On January 15, Wikipedia’s birthday, Croatia’s International Recognition Day, and Museum Selfie Day are celebrated.
On January 15, 1885, self-taught farmer Wilson Alvin Bentley took the first clear picture of a snowflake in the world.
On January 15, 1943, the construction of the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, was completed.
On January 15, 2020, during a meeting with the heads of the Ministry of Finance and the National Bank, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Oleksiy Honcharuk, called himself a “profane in the economy” and noted that the president “has a very primitive understanding of economic processes.”
Wikipedia’s birthday
Every year on January 15, the world celebrates the birthday of Wikipedia – one of the largest online encyclopedias, which is available for free to all users. Wikipedia was created in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger and became a revolutionary project in the field of knowledge dissemination. The main idea of the platform is the principle of an “open encyclopedia”, where anyone can edit and supplement articles. This approach made it possible to create the largest knowledge base available in more than 300 languages.
Wikipedia works on the principles of neutrality, verification and open access, and its content is supported by a community of volunteers. Nowadays, this resource has become not only a source of knowledge, but also a cultural phenomenon that has influenced the way information is perceived in the digital age.
Interesting facts
Wikipedia contains more than 60 million articles, and this number is constantly growing.
The largest section is the English Wikipedia, but the Ukrainian section is also actively developing and is among the largest.
The name “Wikipedia” comes from the words “wiki” (technology for creating sites) and “encyclopedia”.
Wikipedia is one of the most visited sites in the world, occupying leading places in popularity ratings.
Despite openness to editing, over 90% of its content is created by less than 1% of users.
Wikipedia operates as a non-profit organization and is supported by voluntary donations.
In 2015, Wikipedia articles were officially archived for future preservation.
Day of international recognition of Croatia
This is an important date in the history of the country, which symbolizes its recognition as an independent and sovereign state by the international community. On January 15, 1992, Croatia received official recognition from most of the countries of the European Union, as well as from many other states. This day was the culmination of a long struggle for independence, which began after Croatia declared its independence on June 25, 1991. However, due to the armed conflict that broke out after that, international recognition had to be fought for.
International Recognition Day is not only a national holiday, but also a day of national pride for the Croatian people. On this day, official events, solemn ceremonies, laying of flowers at monuments and speeches of statesmen are held in the country.
Interesting facts
Along with the European Union, Croatia was also recognized by Canada, Australia and many other countries on this day.
The recognition of Croatia was one of the key steps towards its integration into European and international structures.
Germany was one of the first major countries that supported Croatia’s independence, actively influencing the decisions of other states.
Thanks to this day, Croatia later became a full member of the United Nations in May 1992.
This day reminds Croats of the importance of preserving independence, unity and peace.
Museum Selfie Day
Every year on the third Wednesday of January, the world celebrates an unusual but very popular holiday – Museum Selfie Day. This initiative was created with the aim of popularizing museums and encouraging people to visit them. On this day, visitors can take a selfie against the background of the exhibits or in interesting corners of the museum and share the photos on social networks with the appropriate hashtags.
The holiday was launched in 2014, the idea of which belongs to the British activist Mar Dixon. Thanks to her initiative, Museum Selfie Day quickly gained popularity all over the world. The purpose of the event is not only entertainment, but also to draw public attention to cultural assets and show that museums can be modern, interactive and interesting for young people.
On this day, museums often organize special promotions, exhibitions or even contests for the most creative selfie. This makes it possible to attract a new audience, especially young people, who can learn more about cultural heritage and art thanks to social networks.
Interesting facts
Some museums specifically create selfie zones to make it easier for visitors to take pictures.
In many countries, the promotion is accompanied by discounts or free admission to museums.
The hashtag #MuseumSelfie has become a popular trend that unites people from all over the world.
The idea received support even in the largest museums, such as the Louvre, the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum.
The holiday draws attention not only to traditional museums, but also to little-known places that deserve attention.
Memorable events on this day
1559 – the coronation of the English Queen Elizabeth I, the last representative of the Tudor dynasty, took place. Her reign became known as the “Golden Age of England”, marking an era of cultural and political growth.
1700 – Peter I issued a decree obliging the nobles to change their long and uncomfortable clothes of traditional cut to European suits. This became an important element of the reform aimed at the Europeanization of the Russian Empire.
1776 – the first copy of the “Gazette de Leopol” — the first known periodical in the territory of modern Ukraine — was published in Lviv. This event became an important milestone in the history of Ukrainian journalism.
1797 – in London, John Etherington first started selling a new type of headdress – a top hat. Despite the initial negative reaction, the top hat later became a fashionable accessory.
1892 – in the newspaper “Triangle”, published in the city of Springfield (Massachusetts), the 13 rules of the game of basketball, created by Dr. James Naismith, were first published. This publication became the basis for the development of one of the most popular sports in the world.
1907 – Dr. Lee de Forest patented a three-electrode vacuum tube, which made it possible to make the radio a practical means of transmitting voice and music. He is considered the “father of radio” and the “grandfather of television”.
1939 – in the Soviet Union, work books were introduced for workers and employees, which were supposed to record the professional activities of citizens. Similar books existed earlier, in particular in the period 1919-1923.
1943 – in the state of Virginia (USA), the construction of the Pentagon, the largest office building in the world, was completed. Today, this place is the headquarters of the US Department of Defense.
1945 – NKVD troops stormed the town of Kosmach, which was considered the “capital of Bandera”. During the battle, the commander of the NKVD division Mykhailo Dergachev and 386 soldiers died. The Ukrainian rebels, led by Myroslav Simchych, put up strong resistance.
1967 – the final game of the Super Bowl – the main competition in professional American football – was held for the first time in the “Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum”.
1986 – Soviet newspapers published a statement by Mikhail Gorbachev about “the program for the phased elimination of all types of nuclear weapons by the year 2000.”
1992 – The Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the musical edition of the National Anthem of Ukraine, written by Mykhailo Verbytskyi.
1992 – Jamaica and Austria officially recognized Ukraine’s independence, and Ukraine established diplomatic relations with Greece.
1994 – the Ukrainian politician Mykhailo Boychyshyn disappeared under unexplained circumstances, which remains an unsolved mystery.
2009 – the crew of the American plane A-320 made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in New York, saving the lives of 146 passengers. This incident was called the “Miracle on the Hudson”.
The First Snowflake Photographer: The Story of Wilson Bentley
On January 15, 1885, self-taught farmer Wilson Alvin Bentley, who lived in the town of Jericho, Vermont, took the first clear picture of a snowflake in the world. This event was the result of many years of experimentation, which Bentley began as a teenager.
His fascination with snow crystals began when his mother gave him an old microscope. He tried to draw snowflakes, but they melted even in freezing weather. Then Bentley decided to photograph these tiny “masterpieces of nature.” A camera purchased for $100 (a huge amount at the time) allowed him to take the first photomicrograph of an ice crystal. This process required almost two years of hard work from him.
Since then, Bentley has devoted his life to photographing snowflakes. His camera had the ability to magnify the object 64-3600 times. To take the picture, he caught snowflakes on black velvet, which helped capture them before they melted. During his lifetime, Bentley created more than 5,381 photomicrographs of snow crystals, never parting with the very first camera that his parents gave him.
In addition to snowflakes, he photographed other forms of water—clouds, fog, and drops. His work was published in a number of monographs, where Bentley claimed that no two snowflakes are alike in the world.
However, he did not receive recognition or royalties during his lifetime. He was considered an oddity, because he stayed to live on his parents’ old farm and devoted himself to what many considered a useless business.
According to legend, Bentley died of pneumonia after walking 10 kilometers in a blizzard to photograph snowflakes. His legacy is more than 5,000 unique pictures revealing the incredible beauty of snow crystals.
“I am fascinated by their delicate beauty and it would be unfair if people never saw it. Each snowflake is a true masterpiece created by nature. It is born from nothing and disappears into nowhere, never repeating itself…” – noted Bentley.
Modern science has confirmed Bentley’s theory. After years of research, physics professor Kenneth Libbrecht from the University of California concluded that even if two snowflakes look the same, they differ at the microscopic level.
Exploring snowflakes is not just child’s play, but a fascinating discovery of natural harmony that began thanks to the vision and perseverance of Wilson Bentley.
The Pentagon: a symbol of American military might
On January 15, 1943, the construction of the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, located in the state of Virginia, was completed. The building got its name due to the characteristic shape of a regular pentagon. For many decades, the Pentagon has symbolized the military power of the United States, and in many contexts its name is used as a synonym for the Department of Defense of the United States.
During the Cold War, the Pentagon received the nickname “Epicenter”, because it was believed that in the event of a nuclear war with the USSR, the first missiles would hit this very object. With this in mind, the building was designed taking into account possible threats.
The Pentagon is the world’s largest office building. Its construction began on September 11, 1941, and many believe that the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 was timed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of that date.
Each of the sides of the pentagonal building is 281 meters long, the total perimeter is about 1405 meters, and the total length of the corridors reaches 28 kilometers. The total area of five ground floors of the Pentagon is 604,000 m², which makes it the 14th largest building in the world. The building has five above-ground and two underground floors, and its height is 23.5 meters.
About 26,000 people work on the territory of the Pentagon. It is the pentagonal layout that ensures the maximum efficiency of movement between rooms, and the inner courtyard, which occupies an area of 21,000 m², complements the uniqueness of the architecture.
The Pentagon has five facades, each with its own function: the shopping street facade, the river facade, the subway station facade, the south parking facade, and the helipad facade. On the north side of the building is a trade gallery that leads to a 180-meter-long hall used for official ceremonies.
In the geometric center of the inner courtyard of the Pentagon is a small cafe that repeats the shape of a pentagon. It is called “Cafe Ground Zero”. During the Cold War, it was joked that the Soviet military command could perceive this place as the entrance to an underground bunker, so the missiles were aimed at this point.
January 15, 2020: scandalous statement of Oleksiy Honcharuk
On January 15, 2020, a video appeared on the Internet, which caused a great public outcry. In the recording, Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Honcharuk discusses the economic knowledge of President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting with the heads of the Ministry of Finance and the National Bank. During the conversation, Honcharuk called himself “profane in the economy” and noted that the president “has a very primitive understanding of economic processes.”
This statement caused a wave of criticism and doubts about the competence of both the prime minister himself and the country’s leadership in general. At that time, many did not take this situation seriously, but over time, the problems related to state management only worsened, which gave reason to talk about the lack of a systematic approach to solving important issues.
The issue of personnel, which still remains one of the biggest challenges for the Ukrainian authorities, became particularly acute.
The premiership of Oleksiy Honcharuk was marked by a number of non-standard steps that caused mixed reactions in society. For example, he visited schools and actively communicated with schoolchildren, and also rode a scooter around the Cabinet of Ministers. However, 7 months after his appointment, in March 2020, Honcharuk resigned, becoming the youngest prime minister in the history of Ukraine to leave his post so quickly.
This story became another evidence of how important professionalism and strategic vision are in the leadership of the state. It also reminds of the need to carefully choose words and actions, especially in public space.
