Main Page

Surtsey is a volcanic island off the southern coast of Iceland, the southernmost point of Iceland. It was formed in a volcanic eruption which began 130 metres (426 ft) below sea level, and reached the surface on 14 November 1963. The eruption may have started a few days earlier and lasted until 5 June 1967, when the island reached its maximum size of 2.7 km² (1.0 sq mi). Since then, wind and wave erosion has caused the island to steadily diminish in size: as of 2002, its surface area was 1.4 km² (0.54 sq mi). The new island was named after the fire god Surtr from Norse mythology, and was intensively studied by volcanologists during its creation and, since the end of the eruption, has been of great interest to botanists and biologists as life has gradually colonised the originally barren island. The undersea vents that produced Surtsey are part of the Vestmannaeyjar (Westmann Isles) submarine volcanic system, part of the fissure of the sea floor called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Vestmannaeyjar also produced the famous eruption of Eldfell on the island of Heimaey in 1973. The eruption that created Surtsey also created a few other small islands along this volcanic chain, such as Jólnir and other unnamed peaks. Most of these eroded away fairly quickly. (more...)

From Wikipedia's newest articles:

• ... that the Royal Coachman (pictured), first made in 1878, may be the world's best-known fly?
• ... that Ranulf le Meschin ruled Cumberland before becoming Earl of Chester in 1120?
• ... that Rheinmetall's 120mm gun L/55 tank gun can attain muzzle velocities of up to 1,750 meters per second (5,700 ft/s) with new kinetic energy penetrators?
• ... that Izzat Darwaza, the Arab nationalist leader of al-Fatat, was a principal organizer of the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine?
• ... that the U.S. Marine Corps celebrates its birthday on the anniversary of the day that the 2nd Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Marines?
• ... that Beast vocalist Béatrice Bonifassi sang on Champion's album Chill'em All, and also provided the singing voices for Les Triplettes de Belleville?
• ... that the football rivalry between ASV Herzogenaurach and FC Herzogenaurach can be traced back to the rivalry between the clubs' sponsors, Adidas and Puma?
• ... that Mike Tompkins, the Natural Law Party vice-presidential candidate in the 1992 and 1996 U.S. elections, is a direct descendant of U.S. presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams?
  
  Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

• Egypt's antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass (pictured), announces the discovery of a 4,300-year-old pyramid belonging to Queen Seshseshet, mother of King Teti.
• An accident aboard Russian submarine K-152 Nerpa kills 20, the worst Russian submarine disaster since Kursk.
• A shipment of cocaine, worth €750 million, is seized off the coast of Ireland in the largest such seizure in the country's history.
• A coalition consisting of the National Party, ACT and United Future wins a majority of seats in the Parliament of New Zealand.
• At least 94 are dead after a school collapses in Pétionville, Haiti.
• Johnson Toribiong is elected President of Palau following presidential elections.
• Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the world's youngest reigning monarch, is crowned the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan.
  Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...

November 14: World Diabetes Day; Children's Day in India; Day of the Colombian Woman in Colombia

• 1817 – Bolívar's War: Colombian seamstress Policarpa Salavarrieta was executed by firing squad by the Spanish in Bogotá for working as a spy for the revolutionary forces in New Granada.
• 1889 – Nellie Bly (pictured), reporter for the New York World, departed on her successful attempt to travel Around the World in Eighty Days, eventually completing her journey in only seventy-two days.
• 1940 – World War II: Coventry Cathedral and much of the city centre of Coventry, England were destroyed by the German Luftwaffe during the Coventry Blitz.
• 1971 – NASA's Mariner 9 reached Mars, becoming one of the first spacecraft to orbit another planet.
• 2003 – Astronomers Michael E. Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David L. Rabinowitz discovered the trans-Neptunian object 90377 Sedna.

• More events: November 13 – November 14 – November 15

  Archive – By email – More anniversaries...
  It is now 04:16, November 14, 2008 (UTC) – Refresh this page