Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It was formed approximately
4.5 billion years ago, is a terrestrial planet and is the second
smallest of the Solar System's planets with a diameter of 6,779 km
(4,212 mi). A Martian solar day (sol) is 24.5 hours and a Martian solar
year is 1.88 Earth years (687 Earth days). Mars has two small and
irregular natural satellites: Phobos and Deimos. Carbon dioxide is
substantially present in Mars's polar ice caps and thin atmosphere. It
has the highest mountain in the solar system, Olympus Mons, and the
largest canyon, Valles Marineris. There are large annual temperature
swings on the surface, between −78.5 °C (−109.3 °F) and 5.7 °C
(42.3 °F) – similar to Earth's seasons. Due to its geological
history, the possibility of past or present life on Mars remains of
great scientific interest. Mars has been explored by uncrewed spacecraft
and rovers, and is an attractive target for future human exploration
missions. (This article is part of a featured topic: Solar System.).
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_topics/Solar_System>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1857:
Mindon Min was crowned as King of Burma.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_of_Mindon_Min>
1863:
American Civil War: Union troops captured Jackson, the capital
of Mississippi.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Jackson>
1931:
Five people were killed in Ådalen, Sweden, as soldiers opened
fire on an unarmed trade union demonstration.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85dalen_shootings>
1948:
David Ben-Gurion publicly read the Israeli Declaration of
Independence at Independence Hall in Tel Aviv.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Declaration_of_Independence>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
impose:
1. (transitive)
2. (archaic) To physically lay or place (something) on another thing; to
deposit, to put, to set.
3. (Christianity) To lay or place (one's hands) on someone as a
blessing, during rites of confirmation, ordination, etc.
4. (printing) To lay (columns or pages of type, or printing plates)
arranged in a proper order on the bed of a press or an imposing stone
and secure them in a chase in preparation for printing.
5. (figurative)
6. To apply, enforce, or establish (something, often regarded as
burdensome as a restriction or tax: see sense 1.2.2) with authority.
7. To place or put (something chiefly immaterial, especially something
regarded as burdensome as a duty, an encumbrance, a penalty, etc.) on
another thing or on someone; to inflict, to repose; also, to place or
put (on someone a chiefly immaterial thing, especially something
regarded as burdensome).
8. To force or put (a thing) on someone or something by deceit or
stealth; to foist, to obtrude.
9. (UK, school or university slang) To subject (a student) to imposition
(“a task inflicted as punishment”).
10. (archaic or obsolete) To appoint (someone) to be in authority or
command over other people.
11. (obsolete) To accuse someone of (a crime, or a sin or other
wrongdoing); to charge, to impute.
12. (obsolete) To put (a conclusion or end) to something definitively.
13. (intransitive) Chiefly followed by on or upon.
14. To affect authoritatively or forcefully; to influence strongly.
15. To encroach or intrude, especially in a manner regarded as unfair or
unwarranted; to presume, to take advantage of; also, to be a burden or
inconvenience.
16. To practise deceit or stealth; to cheat, to deceive, to trick.
17. (obsolete) To subject to an impost, levy, tax, etc.
18. (obsolete) An act of placing or putting on something chiefly
immaterial, especially something regarded as burdensome as a duty, a
task, etc.; an imposition.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/impose>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
As there are a very great variety of religious sects in the world
(and which are probably adapted to different constitutions under
different circumstances, seeing there are many good and conscientious
characters in each), it is particularly recommended, as a means of
uniting the inhabitants of the village into one family, that while each
faithfully adheres to the principles which he most approves, at the same
time all shall think charitably of their neighbours respecting their
religious opinions, and not presumptuously suppose that theirs alone are
right.
--Robert Owen
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Robert_Owen>