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From today's featured article

DNA nanotechnology is the design and manufacture of technologically useful macromolecules using nucleic acids, the building blocks of DNA. In living cells, DNA is the carrier of genetic information. In the lab, strands of nucleic acids can spontaneously bind to form strong, rigid double helix structures with precisely controlled nanoscale features. Two- and three-dimensional crystal lattices, nanotubes, polyhedra, and various functional devices have been created. Tiles of nucleic acids can be assembled into larger units. Artificial DNA structures have been used to solve basic science problems in structural biology, biophysics and X-ray crystallography, and have helped identify protein structures through nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Potential applications in molecular scale electronics and nanomedicine are being investigated. The conceptual foundation for DNA nanotechnology was first laid out by Nadrian Seeman in the early 1980s, and the field began to attract widespread interest in the mid-2000s. (Full article...)

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• Underwater diving
• No. 1 Wing RAAF
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Did you know...

Blyth's kingfisher

• ... that the scientific name of the Blyth's kingfisher (pictured), which grows up to 23 centimetres (9 inches) long, derives from the Greek demigod Hercules?
• ... that in 2005 Atanasio Monserrate and two other ministers resigned from the Manohar Parrikar-led government, leaving it in a minority and thus prematurely bringing down the Government of Goa?
• ... that the Border Police of Georgia have continued to help enforce Georgian sovereignty over Abkhazia and South Ossetia since the end of the Russo-Georgian War?
• ... that larvae of the orange-tipped sea squirt are brooded, and settle on the seabed close to the parent within minutes of being released?
• ... that S. Sashikanth was an award-winning architect before launching his own film production company, Y NOT Studios?
• ... that even though he won the popular vote by a 51–48% margin, Samuel J. Tilden failed to win the U.S. presidency in 1876?
• ... that Eugene Reimer, who played wheelchair basketball with Terry Fox and Rick Hansen, was the first disabled athlete to receive the Order of Canada?
• ... that hall of fame horse Eternal Sun's owner purchased him with an IOU written on a corner torn from the page of the seller's catalog?

In the news

Kazuo Ishiguro

• Kazuo Ishiguro (pictured) is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young share the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling circadian rhythm.
• In the United States, 59 people are killed and 489 others are injured in a mass shooting at a concert near Las Vegas.
• Amidst a constitutional crisis, an independence referendum takes place in Catalonia, Spain.
• In Saudi Arabia, a decree by King Salman effectively removes a longstanding ban on women driving in the country.

Other recent events

Recent deaths:

• Jalal Talabani
• Klaus Huber
• Tom Petty
• Arthur Janov

On this day...

October 9: Thanksgiving in Canada (2017); Hangul Day in South Korea (1446); Leif Erikson Day in the United States

Malala Yousafzai

• 1594 – Sinhalese–Portuguese War: Portugal had almost conquered the island of Sri Lanka when its army was completely annihilated, ending the Campaign of Danture.
• 1874 – The Universal Postal Union, then known as the General Postal Union, was established with the signing of the Treaty of Bern to unify disparate postal services and regulations so that international mail could be exchanged freely.
• 1942 – World War II: American forces defeated the Japanese at the Third Battle of the Matanikau in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, avenging the Japanese victory a couple of weeks earlier.
• 2012 – Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai (pictured) was gravely injured by a Taliban gunman in a failed assassination attempt.
• 2016 – Militants attacked a border police post in Myanmar, triggering a period of intense persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

Camille Saint-Saëns (b. 1835) · Rockin' Robin (b. 1964) · Mona Best (d. 1988)

More anniversaries:

• October 8
• October 9
• October 10

From today's featured list

There are 802 eponymous fictional species of collectible monsters in the Pokémon franchise, each having unique designs and skills. Conceived by Satoshi Tajiri in early 1989, Pokémon are creatures that inhabit the fictional Pokémon World. The designs for the multitude of species can draw inspiration from anything, such as inanimate objects, real-world animals, or mythology. Many Pokémon are capable of evolving into more powerful species, while others can undergo form changes and achieve similar results. Originally, only a handful of artists led by Ken Sugimori designed Pokémon, however, by 2013 a team of 20 artists worked together to create new species designs. Sugimori and Hironobu Yoshida lead the team and determine the final designs. Each iteration of the series has brought about praise and criticism over the numerous creatures. The vast array of creatures is commonly divided into "Generations", with each division encompassing new titles in the main video game series and often a change of handheld platform. (Full list...)

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• Charmed novels and short stories
• Tallest buildings in Houston
• NASCAR race wins by Jeff Gordon

Today's featured picture

An 1856 lithograph of the Selimiye Barracks, located in Istanbul, Turkey, being used as a hospital during the Crimean War. Florence Nightingale's experiences here during this time helped her develop the foundations of modern nursing. As such, the barracks now contain a museum dedicated to her and her staff.

Lithograph: William Simpson; restoration: Adam Cuerden

Recently featured:

• The Sisters (Eleanor and Rosalba Peale)
• Black lory
• Gorakhpur Junction railway station

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