What is Qwikipedia?
Ever been on Wikipedia to look up an article? More often than not, we start with one topic, click a few links and within no time are reading about something else.
Qwikipedia is a game that tries to quench this curiosity in us. The objective is to get to a particular Wiki page, starting from a specific article, using minimal clicks. There is no single correct answer, so we might surprise ourselves by finding new routes each time!
Friday’s Free rider
Wi-Fi —> Crocodile
Wi-Fi
You all know what Wi-Fi is – probably even using it all the time while at home. A local area wireless technology, it allows electronic devices to network without actually being connected. So when you are accessing the internet on your mobile phone, without having mobile data on, then you must be connected to a nearby Wi-Fi network.
You might, however, not be knowing what telephone booths are. Before mobile phones became the norm, there was a time when people used to make their calls from phone booths. Recently, Google’s innovation startup Sidewalk Labs announced that they will be turning New York’s disused phone booths into Wi-Fi hotspots, meaning high-speed internet for everyone in New York City just got a wee bit closer.
Australia
Even though Wi-Fi uses a number of patents held by different organisations, there are some who claim it to be an Australian invention, making it a subject for controversy.
Australia is the world’s sixth largest country by total area and comprises the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and other smaller islands.
Fauna of Australia
Much of Australia’s fauna is unique to it. This is attributed to the fact that the country has been geographically isolated for a long time.
In fact, over 80% of mammals and reptiles, more than 20% of fish and insects and over 90% of amphibians in Australia are endemic to it – that is, are found only in Australia.
Crocodiles
Australia also has two species of crocodiles: saltwater crocodiles that are the largest living crocodile species, and freshwater crocodiles.
Did you read about Jose Antonio Villeda in yesterday’s Signpost page? A park ranger in the mangroves of the Barra de Santiago nature reserve, he is working to save the local population of the American crocodiles.
So the path we travelled is:
Wi-Fi —> Australia —> Fauna of Australia —> Crocodile
Three clicks! Hop over. It's time for the next question:
Monday’s Marauder
Lemur —> Darjeeling
Send in your paths for the above to school@thehindu.co.in with the subject "Qwikipedia".
