NarrowLock

Facsimile

2005-03-23T13:25:00.000-08:00

Also called Fax, or Telefax, in telecommunications, the transmission and reproduction of documents by wire or radio wave. Common fax machines are designed to scan printed textual and graphic material and then transmit the information through the telephone network to similar machines, where the documents are reproduced in close to their original form. Such machines, because of their low

Cariboo Road

2005-03-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

Wagon trail that was constructed (1862–65) in the Fraser River valley, in southern British Columbia, Canada, to serve the Cariboo gold rush. The trail extended more than 400 miles (644 km) from Yale, at the head of steamboat navigation on the Fraser River, through Ashcroft, to Barkerville in the Cariboo Mountains. The project was regarded as an engineering triumph because of the precipitous

Encke, Johann Franz

2005-03-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

Encke was educated at Hamburg and the University of Göttingen, where he worked under the direction of Carl Friedrich Gauss. In 1816 Encke became assistant at the Seeberg Observatory near Gotha, Ger., where he was made vice director in 1820 and director

Domenichino

2005-03-17T05:33:00.000-08:00

He was trained in the academy of Lodovico Carracci and in 1602 was in Rome, where he joined the Bolognese artists at work under the direction of Annibale Carracci in

Amphibian, Critical appraisal

2005-03-16T13:19:00.000-08:00

The Lissamphibia is a well-corroborated monophyletic group containing all the living orders of amphibians. However, the placement of the Lissamphibia within an overall classification of the Amphibia remains questionable. Within the Lissamphibia the superorder Gymnophiona contains the order Apoda (caecilians) and their sister group, an extinct unnamed taxon

France, History Of, Charles VII

2005-03-13T02:37:00.000-08:00

Charles VI's son, Charles VII (ruled 1422–61), for his part, did not fail to claim his inheritance, though he had no proper coronation. Residing at Bourges, which his adversaries pretended was the extent of his realm, he in fact retained the fidelity of the greater part of France, including Berry, Poitou, Lyonnais, Auvergne, and Languedoc. For a time the Valois cause suffered from the

Bydgoszcz Canal

2005-03-12T23:16:00.000-08:00

Polish Kanal Bydgoski , German Bromberger-Kanal canal in Bydgoszcz województwo (province), north-central Poland. It extends for 17 miles (27 km) between Naklo (west) and the inland port-city of Bydgoszcz (east) between the Notec and Brda rivers and links the Vistula River basin with that of the Oder. Construction of the 64-foot- (20-metre-) wide canal was completed in 1774 under Frederick II, who had annexed the region to Prussia in 1772.

Ethiopic Alphabet

2005-03-09T23:39:00.000-08:00

Writing system used to write the Ge'ez literary and ecclesiastical language and the Amharic, Tigre, and Tigrinya languages of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Apparently derived from Sabaean, a South Semitic script, the Ethiopic script probably originated in the early 4th century AD; it is unclear whether Ethiopic resulted from a gradual evolution of the Sabaean script or whether

Taliban

2005-03-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

Persian Taleban (“Students”) , also spelled Taleban ultraconservative political and religious faction that emerged in Afghanistan in the mid 1990s following the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the collapse of Afghanistan's communist regime, and the subsequent breakdown in civil order. The faction took its name from its membership, which consisted largely of students trained in madrasahs (Islamic religious schools)

Biblical Literature, Early stages

2005-03-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

The beginnings of biblical exegesis are found in the Old Testament itself, where earlier documents are interpreted in later documents, as in the recasting of earlier laws in later codes, or the Chronicler's reworking of material in Samuel and Kings. In addition, even before the Babylonian Exile (586 BC) there is evidence of the kind of midrashic exposition (nonliteral interpretations)

Olympus, Mount

2005-03-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

Mount Olympus is snowcapped and often has cloud

Neo-confucianism

2005-03-02T22:35:00.000-08:00

In Japan, the official guiding philosophy of the Tokugawa period (1603–1867). This philosophy profoundly influenced the thought and behaviour of the educated class. The tradition, introduced into Japan from China by Zen Buddhists in the medieval period, provided a heavenly sanction for the existing social order. In the Neo-Confucian view, harmony was maintained by a reciprocal

Yamato Takeru

2005-02-27T18:09:00.000-08:00

The legendary son of the legendary 12th emperor Keiko, Yamato Takeru was supposedly responsible for expanding the territory of the Yamato court. His story appears in the chronicles Kojiki (completed in 712) and Nihon Shoki (“Japanese Chronicles”; completed in 720). In the stories, he subdued two uncouth Kumaso warriors

Turan Plain

2005-02-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Uzbek Turon extensive lowland in southwestern Kazakhstan and northwestern Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. It is bounded by the Saryarqa (Kazakh uplands) in the north, the outliers of the Tien Shan, Pamir, and Alay mountains in the east, the Kopet-Dag Range in the south, and the Caspian Sea in the west. It is traversed by the lower courses of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya, both of which drain

Coney Island

2005-02-24T09:57:00.000-08:00

Amusement area in the southern part of the borough of Brooklyn in New York, N.Y., U.S., fronting the Atlantic Ocean. Formerly an island, it was known to Dutch settlers as Konijn Eiland (“Rabbit Island”), which was presumably Anglicized as Coney Island. It became part of Long Island after Coney Island Creek silted up to form a sandbar (about 5 miles [8 km] long and 0.25–1 mile [0.4–1.6 km] wide) between

Lillehei, C(larence) Walton

2005-02-22T02:22:00.000-08:00

American surgeon who in 1952 performed the first successful open-heart operation; he also helped develop the first wearable pacemaker and artificial heart valves (b. Oct. 23, 1918, Minneapolis, Minn.—d. July 5, 1999, St. Paul, Minn.).

Nietzsche, Friedrich

2005-02-20T22:05:00.000-08:00

Apart from the books Nietzsche wrote between 1879 and 1889, it is doubtful that his life held any intrinsic interest. Seriously ill, half-blind, in virtually unrelenting pain, he lived in boarding houses in Switzerland, the French Riviera, and Italy, with only limited human contact. His friendship with Paul Rée was undermined by 1882 by their mutual if unacknowledged affection for

France, History Of, The political history of France (c. 8501180)

2005-02-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

The fragmentation of political power meant that the kings of France were forced into rivalries, alliances, and conflicts with the princes, who were for many generations the real rulers of France.

Bérenger, Alphonse-marie

2005-02-16T03:18:00.000-08:00

Appointed judge in Grenoble in 1808, Bérenger had a successful career in the magistracy during Napoleon's First Empire and served as a representative for Drôme département during Napoleon's

Brod, Max

2005-02-13T00:59:00.000-08:00

Brod studied law at the University of Prague, and in 1902 he met and befriended Kafka. Brod later worked as a minor government

Kodiak Island

2005-02-11T19:21:00.000-08:00

Island, southern Alaska, U.S. It lies in the Gulf of Alaska and is separated from the Alaska Peninsula by Shelikof Strait. Kodiak Island is 100 miles (160 km) long and 10–60 miles (16–96 km) wide. It has an area of 3,588 square miles (9,293 square km). Heavily forested in the higher eastern regions and covered with grasses in lower areas, it is primarily hilly (exceeding 5,000 feet [1,500 metres] near the eastern coast). The

Thomas, Sidney Gilchrist

2005-02-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

Thomas was preparing to matriculate in medicine at London University when his father died.

Safi Od-din

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

Safi od-Din, a descendant of a family of provincial administrators, obtained his early education in Ardabil, where his family held dependencies as a land grant from the central government. Later, in Shiraz, he was influenced by Sufi (mystical) teachings. He then traveled to the province of Gilan (the Iranian

Cohong

2005-02-05T03:28:00.000-08:00

Wade–Giles romanization kung-hung , also called hong , or cong-hong the guild of Chinese merchants authorized by the central government to trade with Western merchants at Canton prior to the first Opium War (1839–42). Such firms often were called “foreign-trade firms” (yang-hang) and the merchants who directed them “hong merchants” (hang-shang). In existence by the mid-17th century, these merchants theoretically numbered 13 but frequently totalled

Kolbe, Hermann

2005-02-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

After studying chemistry with Friedrich Wöhler, Kolbe became an assistant to Robert Bunsen at the University of Marburg in 1842. Subsequently he assisted Lyon Playfair at the

Aragats, Mount

2005-02-02T06:53:00.000-08:00

Russian Gora Aragats, also spelled Gora Aragac, mountain in Armenia, northwest of Yerevan and north of the Ararat Plain. The highest point in both Armenia and the Lesser Caucasus range (13,418 feet [4,090 m]), Aragats is a circular, shieldlike mountain composed of both lavas and tufas. A volcanic cone of recent geologic age lies atop far older rocks. The crater of the volcano has become the steep-walled basin, or cirque, of a glacier,

Maccoll, Ewan

2005-01-31T21:02:00.000-08:00

MacColl's parents were singers and taught him many folk songs. He left school at 14, taking a variety of blue-collar jobs and working as a singer and actor. In 1945 he and Joan Littlewood founded Theatre Workshop; he was the company's artistic director until 1953 and wrote a number of plays for it. MacColl

Byssinosis

2005-01-29T23:47:00.000-08:00

Also called Brown Lung, or Brown Lung Disease, respiratory disorder, a type of pneumoconiosis caused by dust from cotton and other fibres, common among textile workers. When inhaled, the dust stimulates histamine release, which causes constriction of the air passages, making breathing difficult. Over time the dust accumulates in the lung, producing a typical discoloration that gives the disease its common

Lut Desert

2005-01-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

Persian Dasht-e Lut, also spelled Dasht-i Lut, desert in eastern Iran. It stretches about 200 miles (320 km) from northwest to southeast and is about 100 miles wide. In the east a great massif of dunes and sand rises, while in the west an extensive area of high ridges is separated by wind-swept corridors. In its lowest, salt-filled depression—less than 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level—the summer heat and low humidity are believed to be unsurpassed

Ferdinand Ii

2005-01-24T23:52:00.000-08:00

The son of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (and cousin of Prince Albert of Great Britain), he was married to Maria in January 1836, only 10 months after the sudden death of

North Germanic Languages, Icelandic

2005-01-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

Important factors in the survival of Icelandic during the period of Danish rule were its continued use for literary purposes, the geographic remoteness of Iceland, a scattered population, and the great linguistic differences between Danish and Icelandic. While the Scandinavian languages in continental Europe were losing inflection, Icelandic preserved

Sforza, Carlo, Conte (count)

2005-01-19T19:15:00.000-08:00

Sforza entered the diplomatic service in 1896 and served in Cairo, Paris, Constantinople, Beijing, Bucharest, Madrid, London, and Belgrade. He was undersecretary of state for foreign affairs

Adanson, Michel

2005-01-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

In 1749 Adanson left for Senegal to spend four years as an employee with the Compagnie des Indes, a trading company. He returned with a large collection of plant specimens,

Nalchik

2005-01-15T11:09:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Nalcik, city and capital of Kabardino-Balkariya, southwestern Russia. The city lies along the Nalchik River where the latter leaves the Caucasian foothills. Founded as a Russian fortress in 1818, the town remained unimportant until after the October Revolution (1917). Now it is a popular holiday, climbing, and health resort, with several sanatoriums. There is considerable industry,

China, Internal solidarity during the decline of the Nan Sung

2005-01-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

Honouring the Chu Hsi school did not reinvigorate the Nan Sung administration, but the military, despite some weaknesses, maintained an effective defense against the Mongols for four decades—the longest stand against Mongol invasions anywhere. The final Sung defeat came in part because the Mongol forces, frustrated for many years in their attempts to break the

Halden

2005-01-11T13:54:00.000-08:00

Formerly Fredrikshald, town, Østfold fylke (county), southeastern Norway. It lies along Idde Fjord, which forms part of the border between Norway and Sweden, at the mouth of the Tistedalselva (river). The site was settled in ancient times, and the modern town, founded in 1661, was known as Fredrikshald from 1665 to 1928. Its 17th-century Fredriksten Fort was a strategic border stronghold that withstood many attacks

Armenian Rite

2005-01-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

The system of liturgical practices and discipline observed by both the Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox) Church and the Armenian Catholics. The Armenians, who regard themselves as the “first Christian nation,” were converted to Christianity by St. Gregory the Illuminator about AD 300. The Liturgy of St. Gregory the Illuminator, used by both Apostolic and Catholic Armenians,

Kazan

2005-01-05T18:47:00.000-08:00

Ancient Kazan (Iske Kazan) was founded in the late 13th century by the Mongols (Tatars) of the Golden Horde after their overthrow of the

Davies, Emily

2005-01-03T01:53:00.000-08:00

Educated at home, Davies joined the campaign for the emancipation of women with

Locomotion, Invertebrates

2004-12-31T08:54:00.000-08:00

As in the protozoans, aquatic locomotion in invertebrates (animals without backbones) consists of both swimming and bottom movements. In swimming, the propulsive force is derived entirely from the interaction between the organism and the water; in bottom movements, the bottom surface provides the interacting surface. Whereas some bottom movements are identical

Hölderlin, (johann Christian) Friedrich

2004-12-30T22:38:00.000-08:00

Hölderlin was born in a little Swabian town on the River Neckar. His father died in 1772, and two years afterward his mother married the burgomaster of the town of Nürtingen, where

Mind

2004-12-28T00:28:00.000-08:00

To the extent that mind is manifested in observable

Rowboat

2004-12-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

A true rowboat or sculling boat has an easy motion through the water and, most important, glides between strokes. Thus the boat's forward motion never ceases; each stroke of the oar keeps the boat underway, and a steady tempo

Dyer, Sir Edward

2004-12-23T22:15:00.000-08:00

Educated at the University of Oxford, Dyer went to court under the patronage of the Earl of Leicester. Dyer was a friend of Sir Philip Sidney, on whose death he wrote an elegy

Audiovisual Education

2004-12-21T18:24:00.000-08:00

Audiovisual education has developed rapidly since the 1920s by drawing on new technologies of communication, most recently the computer. History has shown that pictures, specimens, demonstrations,

Theatre, Western, Shamanism

2004-12-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

A second theory proposes that theatre evolved from shamanistic rituals that manifested to the audience a supernatural presence, as opposed to giving a symbolic representation of it. In this case the shaman, as actor/priest, was able to put himself into a trance and become a medium with the other world. He was believed to travel in the spirit world or be actually possessed

Böhtlingk, Otto Von

2004-12-17T04:54:00.000-08:00

While completing his education at the University of Bonn (1839–42), Böhtlingk published a two-volume edition (1839–40) of the earliest known grammar, that of

Teal

2004-12-15T17:28:00.000-08:00

Any of about 15 small ducks of the genus Anas (family Anatidae), found on the six major continents and many islands. Within the divisions of true duck species, the teal belong in the dabbling duck (q.v.) group. Many of the teal are popular as game birds, the best known being the Holarctic green-winged teal (A. crecca), a bird about 33–38 centimetres (13–15 inches) in length, usually found in dense

Chiatura

2004-12-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Ciatura, city, central Georgia. Chiatura lies along the Kvirila River in a deep trench in the southern foothills of the Greater Caucasus range. It is the centre of one of the largest manganese-mining areas of the world. The ore, which was first discovered in 1849, has been exploited since 1879. The city and its ore-enriching plants cluster in the narrow valley, with the mines in the surrounding

Kanye

2004-12-12T13:23:00.000-08:00

Village, southern Botswana. It lies along a main road southwest of Gaborone, the national capital. It is one of the country's largest villages and the traditional headquarters of the Bangwaketse people. Kanye is equipped with a mission hospital, an airfield, banks, and schools. Pop. (1984 est.) 23,000.

Sila

2004-12-10T19:56:00.000-08:00

Buddhist morality is codified in the form of 10 precepts (dasa-sila), which require

Epictetus

2004-12-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

Epictetus is most frequently mentioned in connection with a series of medallions on plates in the British Museum in London and the Cabinet des Médailles in Paris. The medallion paintings

Daffodil

2004-12-05T00:57:00.000-08:00

Also called common daffodil , or trumpet narcissus (species Narcissus pseudonarcissus) bulb-forming flowering plant of the genus Narcissus (q.v.), native to northern Europe and widely cultivated there and in North America. The daffodil grows to about 16 inches (41 cm) in height and has five or six leaves that grow from the bulb and are about 12 inches (30 cm) long. The stem bears one large yellow blossom with a corolla deeply cleft into six lobes and a central bell-shaped

Aquifer

2004-12-04T22:36:00.000-08:00

A confined aquifer is a water-bearing stratum that is confined or overlain by a rock

Iran, The growth of social discontent

2004-12-01T04:18:00.000-08:00

Petroleum revenues continued to fuel Iran's economy in the 1970s, and in 1973 Iran concluded a new 20-year oil agreement with the consortium of Western firms led by British Petroleum. This agreement gave direct control of Iranian oil fields to the government under the auspices of the NIOC and initiated a standard seller-buyer relationship between the NIOC and the oil companies.

Cadmus

2004-11-30T23:24:00.000-08:00

In Greek mythology, the son of Phoenix or Agenor (king of Phoenicia) and brother of Europa. Europa was carried off by Zeus, king of the gods, and Cadmus was sent out to find her. Unsuccessful, he consulted the Delphic oracle, which ordered him to give up his quest, follow a cow, and build a town on the spot where she lay down. The cow guided him to Boeotia (Cow Land), where he founded

Danelaw

2004-11-27T00:44:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Danelagh, or Danelaga, the northern, central, and eastern region of Anglo-Saxon England colonized by invading Danish armies in the late 9th century. In the 11th and 12th centuries, it was recognized that all of eastern England between the Rivers Tees and Thames formed a region in which a distinctive form of customary law prevailed in the local courts, differing from West Saxon law to the south

India, Nadir Shah's invasion

2004-11-26T00:40:00.000-08:00

The obvious weakness of the Mughal Empire invited Nadir Shah's descent upon the plains of northern India for plunder and spoil. For years the defenses of the northwest had been neglected. Nadir captured Ghazni and Kabul, crossed the Indus at Attock (December 1738), and occupied Lahore virtually unopposed. Hurried preparations were then made to defend Delhi, but the faction-ridden

Domenico Veneziano,

2004-11-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

Domenico was probably first trained in the International Gothic manner in Venice, where it is likely he saw paintings by northern European artists. He settled in Florence about 1439 and, except for brief periods, worked there until his

Fyrd

2004-11-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

Tribal militia-like arrangement existing in Anglo-Saxon England from approximately AD 605. Local in character, it imposed military service upon every able-bodied free male. It was probably the duty of the ealderman, or sheriff, to call out and lead the fyrd. Fines imposed for neglecting the fyrd varied with the status of the individual, landholders receiving the heaviest

Hanks, Nancy

2004-11-20T04:52:00.000-08:00

Hanks graduated from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, in 1949 and two years later settled in Washington, D.C. In 1953 she became an assistant to Nelson A. Rockefeller, then

Visible Trade

2004-11-17T08:34:00.000-08:00

Countries lacking various raw materials will import needed substances such

Gumel

2004-11-15T01:04:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Gummel town and traditional emirate, northern Jigawa state, northern Nigeria. The emirate was founded about 1750 by Dan Juma of Kano city (75 miles [121 km] southwest) and his followers of the Manga (Mangawa) tribe. Shortly after his death in 1754, it became a tributary state of the Bornu kingdom. The emirate survived the Fulani attacks of Usman dan Fodio's jihad (“holy war”) in the early 19th century and

Chabrias

2004-11-13T01:43:00.000-08:00

Chabrias defeated the Spartans in 388 and again in 378, when Athens joined Thebes against Sparta. On the latter occasion he invented a new defensive technique: he ordered each soldier to receive a charge kneeling on his left knee, with his shield

Sénégal River, Plant and animal life

2004-11-12T14:21:00.000-08:00

Typical trees of the Sénégal valley are acacias, notably Acacia nilotica, which grows profusely on banks, and A. senegal, which provides the gum arabic of commerce and grows on drier slopes. The grass Vetiveria nigritiana grows in tufts in wet depressions. In dry areas near the valley sides A. albida, Balanites aegyptiaca (a tree with thorny branches), and grasses are

China, The practice of government

2004-11-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

As the final arbiter of power, the emperor—and at times the empress dowager—issued edicts declaring the Imperial will. Such instructions often took the form of repeating officials' proposals with a note of approval. Some edicts were couched as comments on the current situation and called in general terms for an improvement in the quality of government or for more

Metabolic Disease, Tissue lipid disorders

2004-11-07T13:28:00.000-08:00

Complex molecules composed of long-chain fatty acids linked with various sugars, phosphate, and sulfate groups form essential components of cell membranes and are vital to the normal functioning of the nervous system. These molecules are degraded and resynthesized in the normal course of tissue turnover. Defects in the enzymes that regulate this process cause

Theatre, Western

2004-11-05T22:08:00.000-08:00

For a discussion of drama as a literary form, see dramatic literature, and the articles on individual national literatures. For detailed information on the arts of theatrical performance and stagecraft, see theatre, directing, acting, and theatrical production.

Milky Way Galaxy, Emission nebulas

2004-11-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

A conspicuous component of the Galaxy is the collection of large, bright, diffuse gaseous objects generally called nebulas. The brightest of these cloudlike objects are the emission nebulas, large complexes of interstellar gas and stars in which the gas exists in an ionized and excited state (with the electrons of the atoms excited to a higher than normal energy

Aids

2004-11-02T14:55:00.000-08:00

Byname of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome transmissible disease of the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV slowly attacks and destroys the immune system, the body's defense against infection, leaving an individual vulnerable to a variety of other infections and certain malignancies that eventually cause death. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, during which time

Rare-earth Element, Sources and extraction

2004-10-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

Though numerous minerals rich in rare earths are found in the Earth's crust, many are extremely rare, and many more are found only in small pockets in more massive rocks. Although such minerals are of considerable research interest they are not used commercially. Monazite, a mixed phosphate of calcium, thorium, cerium, and various lanthanides, occurs in extensive deposits

Awe, Loch

2004-10-28T01:24:00.000-07:00

Longest lake in Scotland, measuring 24 miles (39 km) from northeast to southwest, situated in Argyll and Bute council area, historic county of Argyllshire, at 117 feet (36 metres) above sea level. At the lake's northern end the scenery is rugged and grand, dominated by Ben Cruachan, with an elevation of 3,695 feet (1,126 metres), but at the southern end it is much softer. The loch's shores have been the

Paleo-siberian Languages

2004-10-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

Paleo-Siberian also spelled Paleosiberian , also called Paleo-Asiatic languages or Hyperborean languages languages spoken in Asian Russia (Siberia) that belong to four genetically unrelated groups—Yeniseian, Luorawetlan, Yukaghir, and Nivkh.

Boeotian League

2004-10-25T01:21:00.000-07:00

League that first developed as an alliance of sovereign states in Boeotia, a district in east-central Greece, about 550 BC, under the leadership of Thebes. After the defeat of the Greeks at Thermopylae, Thebes and most of Boeotia sided with the Persians during the Persian invasions of 480 and 479. Subsequently, the victorious Greeks dissolved the Boeotian League as punishment.

Rushcliffe

2004-10-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Borough (district), administrative and historic county of Nottinghamshire, central England, immediately southeast of the city of Nottingham. Rushcliffe is a rural agricultural area of open, rolling uplands (wolds) and flat plains. The wolds in the south rise to 200–300 feet (60–90 metres) in elevation and are an extension of higher areas in the adjacent county of Leicestershire.

Kuan-yin

2004-10-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

In Chinese Buddhism, the bodhisattva of infinite compassion and mercy. See Avalokitesvara.

Biqa', Al-

2004-10-18T03:51:00.000-07:00

Also spelled Bekaa , or Beqaa , classical Coele Syria broad valley of central Lebanon, extending in a northeast-southwest direction for 75 miles (120 km) along the Litani and Orontes rivers, between the Lebanon Mountains to the west and Anti-Lebanon Mountains to the east. The valley contains nearly half of Lebanon's arable land but is not as intensively farmed as the country's coastal plain because of less rainfall and a wider variation

Sohak

2004-10-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

(Korean: “Western Learning”), in Korean history, the study of Western culture, introduced into Korea from the Chinese Ming and Ch'ing dynasties in the 17th and 18th centuries. In a broad sense, the term Sohak refers to the study of Western thought, religion, ethics, science, and technology. In a narrow sense, it sometimes refers only to the study of Western religion and ethics during

Sicily

2004-10-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

Italian Sicilia island of Italy, the largest and one of the most densely populated in the Mediterranean Sea. Together with the Egadi, Lipari, Pelagie, and Panteleria islands, Sicily forms an autonomous region of Italy. It lies about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Tunisia (northern Africa). The island is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina (2 miles [3 km] wide in the north and 10 miles [16

San Ignacio

2004-10-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

Formerly El Cayo, or Cayo, town, west-central Belize (formerly British Honduras). It lies along the Belize River, near the Guatemalan border. With Benque Viejo del Carmen, which is about 8 miles (13 km) southwest, it traditionally dealt in chicle and lumber, but these products have now largely been replaced by cattle and corn (maize), beans, and rice. Some trade is carried on with Guatemala. Its inhabitants

Foyle, Lough

2004-10-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

Irish Loch Feabhail inlet on the north coast of Ireland between the Inishowen Peninsula (mainly County Donegal, Ireland) to the west and the district councils of Limavady and Londonderry (until 1973 in County Londonderry), Northern Ireland, to the east and southeast. The lough is about 16 miles (26 km) long and varies in breadth from 1 to 10 miles (1.6 to 16 km). The narrowest points are at the southwestern end, where

Breath Analyzer

2004-10-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

Also called Breathalyzer, device used by police to determine the amount of alcohol in the system of persons suspected of being intoxicated. In the analyzer, a precise amount of the suspect's exhaled breath is passed through a solution of potassium dichromate and sulfuric acid; the change in the colour of the solution is proportional to the amount of alcohol in the air sample, which, in turn, is

Valdivia, Pedro De

2004-10-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

Valdivia served with the Spanish army in Italy and Flanders before being sent to South America in 1534. During the Peruvian civil war (1538), he fought with Francisco Pizarro against Diego de Almagro. For the Chilean

Asturias, Miguel ángel

2004-10-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

In 1923, after receiving

Burgess Shale

2004-10-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Fossil formation containing remarkably detailed traces of soft-bodied biota of the Middle Cambrian Epoch (520 to 512 million years ago). Collected from a fossil bed in the Burgess Pass of the Canadian Rockies, the Burgess Shale is one of the best preserved and most important fossil formations in the world. Since it was discovered in 1909, over 60,000 specimens have been retrieved from

Extraterritoriality

2004-10-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

Also called Exterritoriality, or Diplomatic Immunity, in international law, the immunities enjoyed by foreign states or international organizations and their official representatives from the jurisdiction of the country in which they are present. Extraterritoriality extends to foreign states or international organizations as entities and to their heads, legations, troops in passage, war vessels, mission premises,

Human Embryology, Amnion

2004-09-28T22:37:00.000-07:00

A cleft separates the outermost cells of the inner cell mass of the blastocyst from the remainder, which then becomes the embryonic disk (Figure 1G). The split-off, thin upper layer is the amnion, which remains attached to the periphery of the embryonic disk. As the disk folds into a cylindrical embryo, the amniotic margin follows the underfolding,

Paleogene Period

2004-09-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

Also spelled Palaeogene Period older of the two stratigraphic divisions of the Cenozoic Era (the Cenozoic Era began about 66.4 million years ago and extends to the present). The Paleogene, whose beginning coincides with that of the Cenozoic Era, ended 23.7 million years ago and was followed by the Neogene Period. The Paleogene, which means “ancient-born,” includes the Paleocene (Palaeocene), Eocene, and Oligocene

Mammal

2004-09-25T03:26:00.000-07:00

The evolution of the Mammalia has produced tremendous diversity in form and habits. Living kinds range in size from a bat weighing less than a gram and tiny shrews that weigh but a few grams, to the largest animal that has ever lived, the blue whale, which reaches a length of more than 30 meters (100 feet) and a weight of 136,000 kilograms (150 tons). Every major habitat has been invaded by mammals

Europe, History Of, The revolutions of 1848

2004-09-22T02:33:00.000-07:00

France's monarchy had turned toward greater repression in the 1840s, spurring new liberal agitation. Artisan concerns also had quickened, against their loss of status and shifts in work conditions following from rapid economic change; a major recession in 1846–47 added to popular unrest. Some socialist ideas spread among artisan leaders, who urged a regime in which workers

Spain, Literature

2004-09-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

The most famous writer of the century, however, was poet and playwright Federico García Lorca (1898–1936). He was executed

Aerospace Industry, Special requirements of military aircraft

2004-09-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Military aircraft demand lightweight structures to achieve high performance. Moreover, the materials used must be able to withstand the temperatures created by air friction when the vehicle is flying at high speeds. These requirements have fostered the use of new metals such as aluminum-magnesium alloys and titanium, as well as composites and polymers for many

Jaén

2004-09-16T13:19:00.000-07:00

Provincia, in the comunidad autónoma (“autonomous community”) of Andalusia, south-central Spain. It is surrounded by the Sierra Morena (north), the Segura and Cazorla ranges (east), and Parapanda, Lucena, and Segura mountains (south). The western part of the province is composed of plains that lead to the fertile Guadalquivir River valley. There are several irrigation dams

Jewish Revoltsecond

2004-09-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

(AD 132–135), Jewish rebellion against Roman rule in Judaea. The revolt was preceded by years of clashes between Jews and Romans in the area. Finally, in AD 132, the misrule of Tinnius Rufus, the Roman governor of Judaea, combined with the emperor Hadrian's intention to found a Roman colony on the site of Jerusalem and his restrictions on Jewish religious freedom and observances, roused

China, Twentieth-century China

2004-09-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

The bibliography on contemporary Chinese history is vast and growing rapidly. Although publications on modern China are uneven in coverage and quality, most subjects of interest have been discussed in the writings of scholars and visitors to China and Taiwan. A comprehensive bibliography of these writings is compiled annually by the Journal of Asian Studies. See also George Ginsburgs and Michael Mathos, Communist China and Tibet: The First Dozen Years (1964); Edgar Snow, Red China Today (1971); John Wilson Lewis, Leadership in Communist China (1963, reprinted 1978), and (ed.), The City in Communist China (1971); Benjamin I. Schwartz, Communism and China: Ideology in Flux (1968); C.K. Yang, The Chinese Communist Society: The Family and the Village (1965); Byung-joon Ahn, Chinese Politics and the Cultural Revolution: Dynamics of Policy Processes (1976); Lowell Dittmer, Liu Shao-Ch'i and the Chinese Cultural Revolution: The Politics of Mass Criticism (1974); Kenneth Lieberthal, Revolution and Tradition in Tientsin, 1949–1952 (1980); Maurice Miesner, Mao's China: History of the People's Republic (1977); William E. Griffith, The Sino-Soviet Rift, Analysed and Documented (1964), and Sino-Soviet Relations, 1964–1965 (1967); Richard Baum, Prelude to Revolution: Mao, the Party, and the Peasant Question, 1962–66 (1975); Roderick MacFarquhar, The Origins of the Cultural Revolution, 2 vol. (1974–83); Frederick C. Teiwes, Politics and Purges in China: Rectifications and the Decline of Party Norms, 1950–1965 (1979); Tang Tsou, The Cultural Revolution and Post-Mao Reforms (1986); Edward E. Rice, Mao's Way (1972); Robert A. Scalapino (ed.), Elites in the People's Republic of China (1972); Stuart Schram (ed.), Mao Tse-tung Unrehearsed: Talks and Letters: 1956–71 (1974, U.S. title, Chairman Mao Talks to the People: Talks and Letters, 1956–1971); Frederic Wakeman, Jr., History and Will: Philosophical Perspectives of Mao Tse-tung's Thought (1973); William W. Whitson and Chen-hsia Huang, The Chinese High Command: A History of Communist Military Politics, 1927–71 (1973); Martin King Whyte, Small Groups and Political Rituals in China (1974); Margery Wolf and Roxane Witke (eds.), Women in Chinese Society (1975); and Margery Wolf, Revolution Postponed: Women in Contemporary China (1985).

Scandinavian Literature, Developments in Finno-Swedish literature

2004-09-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

The second flourishing of Finno-Swedish literature occurred in the 1920s, with the development of modernism in lyric poetry. This trend was initiated by Edith Södergran, whose visionary, dreamlike poems proved influential throughout much of Scandinavia. After her came such poets as Gunnar Björling, noted for his impressionistic pictures of nature; Rabbe

Ba'al Shem Tov

2004-09-09T17:33:00.000-07:00

The Besht's life has been so adorned with fables and legends that a biography in the ordinary historical sense is not possible. He came from humble and obscure beginnings in a village known to contemporary Jews as Okop or Akuf, depending on the Hebrew vocalization. As a young orphan he held various semi-menial posts connected with synagogues and Hebrew elementary

Dieback

2004-09-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

Common symptom or name of disease, especially of woody plants, characterized by progressive death of twigs, branches, shoots, or roots, starting at the tips. Staghead is a slow dieback of the upper branches of a tree; the dead, leafless limbs superficially resemble a stag's head. Dieback and staghead are caused by many fungi and a few bacteria that produce cankers, anthracnose,

Byrd, William, Of Westover

2004-09-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

His birthplace was the James River plantation home of his father, also named William Byrd, an Indian trader and slave importer. The boy went to school in England, travelled in Holland, and studied law in the Middle Temple, London.

P-51

2004-09-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

Also called Mustang one of the finest fighter aircraft of World War II, a single-seat, single-engine, low-wing monoplane that was produced by North American Aviation for Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) and later was adopted by the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). Its prototype was designed to British specifications and first flew in late 1940, just months after the design work began. It went into service