,glaciers eroded the volcano and formed multiplemoraines. The present-day volcano is covered byglaciers, and during theLast Glacial Maximum, glaciers advanced to low altitudes. There arehot springs andgeysers north of the mountain, and themagma chambers of Sabancaya are located below Hualca Hualca. (Full article...)

May 5

Yoko Shimomura

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a 2004action role-playing game that was developed bySquare Enix andJupiter, and published bySquare Enix in collaboration withDisney Interactive for theGame Boy Advance.Yoko Shimomura(pictured) composed the game's music. A direct sequel toKingdom Hearts, it uses a newcard-based battle system rather than its predecessor's real-time combat. The story followsSora and his friends as they explore the Castle Oblivion while battling Organization XIII. It received positive reviews for its story,graphics andfull-motion videos, but its battle system was criticized. It was remade for thePlayStation 2 asKingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories and packaged withKingdom Hearts II Final Mix. It was then remastered inhigh definition and included in theKingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix collection, which was released in 2013 for thePlayStation 3, and later for thePlayStation 4, theXbox One, andpersonal computers. (Full article...)

May 6

William Daniel Leahy (6 May 1875 – 20 July 1959) was the most senior United States military officer on active duty duringWorld War II, and the first to hold afive-star rank in theU.S. Armed Forces. An 1897 graduate ofAnnapolis, Leahy saw active service in theSpanish–American War, thePhilippine–American War, theBoxer Rebellion in China, theBanana Wars in Central America, andWorld War I, and wasChief of Naval Operations from 1937 to 1939. After retiring from the Navy, he was appointed thegovernor of Puerto Rico. In his most controversial role, he served as theambassador to France from 1940 to 1942. He was recalled to active duty as Chief of Staff to the President in 1942, and served in that capacity for the rest of the war. As thede facto firstchairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he presided over the American delegation to theCombined Chiefs of Staff. He was a major decision-maker during the war and was second only to the president in authority and influence. (Full article...)

May 7

Pottery from Guandimiao

Guandimiao is a Chinese archaeological site inXingyang, Henan. It is the site of a smallLate Shang village, inhabited by around 100 people at its peak, and occupied fromc. 1250 to 1100 BCE. It likely exported ceramics(example pictured) and cattle, while importing mass-produced goods such as arrowheads andhairpins from theShang capital atYinxu, 200 km (120 mi) to the north. The villagers practiced rituals such aspyromancy using locally producedoracle bones and thesacrifice of cattle—as well as, more rarely, pigs and humans. Burials at the site have been noted for the almost complete absence ofgrave goods beyond occasionalcowrie shells and sacrificed dogs. It was firstexcavated from 2006 to 2008 during preparations for theSouth–North Water Transfer Project; work at the site has significantly broadened scholars' understanding of rural Shang economies and rituals, as well as the layout of rural villages, which have received relatively little attention in comparison to urban centers. (Full article...)

May 8

TheUnited States Navy ferries troops across theRhine atOberwesel.

American logistics in the Western Allied invasion of Germany supported operations in Northwest Europe duringWorld War II from January 1945 until theend of the war in Europe on 8 May. TheAllies had to advance across the Rhineland, which was in the grip of thaws, rains and floods. They were then confronted by theRhine, the most formidable barrier to the Allied advance since theEnglish Channel. The river was crossed and bridged, and railways and pipelines were run across it. Most supplies were delivered by rail. In the final advance into the heart of Germany, combat losses and ammunition expenditure declined, while shortages of fuel and spare parts developed, as was to be expected in fast-moving mobile operations.Railheads were pushed forward, with the rehabilitation of the network keeping pace with the advance, while the Motor Transport Service organized an express service that moved supplies from the railheads to the forward units. (Full article...)

May 9

Metrosideros bartlettii, commonly known as Bartlett's rātā, is a rare species of tree in the familyMyrtaceae. It is only found in three patches of dense forest remnants nearPiwhane / Spirits Bay in New Zealand'sNorth Island. It reaches a height of up to 30 metres (100 feet) with atrunk diameter of 1 to 1.5 metres (3.3 to 4.9 feet). The species is known for its distinct whitish, paper-likebark and small white flowers. Bartlett's rātā was accidentally discovered in 1975 byJohn Bartlett nearCape Reinga and firstdescribed byJohn Dawson in 1985. Bartlett's rātā typically begins lifegrowing on another plant, inhabits lowland forests, and grows near wet areas. A 2018 article documented 13 adult trees in the wild, down from 31 in 2000. Its decline has been attributed to land use changes and the introduction ofcommon brushtail possums. In 2013, it was listed as acritically endangered species on theIUCN Red List, with a decreasing population trend. (Full article...)

May 10

2017 Model S

TheTesla Model S is abattery-electric, four-doorfull-size car, produced byTesla since 2012. Considered by critics as one of the most influential electric cars, Tesla began developing the Model S around 2007. To produce the Model S, Tesla acquireda facility inFremont, California;mass production of the car began there in June 2012. Tesla carried out final assembly for European markets atits facilities inTilburg, the Netherlands, between 2013 and 2021. Changes to the car have included the introduction ofTesla Autopilot—a partial vehicle automationadvanced driver-assistance system, released in 2015. That year, the Model S wasthe world's best-selling plug-in electric vehicle. The car has received accolades, including theMotor Trend Car of the Year award in 2013.Time named it one of the Best 25 Inventions of the Year 2012 and later included it on its list of the 10 Best Gadgets of the 2010s in 2019. Tesla operatesa network of fast-charging stations to charge all Tesla vehicles including the Model S. (Full article...)

May 11

Meghan Trainor

"Mother" is a song by American singer-songwriterMeghan Trainor(pictured) from the deluxe edition of her fifth major-label studio album,Takin' It Back (2022). She wrote the song withSean Douglas, and its producers,Gian Stone, and her brother Justin.Epic Records released it as the lead single on March 27, 2023. Apop song withdoo-wop influences, "Mother"interpolates "Mr. Sandman". Inspired by men who said Trainor's pregnancy would end her career, the song is aboutwomen's empowerment; she asks the male subject to stopmansplaining and to listen to her. Critics were complimentary about the composition but criticized the use of the term "mother". The song reached the top 30 in Belgium, Ireland, Suriname, and the United Kingdom.Charm La'Donna directed the music video, which starsKris Jenner; critics praised the fashion choices and described it as glamorous. Trainor performed the song onToday,Capital's Summertime Ball, andthe Timeless Tour (2024).(This article is part of afeatured topic:Takin' It Back.)

May 12

A Fijian noblewoman tattooed withveiqia andqia gusu (mouth)

Veiqia is a femaletattooing practice inFiji. The term refers to both the practice and to the tattoos. Women or adolescent girls who have reached puberty may be tattooed in the groin and buttocks area by older female tattooing specialists calleddauveiqia ordaubati. The practice was common prior to the arrival in the 1830s of Christian missionaries who discouraged it, but it was revived in the twenty-first century. In Fijian culture, the tattoos were considered to heighten a woman's beauty and could be an important factor that enabled her to marry. Receivingveiqia was highly ritualised, with many regional variations. Preparation for the process could include abstinence from food or from sexual relations, or inducing vomiting to purge the body. The process of tattooing was closely associated with the gift of a young woman's first fringed skirt to wear once herveiqia was complete. Motifs for tattoos included turtles,wandering tattlers, pottery and basketwork. (Full article...)

May 13

Model of aNasutoceratops skull

Nasutoceratops is agenus ofceratopsid dinosaur that lived in North America about 76.0 to 75.5 million years ago. The first known specimens were discovered inUtah in 2006. A subadult skull with a partialpostcranial skeleton and rare skin impressions was made theholotype of the new genus and speciesNasutoceratops titusi. It later featured in theJurassic World films. The holotype skull ofNasutoceratops is approximately 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long, and its body length has been estimated at 4.5 m (14.8 ft) and its weight at 1.5 tonnes. Its brow horns are notable for pointing forward and being approximately 40 percent of total skull length. The functions of ceratopsian frills and horns have been debated: suggestions include signalling, combat, andspecies recognition; the forward oriented brow horns ofNasutoceratops may have enabled interlocking with opponents. DuringNasutoceratops's lifetime its environment was dominated bywetlands supporting a diverse fauna, including other ceratopsians. (Full article...)

May 14

Marie Sophie Hingst (1987–2019) was a German historian and blogger who falsely claimed to be descended fromHolocaust survivors. Born into aProtestant family, she fabricated a Jewish background and sent documentation for 22 misrepresented or non-existent relatives, who she claimed wereHolocaust victims, to the official Holocaust memorialYad Vashem. She maintained a blog about her supposed Jewish background, identity and experiences as a Germanexpatriate in Ireland, where she moved in 2013. The blog received hundreds of thousands of views. Throughout her life, Hingst falsified much of her background, connections, and achievements. She used her fraudulent credentials to gain awards and recognition, and held positions of prestige in Jewish communities across Europe. A journalist exposed her claims as false in 2019. She was castigated in the German media, destroying her reputation. Hingst committed suicide at the age of 31. Her fraud and death attracted attention across Europe. (Full article...)

May 15

TheMerchant's House Museum is ahistoric house museum at 29 EastFourth Street in theNoHo neighborhood ofManhattan in New York City. The four-story edifice, built by thehatter Joseph Brewster between 1831 and 1832 as aspeculative development, was sold in 1835 to the merchant Seabury Tredwell. It was the Tredwell family's residence for almost a century, with the structure remaining in the family until the death of the youngest child in 1933. A distant relative purchased the building and in 1936 transformed it into a museum. It is the only 19th-century residence in Manhattan with its original exterior and interior intact. The museum's collection has more than 4,500 items owned by the Tredwell family, including pieces of furniture, clothing, household items, and personal items. The building's facade and interior areNew York City designated landmarks, and the building is aNational Historic Landmark. (Full article...)

May 16

15-, 17-, and 20-inch versions of the iMac G4

TheiMac G4 is anall-in-one personal computer produced byApple Computer from January 2002 to August 2004. It comprises a hemispheric base that holds the computer components and a flatscreenliquid-crystal display (LCD) mounted above. TheiMac G3, first released in 1998, helped save Apple from bankruptcy. Development of the iMac G4 took roughly two years, with Apple's designers exploring multiple ways of marrying the display screen with the computer components. Its shape was inspired by a sunflower, with the display connected to the base via an adjustable stainless-steel arm that allows the monitor to be freely tilted and swiveled. The product was a critical and commercial success for Apple, selling more than 1.3 million units in its first year, and it was updated with faster components and larger displays before being replaced by theiMac G5 in September 2004. The machine is held in the collections of multiple museums, including theMuseum of Modern Art andMuseums Victoria. (Full article...)

May 17

Habitable zones ofTRAPPIST-1 and the Solar System

TRAPPIST-1 is a coolred dwarf star with seven knownexoplanets. It lies in the constellationAquarius about 40.66light-years away from Earth. It has a mass of about 9% of the Sun and is estimated to be 7.6 billion years old, making it older than theSolar System. The discovery of the star was first published in 2000. Observations in 2016 from theTransiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) led to the discovery of two orbitingterrestrial planets, and five more were found in 2017. It takes the seven planets between about 1.5 and 19 days to orbit around the star. They are likelytidally locked toTRAPPIST-1, leading to permanent day on one side and night on the other. Their masses are comparable to that of Earth. Up to four of the planets orbit at distances where temperatures are suitable for the existence of liquid water(diagram pictured), and are thus potentially hospitable to life. This has drawn interest from both researchers and popular culture. (Full article...)

May 18

Margaret Sanger (September 14, 1879 – September 6, 1966) was an Americanbirth control activist,sex educator, and nurse. She opened the first birth control clinic in the United States, foundedPlanned Parenthood, and was instrumental in the development of the firstbirth control pill. She was an importantfirst-wave feminist and believed that women should be able to decide if and when to have children. Sanger campaigned for the legalization ofcontraceptives by giving speeches, writing books, and breaking laws – leading to eight arrests. She endorsed both theMalthusianism andeugenics movements, believing that they would generate support for birth control. She established a network of dozens of birth control clinics, which provided services to hundreds of thousands of patients. She discouragedabortion, and her clinics never offered abortion services during her lifetime. Her activism led to theGriswold v. Connecticut decision, which legalized contraception. (Full article...)

May 19

Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was anAfrican-American Muslim minister, public speaker, andhuman rights activist. To his admirers, he advocated for the rights ofAfrican Americans and indictedwhite America for their actions against black Americans. His detractors accused him of preachingracism and violence. After living in foster homes, Malcolm X was involved in criminal activity inBoston andNew York. In 1945, he was sentenced to prison, where he became a member of theNation of Islam. After parole, he became one of the Nation's leaders, its chief spokesman, and its public face. Tension between Malcolm X andElijah Muhammad, head of the Nation of Islam, led to Malcolm X's departure from the organization in March 1964. Afterwards, he became aSunni Muslim and made apilgrimage to Mecca. He foundedMuslim Mosque, Inc., a religious organization, and the secular,black nationalistOrganization of Afro-American Unity. Hewas assassinated while giving a speech in New York. (Full article...)

May 20

Cher (born May 20, 1946) is an American singer and actress. Dubbed the "Goddess of Pop", she gained fame in 1965 as part of thefolk duoSonny & Cher, early exponents of1960s counterculture. She became a TV star in the 1970s, withThe Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour drawing more than 30 million viewers weekly, and topped theBillboard Hot 100 with narrativepop songs including "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" and "Half-Breed". Transitioning to film, she earned twoAcademy Awards nominations—forSilkwood (1983) andMoonstruck (1987), winningBest Actress for the latter—and received theCannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress forMask (1985). Herdance-pop comeback albumBelieve (1998) introduced the "Cher effect", a stylized use ofAuto-Tune to distort vocals. Her 2002–2005Farewell Tour grossed $250 million, thehighest ever by a female artist at the time. ARock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Cher is the only solo artist withBillboard number-one singles in each of seven decades. (Full article...)

May 21

Thered-capped parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) is a species ofbroad-tailed parrot native to southwestWestern Australia. Described byHeinrich Kuhl in 1820, it is classified in its own genus owing to its distinctive elongated beak. Its closest relative is themulga parrot. It is not easily confused with other parrot species; both adult sexes have a bright crimsoncrown, green-yellow cheeks, and a distinctive long bill. The wings, back, and long tail are dark green, and the underparts are purple-blue. Found inwoodland and opensavanna country, the red-capped parrot consumes seeds (particularly ofeucalypts), flowers, berries, and occasionally insects. Nesting takes place intree hollows. Although the red-capped parrot has been shot as a pest, and affected by land clearing, the population is growing and the species is notthreatened. In captivity, it has a reputation of being both anxious and difficult to breed. (Full article...)

May 22

Dracunculiasis, also called Guinea-worm disease, is aparasitic infection by the Guinea worm,Dracunculus medinensis. A person becomes infected by drinking water contaminated with Guinea-wormlarvae, which penetrate thedigestive tract and escape into the body. Around a year later, the adult female migrates to an exit site – usually the lower leg – and induces an intensely painfulblister on the skin. Eventually, the blister bursts, creating a painful wound from which the worm gradually emerges. The wound remains painful throughout the worm's emergence, disabling the affected person for the three to ten weeks it takes the worm to emerge. There is no medication to treat or prevent dracunculiasis. Instead, the mainstay of treatment is the careful wrapping of the emerging worm around a small stick or gauze to encourage and speed up its exit. A disease of extreme poverty, there were 14 cases reported worldwide in 2023, as efforts continue toeradicate it. (Full article...)

May 23

Pound in 1918

Ezra Pound (1885–1972) was an American poet and critic, a major figure in the earlymodernist poetry movement, and aWorld War II collaborator inFascist Italy. His works includeRipostes (1912),Hugh Selwyn Mauberley (1920), and theepic poemThe Cantos (c. 1917–1962). Pound helped shape the work of contemporaries such asH.D.,Robert Frost,T. S. Eliot,Ernest Hemingway, andJames Joyce. He moved to Italy in 1924, where he embracedBenito Mussolini'sItalian fascism and supportedAdolf Hitler. DuringWorld War II, Pound recorded hundreds ofradio propaganda broadcasts attacking the United States, praisingthe Holocaust in Italy, and urging American soldiers to surrender. In 1945 Pound was captured and ruledmentally unfit to stand trial. While confined for over 12 years at a psychiatric hospital, hisThe Pisan Cantos (1948) was awarded theBollingen Prize for Poetry, causing great controversy. Released in 1958, he returned, unrepentant, to Italy, where he died in 1972. (Full article...)

May 24

"Chinese character" written in traditional (left) and simplified (right) forms

Chinese characters arelogographs usedto write the Chinese languages and others from regions influenced byChinese culture. The function, style, and means of writing characters have changed greatly over the past three millennia. Unlike letters in alphabets that directly reflect the sounds of speech, Chinese characters generally representmorphemes—the units of meaning in a language—often encoding aspects of pronunciation as well as meaning. Writing all of a language's frequently used vocabulary requires 2000–3000 characters; as of 2024, nearly 100,000 have been identified and included inThe Unicode Standard. Characters are composed ofstrokes written in a fixed order. Historically, methods of writing them include inscribing stone, bone, or bronze; brushing ink onto silk, bamboo, or paper; and printing withwoodblocks ormoveable type. More recent technologies using Chinese characters includetelegraph codes andtypewriters, as well asinput methods andtext encodings on computers. (Full article...)

May 25

Capturing a redoubt by throwing rocks

In theRhine campaign of 1796, twoFirst Coalition armies under the overall command ofArchduke Charles ofAustria defeated twoFrench Republican armies in the last campaign of theWar of the First Coalition, part of theFrench Revolutionary Wars. The French military intended to captureVienna and force theHoly Roman Emperor to surrender. The FrenchArmy of Sambre and Meuse commanded byJean-Baptiste Jourdan opposed the Austrian Army of the Lower Rhine in the north. TheArmy of the Rhine and Moselle, led byJean Victor Marie Moreau, fought the Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine in the south. At theBattle of Amberg on 24 August and theBattle of Würzburg on 3 September, Charles defeated Jourdan's northern army. During the winter the Austrians forced Moreau's army back to France. Despite Charles's success in the Rhineland, Austria lost the war when the FrenchArmy of Italy, commanded byNapoleon Bonaparte, advanced on Vienna, resulting in thePeace of Campo Formio. (Full article...)

May 26

AnRATP Group electricHeuliez Bus shuttles athletes from theOlympic Village.

Transportation during the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics constituted a major challenge for the organisers due to the scale of the event. Over €500 million was invested in improvements to transportation infrastructure for the games. Amobile app was developed to facilitate travel by offering a route calculator, and 5,000 agents were deployed at stations and bus stops to assist travellers. A goal of Paris 2024 was to halve the averagecarbon footprint of theLondon 2012 andRio 2016 games. The organisers estimated that more than a third of the greenhouse gas emissions would be from the transport of athletes and spectators. All venues were made accessible by public transport and bicycle, with 415 kilometres (258 mi) of cycle paths created to link the venues and 27,000 bicycle racks installed. Public transport was extended and services increased. The goal was met, with an estimated 54.6% reduction, representing 1.59 million tonnes ofCO₂ equivalent. (Full article...)

May 27

The first UK Phantom on a test flight in 1968

From 1968 to 1992, theUnited Kingdom used the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II as one of its principal combat aircraft. The Phantom was procured to serve in both the Royal Navy'sFleet Air Arm and theRoyal Air Force (RAF) in several different roles. Most Phantoms operated by the UK were built as a special batch containing a significant amount of British technology. Two variants were initially built: the F-4K was acarrier-basedair-defence interceptor for the Fleet Air Arm, while the F-4M was initially used by the RAF fortactical strike andreconnaissance, before transitioning to an air defence role in the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, a third Phantom variant was obtained when fifteen formerUS Navy F-4J aircraft were purchased to augment the UK's air defences. Although the Fleet Air Arm ceased using the Phantom in 1978, the RAF retained it until 1992, when it was withdrawn as part of a series ofpost-Cold War defence cuts. (Full article...)

May 28

Beach on Nosy Komba

Nosy Komba is a smallvolcanic island in Madagascar, situated betweenNosy Be and the northwest coast of the main island. The lowlands of the island are divided betweensecondary forest and a patchwork of farmland and plantations (notably includingshade-grown coffee), while the highlands are mainly scrubland, with a bamboo forest in the northern portions. Ampangorina is the main village and administrative center. The island attracts significantecotourism, thanks in part to itsblack lemurs. During the early 1800s, the region was heavily settled bySakalava refugees and their slaves fleeing the hegemony of theMerina. France gained control of the island in 1840 and converted it to a logistic center for the import of indentured servants. Although Nosy Komba hosts a traditionally protected forest and anarboretum established in the colonial era, protection for the latter is essentially unenforced, and illegal logging continues. Only small pockets ofold-growth forest remain, in remote areas. (Full article...)

May 29

Andrea Navagero (1483–1529) was a Venetian diplomat and writer. He entered theGreat Council of Venice at the age of twenty, five years younger than was normal at the time. He edited manuscripts at theAldine Press, garnering a reputation as a scholar and a highly skilled writer. In 1515, he was appointed the official historian of the Republic of Venice as well as the caretaker of a library containing the collection of the scholarBessarion. Navagero was named the Venetian ambassador to Spain in 1523 and navigated the volatile diplomatic climate caused bythe conflict betweenCharles V of Spain andFrancis I of France. By the time Navagero arrived back in Venice in 1528, he had grown disillusioned with politics and wished to return to editing manuscripts and cultivating his prized gardens. Much to his dismay, he was appointed ambassador to France in January 1529. After traveling to meet with Francis I, he fell ill and died that May. (Full article...)

May 30

GL Mk. II transmitter van

Radar, Gun Laying, Mark I, or GL Mk. I for short, was an early World War IIradar system developed by theBritish Army to provide information foranti-aircraft artillery. There were two upgrades, GL/EF (elevation finder) and GL Mk. II(pictured), both improving the ability to determine a target's bearing and elevation. GL refers to the radar's ability to direct the guns onto a target, known asgun laying. The first GL sets were developed in 1936 using separate transmitters and receivers mounted on gun carriages. Several were captured in 1940, leading the Germans to believe falsely that British radar was much less advanced than theirs. The GL/EF attachment provided bearing and elevation measurements accurate to about a degree: this caused the number of rounds needed to destroy an aircraft to fall to 4,100, a tenfold improvement over early-war results. The Mk. II, which was able to directly guide the guns, lowered the rounds-per-kill to 2,750. About 410 Mk. Is and 1,679 Mk. IIs were produced. (Full article...)

May 31

Members of the victoriousBlondie crew

The Boat Race 2018 took place on 24 March. Held annually,The Boat Race is aside-by-side rowing race between crews from theuniversities of Oxford andCambridge along a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) tidal stretch of theRiver Thames in south-west London, England. For the third time in the history of the event, the men's, thewomen's and both reserves' races were all held on theTideway on the same day. The women's race saw Cambridge lead from the start, eventually winning by a considerable margin to take the overall record to43–30 in their favour. In the women's reserve race, Cambridge'sBlondie(crew pictured) defeated Oxford'sOsiris by nine lengths. The men's reserve race was won by Cambridge'sGoldie, who defeated Oxford'sIsis by a margin of four lengths. The men's race was the final event of the day and completed awhitewash as Cambridge won, taking the overall record to83–80 in their favour. The races were watched by around 250,000 spectators live, and broadcast around the world. (Full article...)

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