A castle is a type of fortified structure, generally built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages. Usually the private residences of lords and nobles, castles ranged from hill forts and country houses to expansive keeps surrounded by curtain walls and fortified towers. After the fall of the Carolingian Empire in the ninth century, castles were used for defence, as bases for raiders, as centres of administration, and for controlling trade routes. As symbols of power, some grand castles had long winding approaches that dominated their landscape. In the late 12th and early 13th centuries, a scientific approach to castle defence emerged, leading to the proliferation of towers, with an emphasis on flanking fire. Many new castles were polygonal or relied on concentric stages of defence that could all function at the same time. Castle building began to decline in the 15th century, when artillery became powerful enough to break through stone walls. In the 18th and 19th centuries, mock castles with no military purpose epitomized the Romantic revival of Gothic architecture. (Full article...)
Scoring 50 goals in one season is one of the most celebrated individual achievements in the National Hockey League (NHL). In 1944–45, Maurice Richard became the first player to score 50 goals in a season. Bernie Geoffrion became the second player to reach the milestone 16 years later in 1960–61. Fifty-goal seasons increased in frequency during the 1970s and 1980s as offense increased across the league. By 1980, it had been reached 24 times in NHL history; the plateau was reached 76 times in the 1980s alone. Wayne Gretzky scored his 50th goal in his 39th game in 1981–82, the fastest any player has done so. He also shares the record for most 50-goal seasons with Mike Bossy, each having reached the milestone nine times in their careers. A record fourteen players exceeded 50 goals in 1992–93, after which offence declined across the league, and with it the number of players to reach the total. Ninety unique players have scored 50 goals in any one NHL season, doing so a combined 186 times. (Full list...)
A coarse chameleon (Trioceros rudis) near Mount Karisimbi, an inactive volcano in the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda. This specimen measures approximately 12 cm (4.7 in) long. Chameleons change color by changing the space between crystals in their skin, which changes the wavelength of light they reflect.
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