Welcome to Wikipedia

,

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

National color of the 4th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment

The 4th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Union Army in the American Civil War. Formed mostly from a militia unit in Norristown in southeastern Pennsylvania, the regiment enlisted at the start of the war in April 1861 for a three-month period of service under the command of Colonel John F. Hartranft. The regiment served as part of the garrison of Washington, D.C., until late June, when it was sent into Northern Virginia to join the army of Brigadier General Irvin McDowell. The regiment suffered its only combat casualties in a picket action on June 30 and was sent back to be mustered out on the eve of the First Battle of Bull Run owing to disagreement among the men over remaining after their term of service expired. Its men were denounced as cowards for being members of the only regiment to refuse to fight at the July 21 battle. Hartranft and a company commander stayed with the army and both later received the Medal of Honor for their actions at Bull Run. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

Benjamin N. Duke House

... that the Benjamin N. Duke House (pictured), owned by the same family for more than a century, was later sold to a former taxi driver?
... that writer Naoko Sato was initially worried that the character Kat would come off as "too Japanese" for overseas audiences?
... that as a member of the Bolivian Chamber of Deputies, Shirley Franco presented a bill that would penalize street harassment with up to eight hours in jail and a 500-boliviano fine?
... that the 2021 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game between Baylor and Gonzaga was the first since 2005 to feature the top two overall seeds of the NCAA tournament?
... that Frances Helen Prideaux's skill convinced Sir William Gull that women were intellectually capable of being doctors?
... that Bella Ramsey struggled to hold a real rifle while filming the eighth episode of The Last of Us?
... that although previews called Panzer Dragoon Orta's story a sequel to Panzer Dragoon Saga's, developers have said that it might reflect an alternative timeline?
... that It's So Amazing won an award from the American Library Association before entering the organization's list of the most banned books of the decade?

In the news

Vladimir Putin

Swiss bank UBS announces its intention to acquire its competitor Credit Suisse in a government-brokered deal.
The International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Russian president Vladimir Putin (pictured) and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova for the abduction of children from Ukraine.
At the Academy Awards, Everything Everywhere All at Once wins seven awards, including Best Picture.
Iran and Saudi Arabia agree to re-establish diplomatic relations, seven years after they were severed.

On this day

March 22: World Water Day

The Emerald Buddha in winter attire

1312 – Pope Clement V issued a bull dissolving the Order of the Knights Templar.
1784 – The Emerald Buddha (pictured), considered to be the sacred palladium of Thailand, was installed in its current location at Wat Phra Kaew on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
1942 – Second World War: British and Italian naval forces fought the Second Battle of Sirte in the Gulf of Sidra north of Libya.
1992 – USAir Flight 405 crashed in Flushing Bay shortly after takeoff from New York City's LaGuardia Airport, killing 27 people, and leading to studies into the effects of ice on aircraft.
2014 – A massive landslide in Oso, Washington, killed 43 people after engulfing a rural neighborhood, the largest death toll for a standalone landslide in U.S. history.

Reese Witherspoon (b. 1976)
Juan Uribe (b. 1979)
Kenzō Tange (d. 2005)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

The pomelo (Citrus maxima) is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Growing on a tree 5–15 meters (16–50 feet) in height, the fruit is 15–25 cm (6–10 in) in diameter with a usual weight of 1–2 kilograms (2–4 pounds) and has a thicker rind than a grapefruit. It is divided into 11 to 18 segments and its flesh tastes like a mild grapefruit, with little of its common bitterness. The fruit generally contains few, relatively large seeds, but some varieties have numerous seeds.

Photograph credit: Ivar Leidus

Recently featured:

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – The central hub for editors, with resources, links, tasks, and announcements.
Village pump – Forum for discussions about Wikipedia itself, including policies and technical issues.
Site news – Sources of news about Wikipedia and the broader Wikimedia movement.
Teahouse – Ask basic questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
Help desk – Ask questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
Reference desk – Ask research questions about encyclopedic topics.
Content portals – A unique way to navigate the encyclopedia.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is written by volunteer editors and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other volunteer projects: