Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

Yes, you read that right. Dark mode is (finally!) here. One of the most requested features, dark mode improves accessibility and reduces eye strain for readers and volunteer editors across Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. While creating dark mode may seem simple, it required overcoming tricky and unique challenges particular to Wikipedia, such as respecting and maintaining accessibility of user-generated content. The Wikimedia Foundation’s engineering teams worked closely with communities to bring dark mode to light. It is now available on select wikis, and will soon be deployed to others. Learn more about the benefits of dark mode, the challenges in making it a reality, and how you can contribute. ➡️ https://w.wiki/Agzk 

The global community of volunteers who edit Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects will meet up soon. This year’s Wikimania is right around the corner, starting 7 August in Katowice, Poland, and online. Wikimania is the annual gathering of contributors to Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. The conference, which began in 2005, was created to unite users of Wikimedia projects from around the world for in-person learning and collaboration. Alongside presentations, the inaugural event included four “hacking days”, where about 25 developers worked on essential code. This work laid the foundation for the technical aspects of running Wikimedia projects, starting a tradition that continues annually at Wikimania. Wikimania is about much more than hacking, though. Attendees can look forward to a wide array of programs, discussions, training, and meetups that will shape the ongoing growth of our community of contributors. Learn more about Wikimania through the years ➡️ https://w.wiki/rqS #Wikimania2024

Travel is popular. Less popular: Packing, airport stress, and expensive hotels. But what if a perfect vacation spot was right in your backyard? The term staycation, a blend of “stay” and “vacation,” captures the surprising joy people can find by treating the place they already live as a destination. A staycation typically takes place at home, within a day-trip distance, or at least within one’s own country. Taking a staycation is often more accessible and less costly than traveling. The term gained wider usage during the COVID-19 pandemic due to limits on travel. Common staycation destinations include museums, local parks, and backyard pools. Staycationers sometimes set boundaries to maintain the feeling of a conventional vacation, such as avoiding their normal routine. Where do you relax and recharge near your home? What are your favorite local adventures? Share your staycation strategy with us. Dream up your own staycation ➡️ https://w.wiki/AELM #Staycation #Vacation #Wikipedia

Thousands of tiles and intricate floral motifs in predominantly blue colors adorn the inside of the Blue Mosque, officially known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, in Istanbul, Turkey. Built between 1609 and 1617 during the reign of Ahmed I, this still-functional mosque is one of the most iconic and popular monuments of Ottoman craftsmanship. Featuring a central dome surrounded by four semi-domes, six minarets, and an expansive courtyard, the Blue Mosque’s interior houses a total of 21,043 Iznik tiles with over 50 different designs. Ahmed I had a great appreciation for this style of tilework, which is named after their main production center. The Blue Mosque is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its cultural and historical importance. Take a look at the full history of the Blue Mosque, from construction to contemporary use ➡️ https://w.wiki/AJpG

The 2024 Summer Olympics officially begin in Paris today! Originating in ancient Greece during the 8th century BCE, the Olympic Games were revived in 1896 in Athens. The modern Olympics have grown to become the leading international sporting event, showcasing the talents of athletes from all over the world. This year’s Games mark a return to Paris, which last hosted the 1924 Olympics, exactly a century ago. Around 10,500 athletes from over 200 nations will compete in 32 sports, including breakdancing in its Olympic debut. Some competitions have already started earlier this week. Join us in cheering for the athletes and celebrating the spirit of international unity behind the Games! 🏅🌍🕊️ Explore the long history of the Olympics ➡️ https://w.wiki/3iRj #Paris2024

🌍🎒 What’s in your backpack? One of the most accessible ways to explore the world is through backpacking.  People have traveled for thousands of years with their possessions on their backs, but usually out of need rather than for recreation. 17th-century Italian adventurer Giovanni Francesco Gemelli Careri was one of the earliest individuals to participate in what we now call backpacker tourism. Nowadays, this form of low-cost and independent travel allows adventurers to carry all they need on their backs, staying in inexpensive lodgings like hostels and homestays. It’s not just for the young; people of all ages, including digital nomads and retirees, embrace backpacking. Share your backpacking stories and photos with us! Let’s inspire each other to explore the world, one step at a time. ⁠Learn more about the history of backpacking ➡️ https://w.wiki/AJpE

Did you know that periodical cicadas get their name because they are synchronized and appear all at once? Unlike annual cicadas, which appear in North America every summer, periodical cicadas emerge only once every 13 or 17 years. They spend around 99.5% of their long lives underground in an immature state called a nymph. In the spring of their 13th or 17th year, mature cicada nymphs emerge between late April and early June (depending on the latitude), synchronously and in tremendous numbers. The adults are active for only about four to six weeks after the unusually prolonged developmental phase. Their synchronized appearance is not just impressive; it’s also a survival strategy. By emerging in such vast numbers, they overwhelm predators, ensuring enough cicadas survive and reproduce to continue the species. Cicadas have red eyes and translucent wings with orange veins. Their loud, collective song can reach up to 100 decibels. Each species has its own unique call, creating a symphony of sounds that defines summer in many regions. Their brief time above ground is focused on reproduction, with females laying eggs in tree branches before the new generation of nymphs burrows underground to start the cycle anew. ⁠Learn more about the biology and behavior of periodical cicadas ➡️ https://w.wiki/AJpH

Let’s take a journey to Katowice (pronounced Ka-to-vee-tse), the capital city of the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland and the host of this year’s Wikimania. With a population of around 315,000, Katowice is at the heart of a larger metropolitan area of 5 million people, one of the most populous in the European Union. Once an industrial hub due to its rich coal reserves, Katowice has transformed into a center of professional services, education, and culture. It hosts numerous cultural institutions, such as the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, and celebrates music with award-winning festivals like Off Festival and Tauron New Music. Katowice is also a city of innovation and learning, home to institutions like the University of Silesia and the Silesian University of Technology. As a UNESCO City of Music, it embraces creativity and cultural exchange. Katowice has been designated as the 2024 European City of Science. This August, free knowledge enthusiasts from around the world will come together in Katowice to celebrate knowledge-sharing during Wikimania. ⁠Learn more about the vibrant culture and history of Katowice ➡️ https://w.wiki/AJpB #Wikimania2024

In July, two very well-known books celebrate their first anniversary of publication. “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first of three volumes of the epic novel “The Lord of the Rings” by English author J. R. R. Tolkien, was published in July 1954. Considered one of the greatest fantasy books ever written, “The Lord of the Rings” is one of the best-selling books in the world, with over 150 million copies sold. Harper Lee's “To Kill a Mockingbird” became instantly successful upon its publication in July 1960. It has been labeled as a classic of modern literature from the United States. A year after its release, the book won the Pulitzer Prize. These are two examples of books that are occasionally touted as classics. But what defines a book as “classic”? A classic is a book accepted as being exemplary or particularly noteworthy. What makes a book “classic” is a concern that has been discussed by authors and scholars for decades. “A true classic ... is an author who has enriched the human mind, increased its treasure, and caused it to advance a step,” wrote French literary critic Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve in 1850. “A classic is any book that stays in print,” said professor and poet Mark Van Doren. According to Italian writer Italo Calvino, “a classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say”. Read the full Wikipedia article about classic books ➡️ https://w.wiki/3jxf

Mandela Day, celebrated annually on 18 July, honors the life and legacy of South African politician Nelson Mandela. South Africa’s first president following the apartheid, Mandela was elected after enduring years of imprisonment for his activism. Mandela became an international symbol of resistance during his incarceration. By the 1980s, he was the world’s most famous political prisoner. In the wake of apartheid, Mandela pursued a policy of racial reconciliation over retribution; he received more than 250 honors for his work promoting social justice, including the Nobel Peace Prize. Officially declared by the United Nations in 2009, the first Mandela Day was held on 18 July 2010 . The United Nations General Assembly called on individuals to donate 67 minutes to doing something for others, symbolizing the 67 years that Mandela had been a part of the movement to overturn apartheid. Join us in celebrating Mandela’s lasting impact on the world and his enduring message of peace and unity. The Wikipedia article about Nelson Mandela is a featured article, one of the best the free encyclopedia has to offer, as appointed by editors ➡️ https://w.wiki/3f