Welcome to Wikipedia

,

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

270,152 active editors
7,255,259 articles in English

From today's featured article

Cartoon of the London Monster

The London Monster was the name given to an attacker of women in London between 1788 and 1790. The Monster's modus operandi was to abuse women verbally with lewd and suggestive comments, then attack them with a knife (cartoon pictured). The philanthropist John Julius Angerstein arranged a reward of 100 guineas (equivalent to £13,000 in 2025) for the capture and conviction of the Monster. More than 30 men were taken to Bow Street Magistrates' Court with their accusers hoping to claim the reward; all were released. Renwick Williams was arrested when one of the attacked women claimed to recognise him as the attacker. He was found guilty, despite having an alibi for at least one of the attacks. There is doubt among some historians whether he was the attacker as no hard or forensic evidence was ever found. It is likely that copycat attacks took place, particularly as some of the assaults were recorded as being committed by a group of men. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

Sanda Island Lighthouse

... that the Sanda Island Lighthouse (pictured) was built in three "steps" against a cliff face, a design that is unique in Scotland?
... that Bert Matter, the organist at the Walburgiskerk in Zutphen for 33 years, composed minimal music?
... that a Michigan TV station once broadcast out of a former student cafeteria?
... that Stephan Steinlein, Germany's current ambassador to France, held the exact same diplomatic post for East Germany three decades ago?
... that the Byzantine victory at the Battle of Satala in 530 against a numerically superior Persian army depended on the actions of a single individual?
... that Ben Streff joined the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party at the age of 14, and was sworn in to the Chamber of Deputies at the age of 31?
... that construction of the Interstate 65 Tennessee River Bridge was halted each winter due to the presence of waterfowl?
... that physicist Jadwiga Szmidt nearly died of poisoning when she opened a container when working in Ernest Rutherford's laboratory at the University of Manchester?
... that Chinese "assembly halls" could simultaneously be social, religious, business, and political institutions?

Help us improve this article!

Candy store in Maryland, United States

This week's article for improvement is Confectionery store, also known as a sweet shop, candy store or lolly shop. These stores may sell locally distinct sweets, international sweets, or "vintage" candies like rock candy or liquorice.

You can improve this article by:

Adding information about early confectioners and the development in the modern age
Finding reliable sources about its history, offerings, and regional varieties
Expanding the "History" and "Offerings" sections

You can be bold and start editing the article. Have questions or suggestions? Visit the article's talk page, or post at the Teahouse for general discussion.

In the news

Hôtel de Ville the day after the fire

The Hôtel de Ville in Limoges is partially destroyed by arson (damage pictured) as fuel and student protests escalate in France.
The International Bureau of Weights and Measures votes to abolish the leap second over concerns about disruptions to computer systems.
The Houthis launch a series of attacks on Saudi Arabian airports, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 370 others.
South African jurist Navi Pillay is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

On this day

October 20

Mahamat Déby

1936 – British woman Mabel Freer was refused entry to Australia after failing a dictation test given in Italian, leading to a debate over Australia's immigration policy.
1944 – World War II: Fulfilling a promise he made two years previously, General Douglas MacArthur landed on Leyte to begin the recapture of the Philippines.
1973 – Watergate scandal: Attorney General Elliot Richardson and his deputy William Ruckelshaus resigned after refusing to obey President Richard Nixon's order to have Archibald Cox fired.
1986 – Soviet Aeroflot Flight 6502 crashed after overrunning the runway at Kuibyshev Airport, killing 70 people on board.
2022 – Protests broke out across Chad after President Mahamat Déby (pictured) declared his intentions to extend his rule by another two years.

Sennacherib (d. 681 BC)
Luo Yixiu (b. 1889)
Hun Manet (b. 1977)
Rui Pinto (b. 1988)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

The Fog Warning is an oil painting on canvas completed in 1885 by the American artist Winslow Homer. It is one of several works in which Homer depicts the dangerous lives of fishermen in Maine. The painting depicts a lone fisherman in a dory who has caught several halibut, rowing towards his ship as a bank of fog approaches. The catch weighs down his boat, while increasingly rough seas make his return more difficult. The work is now in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Painting credit: Winslow Homer

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: