DearToe

Fa Ngum

2005-04-04T17:45:00.000-07:00

Fa Ngum was the grandson of Souvanna Khamphong, the last in a long line of local rulers of the principality of Muang Swa, later called Luang Prabang, on the upper Mekong River. According to local legend, Souvanna Khamphong banished Fa Ngum's father for having seduced

Béla Iii

2005-04-04T04:39:00.000-07:00

Béla was educated at the Byzantine court and placed on the throne by force of arms by the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus in 1173. He made the Hungarian monarchy hereditary by naming his infant son, Imre, his successor. He also made his court among the most brilliant in Europe. Béla adopted

Scandinavian Literature, Sources of modern Swedish literature

2005-04-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

Four influences combined to free Swedish literature from petrifying conventions: the English writings of Charles Darwin, Herbert Spencer, and John Stuart Mill; the French Naturalism of Émile Zola; the drama of the Norwegians Henrik Ibsen and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson; and the criticism of the Dane Georg Brandes. The modern literature growing out of this was first

Literature, Latin America.

2005-04-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

The Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes was the most prominent novelist of Latin America to publish a book in 1994. It was a year of particular significance for Latin-American writers of Fuentes' generation as well as for earlier writers. Fuentes published the novel Diana, o la cazadora solitaria, part of his lifelong project "The Era of Time." The novel, set in the world of Mexican

Gambetta, Léon

2005-04-02T10:06:00.000-08:00

French republican statesman who helped direct the defense of France during the Franco-German War of 1870–71. In helping to found the Third Republic, he made three essential contributions: first, by his speeches and articles, he converted many Frenchmen to the ideals of moderate democratic republicanism. Second, by his political

Dressing Table

2005-03-31T06:15:00.000-08:00

Also called Toilet Table, a table used for the toilet. The term originally was applied in the 17th century to small tables with two or three drawers. It soon became common practice to conceal the fittings of the dressing table when they were not in use, and great ingenuity was exercised by 18th-century cabinetmakers to combine the most convenient fittings with a handsome piece of furniture. In the

Alabama, Agriculture

2005-03-31T05:13:00.000-08:00

The Alabamian rural economy challenges the traditional view of a dependency on cotton. Although cotton still remains of local importance, it suffered a heavy blow with the onset of the boll weevil blight in 1915, and acreage continued to decline. Mechanization and consolidation increased the average farm size after the 1930s. The diversification of agricultural production

Quine, Willard Van Orman

2005-03-31T00:55:00.000-08:00

After studying mathematics and logic at Oberlin College (1926–30), Quine won a scholarship to Harvard University, where he completed his Ph.D. in 1932. On a traveling fellowship to Europe

Computers, Analog calculators: From Napier's logarithms to the slide rule

2005-03-30T01:50:00.000-08:00

Calculating devices took a different turn when John Napier, a Scottish mathematician, published his discovery of logarithms in 1614. As any person can attest, adding two 10-digit numbers is much simpler than multiplying them together, and the transformation of a multiplication problem into an addition problem is exactly what logarithms enable. This simplification

Hindu Kush, Animal life

2005-03-29T15:02:00.000-08:00

Well-adapted species of wildlife are found throughout the mountains. The Siberian ibex and the markhor (both wild goats) negotiate the high crags, while Marco Polo sheep and urial (another wild sheep) occasionally are found in the high pamir. Black and brown bears still exist in isolated valleys, and the Chitral valley wildlife preserve is a domain of the rare snow leopard.

Effen, Justus Van

2005-03-29T05:49:00.000-08:00

Dutch essayist and journalist whose straightforward didactic pieces, modelled on foreign examples, had a wholesome influence on the contemporary Dutch fashion of rococo writing. His other occupations included private tutor, secretary at the Netherlands embassy in London (1715 and 1727), and clerk in the Dutch government's warehouses

Sculpture

2005-03-28T19:54:00.000-08:00

A form of aesthetic expression in which hard or plastic materials are worked (as by carving, molding, or welding) into three-dimensional art objects. The designs may be embodied in freestanding objects, in reliefs on surfaces, or in environments ranging from tableaux to contexts that envelop the spectator. An enormous variety of media may be used, including clay, wax,

Christianity, The cosmological argument

2005-03-28T03:18:00.000-08:00

St. Thomas Aquinas gave the first-cause argument and the argument from contingency—both forms of cosmological reasoning—a central place for many centuries in the Christian enterprise of natural theology. (Similar arguments were also used in parallel strands of Islamic philosophy.) Thomas' formulations (Summa theologiae, I, Q. 2, art. 3) have been refined in modern neo-Thomist

Neurosecretory Cell

2005-03-28T02:48:00.000-08:00

A type of neuron, or nerve cell, whose function is to translate neural signals into chemical stimuli. Such cells produce secretions called neurohormones that travel along the neuron axon and are typically released into the bloodstream at neurohemal organs, regions in which the axon endings are in close contact with blood capillaries. Neurosecretory cells are

Jacana

2005-03-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

The seven or eight species of the genus Jacana include the American jacana (Jacana

Land Bridge

2005-03-26T01:43:00.000-08:00

Any of several isthmuses that have connected the Earth's major landmasses at various times, with the result that many species of plants and animals have extended their ranges to new areas. A land bridge that had a profound effect on the fauna of the New World extended from Siberia to Alaska during most of the Tertiary and Quaternary periods (beginning 66.4 million years

Taeniodont

2005-03-25T22:04:00.000-08:00

Any member of an extinct order (Taeniodonta) of mammals that lived in North America throughout the Paleocene and into the middle Eocene Epoch (66.4 to 43 million years ago). The taeniodonts may have been related to early edentates (insect-eating mammals) and probably evolved from an insectivorous to an herbivorous diet. They were distinguished by high-crowned teeth extending

Kuang-wu Ti

2005-03-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

Kuang-wu ti (“Shining Martial Emperor”) was a member of the imperial Liu family and a supposed descendant of Kao-tsu (reigned

Adams, John

2005-03-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

Early advocate of American independence from Great Britain, major figure in the Continental Congress (1774–77), author of the Massachusetts constitution (1780), signer of the Treaty of Paris (1783), first American ambassador to the Court of St. James (1785–88), first vice president (1789–97) and second president (1797–1801) of the United States. Although Adams was regarded by his contemporaries as one of the most significant statesmen of the revolutionary era, his reputation faded in the 19th century, only to ascend again during the last half of the 20th century. The modern edition of his correspondence prompted a rediscovery of his bracing honesty and pungent way with words, his importance as a political thinker, his realistic perspective on American foreign policy, and his patriarchal role as founder of one of the most prominent families in American history. (For a discussion of the history and nature of the presidency, see presidency of the United States of America. See also Cabinet of President John Adams.)

Carloman

2005-03-23T14:12:00.000-08:00

Second son of Louis II and king of France or the West Franks (882–884). On Louis II's death (879) Carloman was associated with his brother Louis III as king of the West Franks, but both, as the children of a first marriage that had been unacceptable to their grandfather Charles the Bald, had difficulty in obtaining recognition. On Louis's death (882) Carloman became sole ruler. He died while

Basavan

2005-03-23T02:26:00.000-08:00

An outstanding Mughal painter, renowned as a superb colourist and as a sensitive observer of human nature. His name indicates that he may have been a member of the Ahir, or cowherders' caste, in the region of modern Uttar Pradesh. He was most active between about 1580 and 1600, and his name appears on the margins of more than 100 paintings, most often as the designer, in

Trier

2005-03-22T05:36:00.000-08:00

Regierungsbezirk (administrative district), western Rhineland-Palatinate Land (state), southwestern Germany. Trier is bordered by Luxembourg and Belgium to the west, North Rhine–Westphalia Land to the north, the Regierungsbezirk of Koblenz to the east, and Saarland Land to the south. The district forms a southern portion of the larger historical region of the Rhineland

Kerensky, Aleksandr Fyodorovich

2005-03-22T00:15:00.000-08:00

While studying law at the University of St. Petersburg, Kerensky was attracted to the Narodniki (or populist) revolutionary movement. After graduating (1904), he joined the Socialist

Waite, Morrison Remick

2005-03-20T13:04:00.000-08:00

Seventh chief justice of the United States (1874–88), who frequently spoke for the Supreme Court in interpreting the post-Civil War constitutional amendments and in redefining governmental jurisdiction over commerce in view of the great expansion of American business. Reacting against the extreme nationalism predominant during

Marsh Marigold

2005-03-19T20:38:00.000-08:00

The stem of a marsh marigold is hollow, and the leaves are kidney-shaped, heart-shaped, or round. The glossy flowers are 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) across and have pink, white, or yellow sepals. Petals are absent. The stems, leaves, and roots

Courante

2005-03-19T16:53:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Courant (from Latin currere, “to run”), court dance for couples, prominent in the late 16th century and fashionable in aristocratic European ballrooms, especially in France and England, for the next 200 years. It reputedly originated as an Italian folk dance with running steps. As a court dance it was performed with small, back-and-forth, springing steps, later subdued to stately glides.

Dennis, Nigel

2005-03-19T02:35:00.000-08:00

Dennis spent his early childhood in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and was educated, in part, at the Odenwald School in Germany. He moved to Britain

Downing, Sir George

2005-03-18T05:26:00.000-08:00

The son of a Puritan lawyer, Downing was one of the first graduates of Harvard College,

Gray Birch

2005-03-17T22:08:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Grey Birch, also called Oldfield Birch, Wire Birch, or Poplar-leaved Birch (Betula populifolia), slender ornamental tree of the family Betulaceae, found in clusters on moist sites in northeastern North America. Rarely 12 m (40 feet) tall, it is covered almost to the ground with flexible branches that form a narrow, pyramidal crown. The thin, glossy, dark green, triangular leaves have long, thin stems and flutter in the wind. In one variety, the leaves are

Zacapú

2005-03-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

In full Zacapú De Mier, city, north-central Michoacán estado (“state”), west-central Mexico. It is in the Sierra de Nahuatzén, 6,500 feet (1,980 m) above sea level and west of Morelia, the state capital. Agriculture and livestock raising are the principal sources of income, the main crops being wheat, beans, and especially corn (maize). The remains of several Tarascan Indian buildings are nearby. The Heroica

Thompson, David

2005-03-17T01:23:00.000-08:00

Thompson was apprenticed to the Hudson's Bay Company

Aquinas, Thomas, Saint

2005-03-16T21:13:00.000-08:00

Thomas was born to parents who were in possession of a modest feudal domain on a boundary constantly disputed by the emperor and the pope. His father was of Lombard origin; his mother was of the later invading Norman strain. His people were distinguished in the service of Emperor Frederick II during the civil strife in southern Italy between the papal and imperial

Yamuna River

2005-03-16T13:14:00.000-08:00

The Yamuna then passes Delhi, where it feeds the Agra Canal. Near

Quinone

2005-03-16T03:35:00.000-08:00

Any member of a class of cyclic organic compounds containing two carbonyl groups, > C = O, either adjacent or separated by a vinylene group, -CH = CH-, in a six-membered unsaturated ring. In a few quinones, the carbonyl groups are located in different rings. The term quinone also denotes the specific compound para- (p-)benzoquinone (C6H4O2). The quinone structure

Sailfish

2005-03-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

(genus Istiophorus), valued food and game fish of the family Istiophoridae (order Perciformes) found in warm and temperate waters around the world. The sailfish has a long, rounded spear extending from its snout but is distinguished from related species, such as marlins, by its slimmer form, long pelvic fins, and, most especially, its large, saillike

Stainless Steel

2005-03-14T23:16:00.000-08:00

Any one of a family of alloy steels usually containing 10 to 30 percent chromium. In conjunction with low carbon contents, chromium imparts remarkable resistance to corrosion and heat. Other elements such as nickel, molybdenum, titanium, aluminum, niobium, copper, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and selenium may be added to increase corrosion resistance to specific environments,

China, Readjustment and recovery

2005-03-14T17:27:00.000-08:00

Mao's death and the purge of the Gang of Four left Hua Guofeng (Hua Kuo-feng), a compromise candidate elevated by Mao in the wake of the purge of Deng Xiaoping, as the official leader of China. Hua tried to consolidate his position by stressing his ties to Mao and his fidelity to Mao's basic ideas, but many others in the top leadership wanted to move away from precisely these

Kyrenia

2005-03-14T08:37:00.000-08:00

Greek Kirínia, Turkish Girne, city, situated along the northern coast of Cyprus, in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area. Founded by the Achaeans, ancient Greek colonists, and fortified by the Byzantines, Franks, and Venetians, the city was the administrative headquarters of the Kyrenia district of the Republic of Cyprus until the Turkish intervention in 1974. Kyrenia city is a market centre and

Egypt, Growth of Mamluk armies

2005-03-14T07:26:00.000-08:00

The only real security for Ayyubid Egypt lay in its independent military strength. This explains why one of the last sultans, al-Malik as-Salih Ayyub (died 1249), resorted to increased purchase of Turkish slaves—called Mamluks, a name derived from the Arabic word for slave—as a means of manning his armies. Although slave troops had formed an important part of Egyptian armies since

Aerospace Industry, Other secondary systems

2005-03-12T17:04:00.000-08:00

Aircraft secondary systems are reflected in an extensive industrial infrastructure,

Arupa-loka

2005-03-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

In arupa-loka, existence depends on the stage

Andiron

2005-03-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

One of a pair of horizontal iron bars upon which wood is supported in an open fireplace. The oldest of fireplace furnishings, andirons were used widely from the Late Iron Age. The andiron stands on short legs and usually has a vertical guard bar at the front to prevent logs from rolling off, thus giving it a somewhat doglike appearance (hence the alternative name, firedog).

Sundsvall

2005-03-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

Town and seaport in Västernorrland län (county), northern Sweden. It lies at the mouth of the Selånger River on the Gulf of Bothnia. It was chartered in 1624 by Gustavus II Adolphus. In 1721 it was burned by the Russians and in 1803 and 1888 it suffered further disastrous fires. The town centre, therefore, dates largely from the 1890s, when it was entirely rebuilt in brick and stone. Lying between

Raymond

2005-03-10T08:18:00.000-08:00

Raymond was the younger son of William VII, count of Poitiers, in west-central France. In 1135 King Fulk of the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem, regent for the heiress Constance of Antioch, sent envoys to offer her in marriage to Raymond,

Denbighshire

2005-03-09T10:15:00.000-08:00

Welsh Sir Ddinbych county of northern Wales extending inland from the Irish Sea coast. The present county of Denbighshire includes the Vale of Clwyd along the River Clwyd and an inland area between the Clwydian Range in the east and the Clocaenog Forest in the west that ascends to the Berwyn mountains in the south. The lower Vale of Clywd and the seacoast are part of the historic county

Anthem

2005-03-09T01:06:00.000-08:00

At first, unaccompanied choral writing, or

Raymond

2005-03-08T15:35:00.000-08:00

Also called Steller's sea cow very large aquatic mammal, now extinct, that once inhabited nearshore areas of the Komandor Islands in the Bering Sea. Steller's sea cows were wiped out by hunters in the 18th century less than 30 years after they were first discovered by Arctic explorers. Today, the term sea cow is sometimes used to refer to other sirenians, namely, the manatee and the

Acrisol

2005-03-08T02:55:00.000-08:00

One of the 30 soil groups in the classification system of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Acrisols form on old landscapes that have an undulating topography and a humid tropical climate. Their natural vegetation is woodland, which in some areas has given way to tree savanna maintained by seasonal burning. The age, mineralogy, and extensive leaching of these

Jansen, Cornelius Otto

2005-03-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

Flemish leader of the Roman Catholic reform movement known as Jansenism. He wrote biblical commentaries and pamphlets against the Protestants. His major work was Augustinus, published by his friends in 1640. Although condemned by Pope Urban VIII in 1642, it was of critical importance

Amelanchier

2005-03-07T03:04:00.000-08:00

Genus of flowering shrubs and small trees of the rose family (Rosaceae), several species of which have entered cultivation as ornamental plants. Most species are North American; exceptions include the shrubby A. ovalis, which ranges over Europe, and A. asiatica, a small tree of East Asia. A number of amelanchiers are variously called juneberry,

Luangwa River

2005-03-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

Portuguese Rio Aruângua, river rising on the Malawi–Zambia border, southern Africa. From its source near Isoka, Zambia, it flows 500 miles (800 km) south-southwest, skirting the Muchinga Mountains to join the Zambezi River between Luangwa (formerly Feira), Zambia, and Zumbo, Mozambique. The river valley is the site of several game parks. Along its lower course the Luangwa forms part of the Zambia–Mozambique

Amelanchier

2005-03-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

Extinct birds found as fossils in Late Cretaceous Period deposits dating from about 120 million to 65 million years ago; this bird is known mostly from the Great Plains region of the United States, but some remains have been found as far north as Alaska. Hesperornis was primitive in that teeth were present in the lower jaw; the rear portion of the upper jaw also

Ustinov, Dmitry Fedorovich

2005-03-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

An engineer by profession, Ustinov graduated in 1934 from the Military Institute of Mechanics in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and worked first as a construction engineer, then as director of a Leningrad armament factory. In 1941 Stalin appointed Ustinov people's

Indian Paint Brush

2005-03-05T05:11:00.000-08:00

Also called Painted Cup, Painted Lady, or Paint Brush, any plant of the genus Castilleja (family Scrophulariaceae), which contains about 200 species of partially or wholly parasitic plants that derive nourishment from the roots of other plants. For this reason the plants are seldom cultivated successfully in the flower garden. The small, tubular flowers are irregular (two-lipped). They are surrounded by upper

Murdock, William

2005-03-04T04:20:00.000-08:00

In 1777 Murdock entered the engineering firm of Matthew Boulton and James Watt in their Soho works at Birmingham and about two years later was sent to Cornwall to superintend the fitting

Cultural Revolution

2005-03-03T23:38:00.000-08:00

In full Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, Wade-Giles romanization Wu-ch'an Chieh-chi Wen-hua Ta Ke-ming, Pinyin Wuchanjieji Wenhua Dageming, upheaval launched by Chinese Communist Party chairman Mao Zedong during his last decade in power (1966–76) to renew the spirit of the Chinese revolution. Fearing that China would develop along the lines of the Soviet model and concerned about his own place in history, Mao threw China's cities into turmoil in a monumental effort to reverse the historic processes

Spondylolisthesis

2005-03-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

Forward slipping of the body of one of the lumbar (lower back) vertebrae on the subjacent vertebra or on the sacrum, the triangular bone at the base of the spinal column. The condition is often associated with incompleteness of the vertebral arch, which surrounds the spinal cord. Pressure transmitted to the arch from above encourages slippage. Deformity (lordosis)

Torgau

2005-03-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

City, Saxony Land (state), eastern Germany. It is a port on the Elbe River, northeast of Leipzig. First mentioned in 973 and chartered in 1255–67, it was, after 1456, a frequent residence of the electors of Saxony, who built the Hartenfels Castle (1533–44 and 1616–23; now a museum). In 1526 the Torgauer Bund, a league of evangelical princes against the Roman Catholic princes, was formed there. During that period Martin

Bolivia, Ethnic and linguistic groups

2005-03-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

The population of Bolivia consists of three groups—Indians (the indigenous peoples), mestizos (of mixed Indian and European descent), and whites of European (mainly Spanish) descent. After centuries of intermixing, it is difficult to determine the proportion of each, but it is estimated that Indians form nearly three-fifths of the total, mestizos nearly one-third, and

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

2005-03-02T04:15:00.000-08:00

Black Methodist church in the United States, organized in 1821; it adopted its present name in 1848. It developed from a congregation formed by a group of blacks who in 1796 left the John Street Methodist Church in New York City because of discrimination. They built their first church (Zion) in 1800 and were served for many years by white ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1821 a

Latin American Central Of Workers

2005-03-02T00:28:00.000-08:00

Spanish Central Latinoamericana de Trabajadores (CLAT), regional Christian Democrat trade union federation linked to the World Confederation of Labour (WCL). Its affiliated member groups represent some 10,000,000 workers in more than 35 Latin-American and Caribbean countries and territories. Its headquarters are in Caracas, Venez. From its founding in 1954 until 1971 it was known as the Latin American Federation of Christian Trade

Köflach

2005-03-01T06:33:00.000-08:00

Town, Steiermark Bundesland (federal state), southern Austria, west of Graz. Köflach received market rights in 1170 but did not achieve town status until 1939. It is a rail terminus and has glass and porcelain works. Important lignite (brown coal) mines are nearby, and the Lipizzaner horses (originating from the former Austrian imperial stud at Lipizza, near Trieste; see photograph

O'casey, Sean

2005-02-28T19:37:00.000-08:00

O'Casey was born into a lower middle-class Irish Protestant family. His father died when John was six, and thereafter the family became progressively poorer.

Celestine (ii)

2005-02-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

After the death of Calixtus II, the rival houses of Frangipani and Pierleoni struggled for the papal throne. The Pierleonis' candidate, Theobald (who would have been Celestine II), was simultaneously elected pope with the Frangipanis' candidate,

Arges River

2005-02-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

River, that rises in the South ern Carpathians, on the southern faces of Moldoveanu and Negoiu peaks in the Fagaras Range, southern Romania. The river's principal tributaries from the mountains include the Vâlsan, Doamnei, and Târgului rivers. It flows southward through Curtea de Arges and Pitesti, in the sub-Carpathians, and then southeastward across the Danube Plain to

Malanggan Style

2005-02-28T08:33:00.000-08:00

Malanggan carvings take the form of friezes, masks, and sculpture,

Pietra Dura

2005-02-26T17:40:00.000-08:00

(Italian: “hard stone”), in mosaic, any of several kinds of hard stone used in commesso mosaic work, an art that flourished in Florence particularly in the late 16th and 17th centuries and involved the fashioning of highly illusionistic pictures out of cut-to-shape pieces of coloured stone. The resulting decorative mosaics were used primarily for tabletops and small wall

More, Sir Anthony

2005-02-25T23:35:00.000-08:00

More studied his art under Jan van Scorel, and, after making a professional visit to Italy, he began to paint portraits in the style of Hans Holbein. His rise to eminence was rapid. In 1552 he was invited to Madrid by the emperor Charles V. In 1554 he

Crab Spider

2005-02-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

The body of the crab spider is gray or brown in colour and is about 12 mm (0.5 inch) long. Members of Misumena

Gulbarga

2005-02-25T01:28:00.000-08:00

City, northeastern Karnataka (formerly Mysore) state, India. Originally included in the territory of the Kakatiyas of Warangal, the city was annexed to the sultanate of Delhi in the early 14th century, first by the general Ulugh Khan and then by the sultan Muhammad ibn Tughluq. After the sultan's death, it fell to the Bahmani kingdom (of which it was the capital between 1347 and c. 1424) and, upon

Amreli

2005-02-24T04:42:00.000-08:00

Formerly Amaravalli, town, southwestern Gujarat state, west-central India. The town lies on the Kathiawar Peninsula, 125 miles (200 km) southwest of Ahmadabad. Primarily a commercial centre, its industries include the manufacture of khadi (coarse cotton cloth), tanning, silverworking, and cotton ginning. Amreli is served by a railway and an airfield. Chief crops of the surrounding area are millet, peanuts

Amphibole

2005-02-23T19:23:00.000-08:00

Any of a group of common rock-forming silicate minerals.

Activation

2005-02-23T15:53:00.000-08:00

Also called arousal in psychology, the stimulation of the cerebral cortex into a state of general wakefulness, or attention. Activation proceeds from various portions of the brain, but primarily from the reticular formation, the nerve network in the midbrain that monitors ingoing and outgoing sensory and motor impulses. Activation, however, is not the same as direct cortical stimulation

Performing Arts, Classical.

2005-02-23T01:59:00.000-08:00

Although the general atmosphere in the world of classical concerts and especially opera had been increasingly pessimistic in recent years, the approach of the millennium was bringing a sense of anticipation that could be described only as healthy. Although nothing specific had occurred to bring this about, there seemed to be a growing determination to make

Endlicher, Stephan

2005-02-22T17:09:00.000-08:00

Endlicher turned from the study of theology to that of natural history and medicine while at the Universities of Budapest and Vienna (M.D., 1840). In 1836 he became curator of the Vienna Museum of Natural History, to which he would eventually

Pregnancy, Amniocentesis

2005-02-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

In the procedure of amniocentesis, amniotic fluid is aspirated (withdrawn) from the uterus by a needle inserted through a woman's abdomen, using ultrasound to circumnavigate the fetus and placenta. Spinal cord defects and a host of genetic abnormalities such as Down syndrome and autosomal recessive diseases such as Tay-Sachs disease and cystic fibrosis can be

Vrjji

2005-02-21T17:04:00.000-08:00

Pali Vajji confederacy of the Licchavis and neighbouring peoples in Bihar, India, that existed from the 6th century BC to the 4th century AD. Its capital was at Vaisali (in modern Besarh). It was governed as an aristocratic republic. Gautama Buddha is said to have modeled the organizational structure of the Buddhist monastic order, sangha, on the government of the Vrjji. In the 4th century BC the

Seth, Vikram

2005-02-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

The son of a judge and a businessman, Seth was raised in London and India. He attended exclusive Indian schools and then graduated from Corpus Christi College, Oxford (B.A., 1975). He received a master's degree in economics from Stanford University

Middle Anglia

2005-02-20T02:27:00.000-08:00

A province of Anglo-Saxon England lying between East Anglia and Mercia. It certainly comprised the basins of the Nene, Welland, and Great Ouse, with the districts west of the fens and probably extended into present Oxfordshire. Parts of the area were settled early, but nothing is known of its political history until 653, when it was subject to Mercia, under the rule of Penda's

Cereal Processing, Pasta products

2005-02-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

Alimentary pastes include such products as macaroni, spaghetti, vermicelli, and noodles. Such products are often called pastas. Italy is regarded as the place of origin of macaroni products, and annual consumption in that country is as high as 30–35 kilograms (65–75 pounds) per person. Annual consumption is about 6.3 kilograms in France, 3.7 in the United States, and only 0.4 kilogram in the

Novalis

2005-02-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

Novalis was born into a family of Protestant Lower Saxon nobility and took his pseudonym from “de Novali,” a name his family had formerly used. Young Novalis studied law at the University of Jena

China, Early man

2005-02-19T01:07:00.000-08:00

The fossil record in China promises fundamental contributions to the understanding of human origins. There is considerable evidence of Homo erectus by the time of the Lower Paleolithic (the Paleolithic Period began c. 2,500,000 years ago and ended 10,000 years ago) at sites such as Lan-t'ien, Shensi; Ho-hsien, Anhwei; Yüan-mou, Yunnan; and, the most famous, that of so-called Peking man at Chou-k'ou-tien

La Línea

2005-02-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

In full La Línea de la Concepción town, Cadiz provincia, in the comunidad autónoma (“autonomous community”) of Andalusia, southwestern Spain. It lies along the Bay of Gibraltar, between San Roque and the British colony of Gibraltar. The name is derived from the línea, or boundary, dividing Spanish territory from the district of Gibraltar. The town processes fruit and vegetables for sale in Gibraltar,

Venom

2005-02-18T05:27:00.000-08:00

The poisonous secretion of an animal, produced by specialized glands that are often associated with spines, teeth, stings, or other piercing devices. The venom apparatus may be primarily for killing or paralyzing prey or may be a purely defensive adaptation. Some venoms also function as digestive fluids. The venom poisoning of humans is primarily a problem of rural

Ahaggar

2005-02-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Hoggar, large plateau in the north centre of the Sahara, on the Tropic of Cancer, North Africa. Its height is above 3,000 feet (900 m), culminating in Mount Tahat (9,573 feet [2,918 m]) in southeastern Algeria. The plateau, about 965 miles (1,550 km) north to south and 1,300 miles (2,100 km) east to west, is rocky desert composed of black volcanic (basalt) necks and of flows rising above a pink granite massif. The main caravan route to

Hsin-yang

2005-02-17T04:52:00.000-08:00

Pinyin Xinyang city in southern Honan sheng (province), China. Hsin-yang is in the very south of the Honan plain, in the basin between the Ta-pieh Mountains and the Huai River. It has traditionally been on a cultural divide between the plain and the hilly districts to the south. It was also a natural route centre on the Shih River, a tributary of the Huai. The Shih has become passable for relatively

Kraljevo

2005-02-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

Just 3 miles

Heterogeneous Reaction

2005-02-16T14:09:00.000-08:00

Any of a class of chemical reactions in which the reactants are components of two or more phases (solid and gas, solid and liquid, two immiscible liquids) or in which one or more reactants undergo chemical change at an interface, e.g., on the surface of a solid catalyst. The reaction of metals with acids, the electrochemical changes that occur in batteries and electrolytic

Smith, Joseph, Iii

2005-02-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

Smith was a boy of 11 when his father was murdered by a mob, and he did not go to Utah with Brigham Young's group but remained in Nauvoo, Ill., with his mother and a group of followers

Amasya

2005-02-15T22:01:00.000-08:00

Historically Amaseia , or Amasia city, capital of Amasya il (province), northern Turkey, on the Yesil River, also called the Iris River. Capital of the kings of Pontus until about 183 BC, it was made a free city and the administrative centre of a large territory by Pompey in 65 BC. In the 2nd century AD, it received the titles “metropolis” and “first city” under the Romans. It was the capital of the Turkmen Danismend emirs until annexed

Arts, East Asian, Architecture

2005-02-14T20:59:00.000-08:00

While little remains except walls and tombs, much can be learned about Han architecture from historical writings and long descriptive poems, fu. This was an era of great palace buildings. The first Ch'in emperor undertook the building of a vast palace, the A-fang or O-pang, whose main hall was intended to accommodate 10,000 guests in its upper story. He also copied the palaces

La Harpe, Frédéric-césar De

2005-02-13T05:22:00.000-08:00

Resentment of Bernese administration in his native Vaud caused La Harpe to go abroad, and at the Russian imperial court he found employment as tutor to the future tsar Alexander

David

2005-02-13T04:29:00.000-08:00

Capital of Chiriquí provincia, western Panama, on the Río David and surrounded by fruit groves. It is Panama's largest city outside of the Panama City metropolitan area and is an important commercial centre, served by the Pacific seaports of Pedregal and Puerto Armuelles on the Gulf of Chiriquí and by Enrique Malek Airport. Industries include meatpacking, food processing

Arrowsmith, Aaron

2005-02-13T00:21:00.000-08:00

Without a formal education Arrowsmith went to London c. 1770 and, after working as a surveyor, established himself as a mapmaker and publisher. His large world map (1790) established his reputation. A

Stresemann, Gustav

2005-02-12T06:03:00.000-08:00

After completing his studies, Stresemann began his professional career in a trade association. Unusually rapid success in commerce gave him a springboard into politics. As an administrative assistant in the German Chocolate Makers' Association from 1901 to 1904, he gained a reputation as an accomplished organizer and negotiator. By 1902 he had founded the Saxon Manufacturers'

Housecarl

2005-02-11T23:03:00.000-08:00

Canute's 3,000-man force, which remained in England after the invasion army had been sent home, does not represent

Rouen Ware

2005-02-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

Faience (tin-glazed earthenware) and porcelain wares that made Rouen, Fr., a major pottery centre. In the 16th century faience was used as an element of architectural decoration and in apothecary jars. A Rouen potter, Edme Poterat, who opened a factory in Rouen in 1647, is credited with the invention of France's soft-paste porcelain. He also introduced the radiating festoon style

Abauzit, Firmin

2005-02-11T16:16:00.000-08:00

Abauzit was born of Huguenot parents and was sent at age 10 to live in Geneva so that he would escape the strictures (enforced Roman Catholicism) brought about by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. In 1698 he undertook an extensive journey through Germany, the Netherlands,

Earth, The magnetotail current

2005-02-10T00:16:00.000-08:00

Radially outward near local midnight rather than at local noon, there is an entirely different current system. Beginning at approximately 10 Re and extending well beyond 200 Re is the tail current system. This current is from dawn to dusk in the same direction as the ring current on the nightside of the Earth. In fact, it is produced by the same mechanism except that, in this

Asbest

2005-02-09T10:55:00.000-08:00

City, Sverdlovsk oblast (province), west-central Russia. It lies in the eastern foothills of the middle Ural Mountains. Developed from the settlement of Kudelka, founded in 1720 around the first Russian discovery of asbestos—from which it takes its name—it became a city in 1933. Asbestos production from the Bazhenovo deposit has been carried on since the 1880s. A century later the