61 votes

What's your favorite Wikipedia page and why?

Posted by Wolf_359 (edited )
Tags: ask.survey, encyclopedias, wikipedia, rabbit holes

Personally, I like to check the South Park Controversies Page every now and then.

The page on Quantum Entanglement is fascinating and has so many rabbit hole links that lead to other rabbit holes themselves. I still go back and re-read them here and there to improve my understanding and check for laymen's updates without all pop-science nonsense you encounter elsewhere.

I'll come back and post a few more when I can think of them!

34 comments

  1. [4]
    bkimmel
    Link
    Not a lot of people know about this, but Wikipedia has a "nearby search" feature that you can plug any latitude/ longitude coordinates in and get a list of articles that are "nearby" any area....
    • Exemplary

    Not a lot of people know about this, but Wikipedia has a "nearby search" feature that you can plug any latitude/ longitude coordinates in and get a list of articles that are "nearby" any area. This is amazing for road trips or even to see obscure things nearby you might not now about:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Nearby

    42 votes
    1. Wolf_359
      Link Parent
      This is phenomenal. I mean, everything in this thread has been great but this is something totally unique and I had no clue it existed. Turns out there is a historical landmark in the woods right...

      This is phenomenal. I mean, everything in this thread has been great but this is something totally unique and I had no clue it existed.

      Turns out there is a historical landmark in the woods right across the street from me. It's in disrepair and closed to the public but I could walk there in under 3 minutes right now.

      Awesome.

      15 votes
    3. Franklin
      Link Parent
      Huh, that's really neat! I wonder what the furthest point from any wikipedia article is.

      Huh, that's really neat! I wonder what the furthest point from any wikipedia article is.

      1 vote
  2. [2]
    whbboyd
    Link
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lists_of_lists That page used to contain a link to List of compositions by Franz Liszt—i.e., a "list of Liszts"—but because Wikipedia is utterly humorless,...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lists_of_lists

    That page used to contain a link to List of compositions by Franz Liszt—i.e., a "list of Liszts"—but because Wikipedia is utterly humorless, it's been removed.

    41 votes
    1. ThrowdoBaggins
      Link Parent
      I remember visiting the “list of cetaceans” page a long time ago, and they didn’t have pictures for all of the cetacean listed, so where they were missing, there was a [cetacean needed] request

      I remember visiting the “list of cetaceans” page a long time ago, and they didn’t have pictures for all of the cetacean listed, so where they were missing, there was a [cetacean needed] request

      3 votes
  3. [3]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. kej
      Link Parent
      On the first Tuesday in February, I hope? https://xkcd.com/843/
      • Exemplary

      I revisit it about once a year

      On the first Tuesday in February, I hope? https://xkcd.com/843/

      14 votes
    2. Wolf_359
      Link Parent
      Stayed up too late last night reading through this. Soooo many rabbit holes. For example, clicking on the misconception about the praying mantis can lead you to learning far too much about Sexual...

      Stayed up too late last night reading through this. Soooo many rabbit holes.

      For example, clicking on the misconception about the praying mantis can lead you to learning far too much about Sexual Cannibalism across various different insects. I was under the assumption that the males were at least semi-willing participants in this, and that it was done to provide nutrition to the mother.

      Turns out that is only maybe true, and only sometimes.

      Some insects have developed defenses against this, such as approaching from behind when it's windy out to see if they can kind of sneak in and out quick. Other insects do it to guarantee paternity, leaving behind their genitals as a "plug" to prevent further mating.

      What the fuck.

      3 votes
  4. [3]
    mat
    Link
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tautological_place_names Just because it's such a brilliantly human thing to have so many rivers called River River

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tautological_place_names

    Just because it's such a brilliantly human thing to have so many rivers called River River

    21 votes
    1. RheingoldRiver
      Link Parent
      There's a wonderful passage in The Phoenix Guards which goes like this: So, it's the FordFordFordFord Ford and the FordFordFordFord Bridge

      There's a wonderful passage in The Phoenix Guards which goes like this:

      Notwithstanding that it was early in the day when they came to Bengloarafurd, they nevertheless found an inn whose sign read, in simple lettering, “The Painted Sign,” and there they found rooms for the day and the night. It is worth mentioning here that Bengloarafurd lay against an unusually shallow portion of the Climbing River, one of the longest, fastest, and deepest of the streams with which the Eastern Mountains in general, and Mount Bli’aard in particular, are so abundantly supplied.

      The first to discover the place were, according to legend, advance scouts of the House of the Dragon in the Fourth Cycle, who were in the vanguard of the Imperial Army which was anxious to drive the Easterners back beyond the mountains in hopes of reducing the raids to which the eastern boundaries were then being subjected. They followed the Climbing River down from the North, and found a shallow spot where there lived an independent tribe of Serioli.

      What followed was ten years of almost constant war between the Dragonlords of the Empire and the Easterners, during which the Easterners occupied the area and fought from the surrounding mountains. The Serioli, who departed the area to avoid any of the unfortunate incidents that war can produce, left only the name for the place, which was “Ben,” meaning “ford” in their language. The Easterners called the place “Ben Ford,” or, in the Eastern tongue, “Ben gazlo.”

      After ten years of fierce battle, the Imperial Army won a great victory on the spot, driving the Easterners well back into the mountains. The Dragonlords who had found the place, then, began calling it “Bengazlo Ford.” The Dragons, wishing to waste as little time on speech as possible, shortened this to Benglo Ford, or, in the tongue of the Dragon, which was still in use at the time, “Benglo ara.” Eventually, over the course of the millennia, the tongue of the Dragon fell out of use, and the North-western language gained preeminence, which rendered the location Bengloara Ford, which was eventually shortened to Bengloarafurd. The river crossing became the Bengloarafurd Ford, which name it held until after the Interregnum when the river was dredged and the Bengloarafurd Bridge was built. Should anyone be interested in finding this delightful city, it still stands, and the bridge still appears with the name we have cited, but the city was renamed Troe after the engineer who built the bridge, either because the citizens were proud of their new landmark, or because the engineer’s name was short.

      So, it's the FordFordFordFord Ford and the FordFordFordFord Bridge
      13 votes
    2. chocobean
      Link Parent
      Oh I know a young lady who's going to devour and then memorize this page. :) wonderful

      Oh I know a young lady who's going to devour and then memorize this page. :) wonderful

      4 votes
  5. [2]
    Dovey
    Link
    Not exactly what you asked, but Hatnote plays sounds representing the latest Wikipedia edits. "Bells indicate additions and string plucks indicate subtractions. Pitch changes according to the size...

    Not exactly what you asked, but Hatnote plays sounds representing the latest Wikipedia edits. "Bells indicate additions and string plucks indicate subtractions. Pitch changes according to the size of the edit; the larger the edit, the deeper the note." There's also a visual component if you want to watch. Try different languages! I like the whimsy of it and the music can be kinda relaxing.

    14 votes
    1. dm_mute
      Link Parent
      I've had this page bookmarked for years now. It's my go-to relaxing music in a stressful work environment.

      I've had this page bookmarked for years now. It's my go-to relaxing music in a stressful work environment.

      3 votes
  7. [3]
    CTomic
    Link
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unusual_deaths It's a fascinating and somewhat comedic way to remind myself of how fragile life is

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unusual_deaths
    It's a fascinating and somewhat comedic way to remind myself of how fragile life is

    7 votes
    1. Maelstrom
      Link Parent
      In a similar vein, famous last words. Many are grim, some are funny, but they certainly leave you with an appreciation for life. There’s several other lists covering various periods.

      In a similar vein, famous last words. Many are grim, some are funny, but they certainly leave you with an appreciation for life.

      There’s several other lists covering various periods.

      6 votes
    2. DefiantEmbassy
      Link Parent
      Reminds me of the UK Horrible Histories bit: “Stupid deaths, stupid deaths, they’re funny cause they’re true!”

      Reminds me of the UK Horrible Histories bit: “Stupid deaths, stupid deaths, they’re funny cause they’re true!”

      4 votes
  8. kovboydan
    Link
    Not sure I have a favorite, but if were to recommend a random page that I find interesting and hope others would too, I would link to FM-2030. Largely because I feel the individual was too...

    Not sure I have a favorite, but if were to recommend a random page that I find interesting and hope others would too, I would link to FM-2030. Largely because I feel the individual was too interesting to fall from our collective consciousness.

    FM-2030 was a Belgian-born Iranian-American author, teacher, transhumanist philosopher, futurist, consultant, and Olympic athlete.

    He formalized his name change in 1988. He viewed traditional names as almost always stamping a label of collective identity – varying from gender to nationality – on the individual, thereby existing as prima facie elements of thought processes in the human cultural fabric, that tended to degenerate into stereotyping, factionalism, and discrimination. In his own words, "Conventional names define a person's past: ancestry, ethnicity, nationality, religion. I am not who I was ten years ago and certainly not who I will be in twenty years. [...] The name 2030 reflects my conviction that the years around 2030 will be a magical time. In 2030 we will be ageless and everyone will have an excellent chance to live forever. 2030 is a dream and a goal." As a staunch anti-nationalist, he believed "There are no illegal immigrants, only irrelevant borders."

    6 votes
  10. Areldyb
    Link
    I like to imagine that the Wikipedia article on humans was written by, and for, aliens visiting Earth.

    I like to imagine that the Wikipedia article on humans was written by, and for, aliens visiting Earth.

    5 votes
  12. vili
    Link
    The current events page. It's often a pretty good summary of what's going on around the world. Doesn't replace my other news sources, but supplements them nicely. I get the previous day's events...

    The current events page.

    It's often a pretty good summary of what's going on around the world. Doesn't replace my other news sources, but supplements them nicely. I get the previous day's events as an RSS feed every morning.

    4 votes
  13. kej
    Link
    It was banished from Wikipedia proper to Fandom, but for years my favorite Wikipedia article was the List of vampire traits in folklore and fiction. The Timeline of the far future is a pretty good...

    It was banished from Wikipedia proper to Fandom, but for years my favorite Wikipedia article was the List of vampire traits in folklore and fiction.

    The Timeline of the far future is a pretty good read as well.

    4 votes
  14. [2]
    MrAlex
    Link
    A favorite example of a historical story (more apocryphal legend than hard fact) that falls into the "Metal As Fuck" category is the page on Olga of Kiev. The section on her dealings with the...

    A favorite example of a historical story (more apocryphal legend than hard fact) that falls into the "Metal As Fuck" category is the page on Olga of Kiev.

    The section on her dealings with the Drevlians is very much Game Of Thrones fodder.

    3 votes
    1. vektor
      Link Parent
      In a similar vein, this guy - his life is a complete roller coaster. He's a british officer who was shot in the face, head, stomach, ankle, leg, hip, and ear; was blinded in his left eye; survived...

      In a similar vein, this guy - his life is a complete roller coaster.

      He's a british officer who was shot in the face, head, stomach, ankle, leg, hip, and ear; was blinded in his left eye; survived two plane crashes; tunnelled out of a prisoner-of-war camp; and tore off his own fingers when a doctor declined to amputate them. Describing his experiences in the First World War, he wrote, "Frankly, I had enjoyed the war."

      4 votes
  15. tauon
    (edited )
    Link
    While I’m pretty certain it’s not my favorite of all time, it’s the best I could think of ad-hoc, while I’m forgetting about other candidates: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5D_optical_data_storage...

    While I’m pretty certain it’s not my favorite of all time, it’s the best I could think of ad-hoc, while I’m forgetting about other candidates:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5D_optical_data_storage

    Just when you thought human technology and drive for invention couldn’t get more ridiculous.

    CDs, but in 3 dimensions? Boring.

    How about we make something that’ll probably remain readable with information of our choosing until the heat death of the universe, i.e. the literal end of time?

    Imagine telling this to someone just 100 years ago. Free ride to the mental asylum!

    Edit: some excerpts, out of order:

    According to the University of Southampton:
    The 5-dimensional discs [have] tiny patterns printed on 3 layers within the discs. Depending on the angle they are viewed from, these patterns can look completely different. This may sound like science fiction, but it's basically a really fancy optical illusion. In this case, the 5 dimensions inside of the discs are the size and orientation in relation to the 3-dimensional position of the nanostructures. The concept of being 5-dimensional means that one disc has several different images depending on the angle that one views it from, and the magnification of the microscope used to view it. Basically, each disc has multiple layers of micro and macro level images.

    (okay admittedly, the name unnecessarily tries to make it sound even cooler than it is)

    Discs using this technology could be capable of storing up to 360 terabytes worth of data for billions of years. The concept was experimentally demonstrated in 2013. Hitachi and Microsoft have researched glass-based optical storage techniques, the latter under the name Project Silica.

    It fits the size of a palm, by the way.

    Discs recorded from that time [2010-2013] have been tested for 3100 hours at 100°C and shown to still work "perfectly" ten years later.

    They’ve already had working prototypes!!

    Obviously I’m aware this will likely never see mass adoption. But imo it doesn’t even need to.

    It’s like particle acceleration: Maybe we discover the universe’s truths. Maybe we don’t. But the fact we can even choose to try, or in this case, conduct research and maybe even produce prototypes is worth commemorating.

    3 votes
  16. online_persona
    Link
    Seedfeeder is a pseudonymous illustrator known for contributing sexually explicit drawings to Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seedfeeder (NSFW!)

    Seedfeeder is a pseudonymous illustrator known for contributing sexually explicit drawings to Wikipedia.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seedfeeder (NSFW!)

    3 votes
  17. Nihilego
    Link
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penis_fencing Nothing special about this one other than how funny it sounds (It’s about worms).

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penis_fencing

    Nothing special about this one other than how funny it sounds (It’s about worms).

    2 votes
  18. [2]
    iampivot
    Link
    The pages on alien abduction. If you need to stay awake late at night.

    The pages on alien abduction. If you need to stay awake late at night.

    2 votes
  20. saturnV
    (edited )
    Link
    Optical Illusions are always fun. Also Orders of magnitude are very nice for understanding the scale of various things, e.g. interpreting calculations. Logarithmic timeline gives a nice overview...

    Optical Illusions are always fun.
    Also Orders of magnitude are very nice for understanding the scale of various things, e.g. interpreting calculations.
    Logarithmic timeline gives a nice overview of history, zooming in as we approach modernity.

    1 vote
  21. Froswald
    Link
    I don't really have a recent favorite, but I'd open up the page for Gerswhin's Rhapsody in Blue in high school all the the time because it has a full sound file of the piece. My high school was...

    I don't really have a recent favorite, but I'd open up the page for Gerswhin's Rhapsody in Blue in high school all the the time because it has a full sound file of the piece. My high school was computer learning oriented and had teachers watching us fairly closely as well as a restrictive web blocker, so if we wanted to slack off we had to get creative.

    1 vote
  22. clem
    Link
    I don't have a favorite, but I do have a few I link to fairly often. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheet_mulching is one I mention as a summary of the practice when I'm advising people to look...

    I don't have a favorite, but I do have a few I link to fairly often. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheet_mulching is one I mention as a summary of the practice when I'm advising people to look into it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%BCgelkultur is another similar article. I also sometimes link to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_matter when I use the term "organic" over on /r/composting, since the certification is what newbies might think I mean. "Anything organic can go into your compost" could have two very different meanings, depending on what you think the term "organic" means!

    Pretty dull comment, I know, but I do love Wikipedia. I just don't browse it for general entertainment!