Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Doppler effect

(Encyclopedia)Doppler effect, change in the wavelength (or frequency) of energy in the form of waves, e.g., sound or light, as a result of motion of either the source or the receiver of the waves; the effect is nam...

Neballat

(Encyclopedia)Neballat nēbălˈăt [key], in the Bible, Benjamite town, W central ancient Palestine, NE of present-day Lod, Israel. It was reoccupied after the return from captivity. ...

Costa i Llobera, Miguel

(Encyclopedia)Costa i Llobera, Miguel mēgĕlˈ kōˈstä ē lyōbāˈrä [key], 1854–1922, Catalonian poet and orator. In 1888 he was ordained a priest in Rome, where he developed a love of Latin literature. Cos...

Christadelphians

(Encyclopedia)Christadelphians krĭsˌtədĕlˈfēənz [key] [Gr.,=brothers of Christ], small religious denomination founded in the United States in 1848 by John Thomas. Its members live by the Scriptures and await...

Hasselmann, Klaus

(Encyclopedia)Hasselmann, Klaus, 1931–, b. Hamburg, Germany. German climate scientist and oceanographer. Hasselmann is the founder and former director of the Max ...

Antichrist

(Encyclopedia)Antichrist ănˈtĭkrīst [key], in Christian belief, a person who will represent on earth the powers of evil by opposing the Christ, glorifying himself, and causing many to leave the faith. He will b...

Horsehead Nebula

(Encyclopedia)Horsehead Nebula, dark nebula located in the constellation Orion; designated IC 434 or B 33. It consists of a cloud of nonluminous interstellar matter resembling the outline of a horse's head and appe...

giant

(Encyclopedia)giant, in mythology, manlike being of great size and strength. The giant has been the symbol for the expression of certain recurring beliefs in the mythologies of all races. He is universally represen...

Gaea

(Encyclopedia)Gaea jēˈə [key], in Greek religion and mythology, the earth, daughter of Chaos, both mother and wife of Uranus (the sky) and Pontus (the sea). Among Gaea's offspring by Uranus were the Cyclopes, th...

Minamitori

(Encyclopedia)Minamitori or Marcus Island, coral atoll, c.740 acres (300 hectares), W Pacific Ocean, 700 mi (1,125 km) SE of Japan; part of Tokyo prefecture, Japan. Triangular in shape and rising to 204 ft (62 m), ...

Browse by Subject