120px|Mauna Kea from Mauna Loa Observatory

Mauna Kea is a volcano on the island of Hawaii. Standing 4,205 m (13,796 ft) above sea level, its peak is the highest point in the state of Hawaii. However, much of the mountain is under water; when measured from its oceanic base, Mauna Kea is over 10,000 m (33,000 ft) tall—significantly taller than Mount Everest. In Hawaiian mythology, the peaks of the island of Hawaii are sacred, and Mauna Kea is the most sacred of all. Mauna Kea can be ecologically divided into three sections: an alpine climate at its summit, a Sophora chrysophylla–Myoporum sandwicense forest on its flanks, and an Acacia koa–Metrosideros polymorpha forest, now mostly cleared by the former sugar industry, at its base. With its high altitude, dry environment, and stable airflow, Mauna Kea's summit is one of the best sites in the world for astronomical observation, and one of the most controversial. The Mauna Kea Observatories are used for scientific research across the electromagnetic spectrum from visible light to radio, and comprise the largest such facility in the world. Their construction on a "sacred landscape", replete with endangered species, ongoing cultural practices, and viewplanes used in the traditional Hawaiian measurement of time, continues to be a topic of intense debate and protest. (more...)

Recently featured: Press Gang – Diffuse panbronchiolitis – Privy Council of the United Kingdom

Archive – By email – More featured articles...

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauna_Kea

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1524:

Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano set sail westward from Madeira to find a sea route to the Pacific Ocean. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_da_Verrazzano

1893:

The Citizens' Committee of Public Safety led by Lorrin A. Thurston overthrew the government of Queen Liliʻuokalani of the Kingdom of Hawaii. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overthrow_of_the_Kingdom_of_Hawaii

1966:

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress collided with a KC-135 Stratotanker during aerial refueling over the Mediterranean Sea, dropping three hydrogen bombs on land near Palomares, Spain, and a fourth one into the sea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_Palomares_B-52_crash

1989:

Patrick Purdy opened fire with an assault rifle on an elementary school in Stockton, California, killing 5 and wounding 30 others. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_School_massacre

2010:

The first spate of violence between Muslims and Christians began in Jos, Nigeria, and would end in more than 200 deaths. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Jos_riots

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

chicken-hearted (adj): Not brave; lacking courage; cowardly http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chicken-hearted

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

I think all the heretics I have known have been virtuous men. They have the virtue of fortitude or they would not venture to own their heresy; and they cannot afford to be deficient in any of the other virtues, as that would give advantage to their many enemies; and they have not like orthodox sinners, such a number of friends to excuse or justify them. Do not, however mistake me. It is not to my good friend's heresy that I impute his honesty. On the contrary, 'tis his honesty that has brought upon him the character of heretic. --Benjamin Franklin http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin