The Wikipedia article of the day for June 19, 2021 is Rock martin. The rock martin (Ptyonoprogne fuligula) is a small swallow that is resident in central and southern Africa. It breeds in the mountains, and at lower levels in rocky areas and towns. It has mainly brown plumage and white “windows” on the spread tail. Its call is a soft twitter. The sexes are similar in appearance. The martin hunts along cliff faces for flying insects. It breeds under cliff overhangs or on man-made structures using mud pellets to build a bowl or half-bowl nest with a soft lining. The bird is a solitary breeder, but small groups may nest close together in suitable locations. A typical clutch has…
Five Go Down to the Sea?
The Wikipedia article of the day for June 18, 2021 is Five Go Down to the Sea?. Five Go Down to the Sea? were an Irish post-punk band from Cork, active during 1978 to 1989. Vocalist and lyricist Finbarr Donnelly (pictured), guitarist Ricky Dineen and brothers Philip O’Connell (bass) and Keith O’Connell (drums) formed the band as Nun Attax when they were teenagers. They became known for Donnelly’s absurdist lyrics and stage presence, Dineen’s angular guitar and bass parts, and a rhythm section influenced by Captain Beefheart. After developing a following in Ireland in the early 1980s, they changed their name to “Five Go Down to the Sea?” and moved to London. They did not find commercial success and split…
Antiochus X Eusebes
The Wikipedia article of the day for June 17, 2021 is Antiochus X Eusebes. Antiochus X Eusebes (c. 113 BC – 92 or 88 BC) was a king of Syria during the Hellenistic period. During his lifetime Seleucid Syria was beset by civil wars, interference by Ptolemaic Egypt and incursions by the Parthians. In 95 BC, Seleucus VI killed his own half-uncle Antiochus IX, the father of Antiochus X, who took revenge by defeating Seleucus VI and driving him to his death in 94 BC. Antiochus X did not enjoy a stable reign as he had to fight three of Seleucus VI’s brothers, Antiochus XI, Philip I and Demetrius III. Antiochus XI defeated Antiochus X and expelled him in 93 BC from Antioch, the capital. A few months later, Antiochus X regained his position and killed Antiochus XI. The civil war…
Podokesaurus
The Wikipedia article of the day for June 16, 2021 is Podokesaurus. Podokesaurus is a genus of coelophysoid dinosaur that lived in what is now the eastern United States during the Early Jurassic Period between 201 and 190 million years ago. Its only fossil was discovered by the geologist Mignon Talbot near Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts, in 1910. Talbot described and named the new genus and species Podokesaurus holyokensis based on it, becoming the first woman to find and describe a dinosaur. The holotype fossil (pictured) was recognised as significant and was studied by other researchers, but was lost when the building it was in burned down in 1917; no unequivocal Podokesaurus specimens have since been discovered. It was nominated as the…