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Shiffrin, Mikaela Pauline

(Encyclopedia)Shiffrin, Mikaela Pauline, 1995–, American skier, b. Vail, Colo. She competed in her first World Cup Alpine event, giant slalom, in 2011, and that same year won the slalom title at the U.S. National...

demonetization

(Encyclopedia)demonetization dēˌmŏnˌətəzāˈshən [key], governmental withdrawal of the monetary quality from particular coinage or precious metal. By demonetization former money is no longer legal tender, al...

Szewińska, Irena

(Encyclopedia)Szewińska, Irena, 1946–2018, Polish sprinter and long jumper, b. Leningrad (now St. Petersburg, Russia) as Irena Kirszenstein, grad. Univ. of Warsaw, 1970. In her first Olympics (1964), she won sil...

Bjørndalen, Ole Einar

(Encyclopedia)Bjørndalen, Ole Einar, 1974–, Norwegian biathlete, generally regarded as the greatest champion in the history of the biathlon, a combination of cross-country skiing and target-shooting. He competed...

aqua regia

(Encyclopedia)aqua regia rēˈjēə [key] [Lat.,=royal water], corrosive, fuming yellow liquid prepared by mixing one volume of concentrated nitric acid with three to four volumes of concentrated hydrochloric acid....

Bannack

(Encyclopedia)Bannack bănˈək [key], SW Mont. Founded in 1862 when gold was discovered along Grasshopper Creek, Bannack was the first town in Montana and was the first territorial capital (1864–65). It declined...

San Fernando, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)San Fernando, city (1990 pop. 22,580), Los Angeles co., S Calif., in the San Fernando valley; inc. 1911. Among its industries are clothing and electronics. The valley, first entered by Europeans in 17...

ring, piece of jewelry

(Encyclopedia)ring, small ornamental hoop usually worn on finger or thumb, but it may be attached to the ear or the nose. Finger rings made of bronze, gold, and silver from the period c.2600–1500 b.c. have been f...

Midas

(Encyclopedia)Midas mīˈdəs [key], in Greek mythology, king of Phrygia. Because he befriended Silenus, the oldest of the satyrs, Dionysus granted him the power to turn everything into gold by touch. But when even...

Comaneci, Nadia

(Encyclopedia)Comaneci, Nadia nädyä kōmänēch [key], 1961–, Romanian-American gymnast. Under the tutelage of coach Bela Karolyi, she rose to prominence in the celebrated Romanian gymnastics program. Comaneci ...