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Frankfort, Henri

(Encyclopedia)Frankfort, Henri äNrēˈ [key], 1897–1954, American archaeologist, b. the Netherlands. He directed the excavations of the Egypt Exploration Society (1925–29) and the Iraq expeditions (1929–37) ...

Huizinga, Johan

(Encyclopedia)Huizinga, Johan yōhänˈ hoiˈzĭngə [key], 1872–1945, Dutch historian. He began his academic career in Indian literature, but his reputation rests on his work in the cultural history of the late ...

Chaadayev, Piotr Yakovlevich

(Encyclopedia)Chaadayev, Piotr Yakovlevich pyôˈtər yäˈkəvlyĭvĭch chädäˈyĕv [key], 1794–1856, Russian philosopher. An aristocrat by birth, he was converted to Roman Catholicism. In 1836 the first of hi...

feedback

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Basic feedback control system feedback, arrangement for the automatic self-regulation of an electrical, mechanical, or biological system by returning part of its output as input. A simple exam...

Ecclestone, Bernie

(Encyclopedia)Ecclestone, Bernie (Bernard Charles Ecclestone), 1930–, English automobile racing executive. After a short career racing Formula Three cars in the late 1940s and early 1950s, he managed Formula One ...

Abu Musa

(Encyclopedia)Abu Musa, island (2010 est. pop. 1,868), c. 4.6 sq mi (12 sq km), E Persian Gulf, disputed between Iran, who occupies it, and the United Arab Emirates. Strategically located near the entra...

Smith, William

(Encyclopedia)Smith, William, 1769–1839, English geologist. Through direct observation as a canal-site surveyor, Smith made a systematic study of the geological strata of England and identified the fossils peculi...

polybrominated biphenyl

(Encyclopedia)polybrominated biphenyl or PBB, any of a group of organic compounds used as a fire retardant. In 1973 several thousand pounds of PBB were accidentally mixed with livestock feed that was later distribu...

Heraclitus

(Encyclopedia)Heraclitus hĕrəklīˈtəs [key], c.535–c.475 b.c., Greek philosopher of Ephesus, of noble birth. According to Heraclitus, there was no permanent reality except the reality of change; permanence wa...

Heron of Alexandria

(Encyclopedia)Heron of Alexandria hērˈŏn [key] or Hero, mathematician and inventor. The dates of his birth and death are unknown; conjecture places them between the 2d cent. b.c. and the 3d cent. a.d. He is beli...