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Sládek, Joseph Václav

(Encyclopedia)Sládek, Joseph Václav yôˈzĕf vätsˈläf släˈdĕk [key], 1845–1912, Czech poet and translator. He lived in the United States from 1868 to 1870. Sládek later taught English in Prague and tran...

Pew Charitable Trusts

(Encyclopedia)Pew Charitable Trusts, philanthropic foundation established (1948) by the children of Sun Oil Company founder Joseph N. Pew (1886–1963) of Philadelphia to provide funds for “general religious, cha...

Philomena of Dacia, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Philomena of Dacia, Peter, or Peter Nightingale, fl. 1291–1303, Danish astronomer and mathematician. He taught at the Univ. of Bologna (1291–92) and in Paris, and was a canon of Roskilde Cathedral...

Watts, Isaac

(Encyclopedia)Watts, Isaac, 1674–1748, English clergyman and hymn writer, b. Southampton. He was one of the most eminent Dissenting divines of his day. As a pastor in London he was known for his sermons, but begi...

Abbot, Charles Greeley

(Encyclopedia)Abbot, Charles Greeley, 1872–1973, American astrophysicist, b. Wilton, N.H. He was acting director in 1896 and director in 1907 of the astrophysical observatory of the Smithsonian Institution; he wa...

tropics

(Encyclopedia)tropics, also called tropical zone or torrid zone, all the land and water of the earth situated between the Tropic of Cancer at lat. 231⁄2°N and the Tropic of Capricorn at lat. 231⁄2°S. Every po...

Emmental

(Encyclopedia)Emmental ĕmˈəntäl [key], valley of the Emme River, W central Switzerland. In a region devoted to farming, cattle raising, and dairying, it produces emmenthaler, also called Swiss cheese. ...

Longhorn Cavern

(Encyclopedia)Longhorn Cavern, limestone cave, central Tex., at Burnet. On the northern edge of the Edwards Plateau, the cave (explored length c.8 mi/13 km) lies beneath a triangular ridge rising above the valley o...

Rephaim

(Encyclopedia)Rephaim rēfāˈĭm [key], in the Bible. 1 Pre-Israelite race of giants. They were also referred to simply as “giants.” 2 Valley, SW of Jerusalem. ...

Ofen, Alpine pass, Switzerland

(Encyclopedia)Ofen ōˈfən [key], Alpine pass, 7,070 ft (2,155 m) high, Grisons canton, E Switzerland. The Ofen Pass Road links the Engadine Valley with the Italian Tyrol. ...