Pilot facts for kids
Welcome to Wikipedia!
Wikipedia is like a giant online encyclopedia that anyone can help build and improve. It's a place where you can find information on almost any topic you can imagine, from history and science to your favorite movies and games. The best part? It's completely free to use!
Right now, there are over 0 people who actively help write and edit articles on Wikipedia. And guess what? There are more than 6,868 articles written in English alone! That's a lot of knowledge at your fingertips.
You can explore all sorts of interesting things here. Every day, Wikipedia highlights special articles, facts, and pictures to help you discover new things. Template:SHORTDESC:Main page of the English Wikipedia
Featured article (Check back later for today's.)
Did you know ...
From a collection of Wikipedia's articles:
- ... that Elizabeth II (pictured) is the longest-reigning monarch in the history of the United Kingdom?
- ... that former United States senator and Law & Order actor Fred Thompson discovered the Watergate tapes that led to Richard Nixon's resignation?
- ... that the word Oxbridge is used to describe the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England?
- ...that Antonio Vivaldi was known as "The Red Priest" because of the color of his hair?
- ... that United States senator Rand Paul once talked on the senate floor for twelve hours and fifty-two minutes?
In the news
- Joseph Aoun (pictured) is elected president of Lebanon after a two-year vacancy.
- An attack on the presidential palace in N'Djamena, Chad, results in 20 deaths.
- A series of wildfires in Southern California, United States, leaves at least 16 people dead and forces the evacuation of nearly 180,000 others.
- A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hits Tingri County in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China, leaving at least 126 people dead.
On this day
From today's featured list
Featured picture (Check back later for today's.)
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 languages
Exploring Wikipedia's Daily Highlights
Wikipedia's main page changes every day to show you new and exciting content. It's like a daily newspaper, but for all kinds of knowledge!
Featured Article of the Day
Every day, a special article is chosen to be the "featured article." This means it's one of the best articles on Wikipedia. It has been carefully checked for facts and is very well-written. It's a great way to learn something new and interesting each day.
Did You Know...
This section shares cool and surprising facts from newly created or recently updated articles. You might find out something amazing you never knew before! It's perfect for quick bursts of knowledge.
What's Happening in the News
The "In the news" section keeps you updated on important events happening around the world. It gives you a quick summary of major news stories. This helps you stay informed about current events.
On This Day in History
Ever wonder what happened on this exact date in the past? The "On this day" section tells you about important historical events, birthdays, and other notable moments that occurred on today's date throughout history. It's like a time machine for facts!
Featured Picture of the Day
Wikipedia also showcases a beautiful and interesting "featured picture" every day. These pictures are chosen because they are high quality and help explain a topic. They can be anything from stunning nature photos to historical images.
More Ways to Explore Wikipedia
Wikipedia is part of a bigger family of projects. These are called "sister projects" and they offer even more ways to learn and share knowledge.
Wikipedia's Sister Projects
Besides the main encyclopedia, there are other projects that work together with Wikipedia. For example, there's Wiktionary, which is a free dictionary, and Wikibooks, which has free textbooks. There's also Wikimedia Commons, where you can find millions of free-to-use images, videos, and sounds.
Wikipedia in Different Languages
Wikipedia is not just in English! It's a global project, and you can find Wikipedia articles in hundreds of different languages. This means people all over the world can access and share knowledge in their own language.