Wikipedia:Top 25 Report/April 14 to 20, 2013

=Top 25 Report: Most Popular Wikipedia Articles of the Week (April 14 – April 20 2013)= ← Last week's report – Next week's report →

Summary: It was a dark week. In the wake of the attacks on Boston, users sought out background to make sense of an apparently senseless tragedy. From the war-torn region from which both the (suspected) bombers hailed to the string of apparently unrelated ricin attacks that fell in the same few days, Wikipedia was a port of call for those seeking information. In lighter news, the Jackie Robinson biopic 42 continued to spark interest in the pioneering sportsman, while Tom Cruise's new movie was listed.

For the week of April 14 to 20, the 25 most popular articles on Wikipedia, as determined from the report of the 5,000 most trafficked pages* were:


 * {| class="wikitable"

! Rank ! Last ! Wks ! Article ! Views ! Notes
 * 1
 * Chechnya
 * align="right"|1,816,643
 * Chechnya and Caucasus.png This ruined Russian republic became destination #1 for Wikipedia users when it was revealed to be Boston bombings suspects' ethnic homeland.
 * 2
 * Leonhard Euler
 * align="right"|	1,569,643
 * Leonhard Euler 2.jpg It is always interesting to see which Google Doodle will spark the public's imagination. The surge of interest in this 18th century mathematician (inventor of the term f(x) and populariser of the symbol π) shows that the general public, or at least the Wikipedia-reading segment thereof, is not as willfully ignorant as one might think.
 * 3
 * 2013 Boston Marathon bombings
 * align="right"|1,316,401
 * 2013 Boston Marathon aftermath people.jpg The topic of the week. No contest. In fact, it would've had two entries on the list if we counted the 600k views by the redirect Boston Marathon bombings.
 * 4
 * Ricin
 * align="right"|1,156,053
 * Ricin structure.png This horrifyingly toxic substance (made from castor beans, no less) made waves when a series of letters posted to public figures were revealed to contain traces of it. Though apparently not related to the Boston bombing, it certainly contributed to the climate of terror that dominated the week.
 * 5
 * 1
 * 2
 * Margaret Thatcher
 * align="right"| 683,444
 * Margaret Thatcher.png The funeral of this hugely influential (and controversial) British Prime Minister kept interest in her high this week
 * 6
 * 420 (cannabis culture)
 * align="right"|647,578
 * UCSC 420 celebration.jpg This curious "holiday", which falls on April 20 (for obvious reasons) refers to the mysterious number 420 and its long link to marijuana usage. While it may not quite be to cannabis what Oktoberfest is to beer, it no doubt aspires to be.
 * 7
 * 11
 * Oblivion (2013 film)
 * align="right"|565,359
 * Tom Cruise proved he still has drawing power when his post-apocalyptic scifi thriller opened top of the weekend with $37.05 million.
 * 8
 * Defiance (TV series)
 * align="right"| 529,849
 * Syfy's science-fiction/Western/alien invasion mashup piqued much interest despite "meh" reviews.
 * 9
 * 5
 * 7
 * Game of Thrones
 * align="right"| 511,109
 * This epic fantasy TV series launched its third season on March 31, and has seen its ratings almost double on its premiere episode.
 * 10
 * 7
 * 15
 * Facebook
 * align="right"| 469,753
 * A perennially popular article.
 * 11
 * 9
 * 25
 * Deaths in 2013
 * align="right"|492,897
 * The lists of deaths in the current year is always a quite popular article.
 * 12
 * Oklahoma City bombing
 * align="right"| 437,299
 * Oklahomacitybombing-DF-ST-98-01356.jpg The bombing in Boston stirred memories of the last time Americans were attacked by their own citizens.
 * 13
 * Adam Scott (golfer)
 * align="right"| 419,980
 * AdamScott1.jpg Australian golfer who won the 2013 Masters in dramatic style.
 * 14
 * Boston Marathon
 * align="right"| 411,370
 * Boston Marathon 2010 in Wellesley.JPG probably would have made the list anyway, but no doubt higher due to the tragedy.
 * 15
 * Marcus Licinius Crassus
 * align="right"|406,980
 * [[File:Bust of an unknown citizen in the realist republican tradition (Louvre MR 510).jpg|left|100x100px]] Interest in this Roman political figure (onetime financial backer of Julius Caesar and widely considered the richest man in Roman history) was no doubt spurred by his starring role in Spartacus: War of the Damned.
 * 16
 * Daft Punk
 * align="right"|399,948
 * DaftAlive.jpeg This robot-helmet-wearing, cyberpunk-infused electronic music duo released their long-awaited new single "Get Lucky."
 * 17
 * 7
 * Google
 * align="right"|393,836
 * A perennially popular article
 * 18
 * 2
 * Jackie Robinson
 * align="right"| 381,448
 * Jrobinson.jpg National hero and athletic pioneer, Robinson's popularity was no doubt reignited by his surprise hit biopic, 42.
 * 19
 * Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act
 * align="right"|367,100
 * Otherwise known as CISPA, this hugely controversial act passed the US Congress with little comment from the media, despite its potentially dramatic impact on personal privacy.
 * 20
 * 13
 * 27
 * World War II
 * align="right"| 403,144
 * Another perennially popular article. (The 16th most popular article from 2010–12, in fact, see Table 2 here.)
 * 21
 * 12
 * 2
 * Game of Thrones (season 3)
 * align="right"| 357,290
 * see #10 above
 * 22
 * Macklemore
 * align="right"| 350,310
 * Macklemore The Heist Tour 1 cropped.jpg Popular singer returning the top 25, though nearly always in the top 50
 * 23
 * Spartacus
 * align="right"| 344,604
 * Spartacus statue by Denis Foyatier.jpg The revolting Roman slave is the other side of the coin vis a vis Spartacus: War of the Damned
 * 24
 * Chechen people
 * align="right"| 341,598
 * Khanpasha Nuradilov 140-190 for collage.jpg Another attempt to explore the bombing in more depth, here looking at the tragic history of the Chechens themselves.
 * 25
 * Chi Cheng (musician)
 * align="right"| 341,386
 * Chi_Cheng.jpg The former Deftones bassist and occasional poet, who for the last five years lived in a semi-comatose state caused by a car crash, died of cardiac arrest at the age of 42.
 * }
 * This list is derived from the WP:5000 report. It excludes the Wikipedia main page (and "wiki"), non-article pages, and anomalous entries (such as DDoS attacks or likely automated views). Please feel free to discuss any removal on the talk page if you wish. Standard removals this week include:
 * G-force; this has been in the Top 25 since the list was started at the beginning of the year. The continuing popularity of this article, which jumped in June 2012, has been without explanation.  Articles on popular scientific concepts get nowhere this level of viewing based on our analysis to date, e.g., Gravitation (49,516 views from March 3–9), and therefore we have decided to remove it from the list as most likely caused by non-human views.
 * Cat anatomy; explanation still unknown for its continuing high view counts
 * 18
 * 2
 * Jackie Robinson
 * align="right"| 381,448
 * Jrobinson.jpg National hero and athletic pioneer, Robinson's popularity was no doubt reignited by his surprise hit biopic, 42.
 * 19
 * Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act
 * align="right"|367,100
 * Otherwise known as CISPA, this hugely controversial act passed the US Congress with little comment from the media, despite its potentially dramatic impact on personal privacy.
 * 20
 * 13
 * 27
 * World War II
 * align="right"| 403,144
 * Another perennially popular article. (The 16th most popular article from 2010–12, in fact, see Table 2 here.)
 * 21
 * 12
 * 2
 * Game of Thrones (season 3)
 * align="right"| 357,290
 * see #10 above
 * 22
 * Macklemore
 * align="right"| 350,310
 * Macklemore The Heist Tour 1 cropped.jpg Popular singer returning the top 25, though nearly always in the top 50
 * 23
 * Spartacus
 * align="right"| 344,604
 * Spartacus statue by Denis Foyatier.jpg The revolting Roman slave is the other side of the coin vis a vis Spartacus: War of the Damned
 * 24
 * Chechen people
 * align="right"| 341,598
 * Khanpasha Nuradilov 140-190 for collage.jpg Another attempt to explore the bombing in more depth, here looking at the tragic history of the Chechens themselves.
 * 25
 * Chi Cheng (musician)
 * align="right"| 341,386
 * Chi_Cheng.jpg The former Deftones bassist and occasional poet, who for the last five years lived in a semi-comatose state caused by a car crash, died of cardiac arrest at the age of 42.
 * }
 * This list is derived from the WP:5000 report. It excludes the Wikipedia main page (and "wiki"), non-article pages, and anomalous entries (such as DDoS attacks or likely automated views). Please feel free to discuss any removal on the talk page if you wish. Standard removals this week include:
 * G-force; this has been in the Top 25 since the list was started at the beginning of the year. The continuing popularity of this article, which jumped in June 2012, has been without explanation.  Articles on popular scientific concepts get nowhere this level of viewing based on our analysis to date, e.g., Gravitation (49,516 views from March 3–9), and therefore we have decided to remove it from the list as most likely caused by non-human views.
 * Cat anatomy; explanation still unknown for its continuing high view counts
 * Spartacus statue by Denis Foyatier.jpg The revolting Roman slave is the other side of the coin vis a vis Spartacus: War of the Damned
 * 24
 * Chechen people
 * align="right"| 341,598
 * Khanpasha Nuradilov 140-190 for collage.jpg Another attempt to explore the bombing in more depth, here looking at the tragic history of the Chechens themselves.
 * 25
 * Chi Cheng (musician)
 * align="right"| 341,386
 * Chi_Cheng.jpg The former Deftones bassist and occasional poet, who for the last five years lived in a semi-comatose state caused by a car crash, died of cardiac arrest at the age of 42.
 * }
 * This list is derived from the WP:5000 report. It excludes the Wikipedia main page (and "wiki"), non-article pages, and anomalous entries (such as DDoS attacks or likely automated views). Please feel free to discuss any removal on the talk page if you wish. Standard removals this week include:
 * G-force; this has been in the Top 25 since the list was started at the beginning of the year. The continuing popularity of this article, which jumped in June 2012, has been without explanation.  Articles on popular scientific concepts get nowhere this level of viewing based on our analysis to date, e.g., Gravitation (49,516 views from March 3–9), and therefore we have decided to remove it from the list as most likely caused by non-human views.
 * Cat anatomy; explanation still unknown for its continuing high view counts
 * align="right"| 341,386
 * Chi_Cheng.jpg The former Deftones bassist and occasional poet, who for the last five years lived in a semi-comatose state caused by a car crash, died of cardiac arrest at the age of 42.
 * }
 * This list is derived from the WP:5000 report. It excludes the Wikipedia main page (and "wiki"), non-article pages, and anomalous entries (such as DDoS attacks or likely automated views). Please feel free to discuss any removal on the talk page if you wish. Standard removals this week include:
 * G-force; this has been in the Top 25 since the list was started at the beginning of the year. The continuing popularity of this article, which jumped in June 2012, has been without explanation.  Articles on popular scientific concepts get nowhere this level of viewing based on our analysis to date, e.g., Gravitation (49,516 views from March 3–9), and therefore we have decided to remove it from the list as most likely caused by non-human views.
 * Cat anatomy; explanation still unknown for its continuing high view counts

Specific removals this week (those articles for which no reason for any sudden popularity could be located):


 * Mark Linn-Baker
 * History of chocolate
 * Dirk Schulze-Makuch
 * Transformation matrix


 * Number of views needed to reach Top 25 this week: 341,598. Last week:
 * Almosts: YouTube (339,468 views); Waco siege (337,755 views); List of Game of Thrones episodes (321,612 views)
 * The revision of WP:5000 containing the data used to create list: