Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

binary star

(Encyclopedia)CE5 A. Eclipsing binary: Primary component passing behind secondary (dimmer) component B. Light curve for eclipsing binary binary star or binary system, pair of stars that are held together by the...

streetcar

(Encyclopedia)streetcar, small, self-propelled railroad car, similar to the type used in rapid-transit systems, that operates on tracks running through city streets and is used to carry passengers. Most often cars ...

yard

(Encyclopedia)yard, abbr. yd, basic unit of length in the customary system of English units of measurement; all other units in the English system, such as the inch, foot, rod, and mile, are derived from it. Since 1...

Canadian National Railway

(Encyclopedia)Canadian National Railway, rail system in Canada and the United States, extending from coast to coast in Canada with many branch lines in each province and in the United States. The system began as an...

AIG

(Encyclopedia)AIG: see American International Group. ...

Martens, Georg Friedrich von

(Encyclopedia)Martens, Georg Friedrich von gāôrkhˈ frēˈdrĭkh fôn märˈtəns [key], 1756–1821, German writer on international law, b. Hamburg. He was professor of international law at Göttingen (1783–89...

Cordier, Andrew Wellington

(Encyclopedia)Cordier, Andrew Wellington kôrˈdē-āˌ [key], 1901–75, American educator and public official, b. Canton, Ohio. He studied at Manchester College in Indiana, where he later taught (1923–44). He a...

Universal Postal Union

(Encyclopedia)Universal Postal Union (UPU), specialized agency of the United Nations since 1948, with headquarters at Bern, Switzerland. Established in 1875 following adoption of the Universal Postal Convention, it...

Vattel, Emerich de

(Encyclopedia)Vattel, Emerich de āˈmərĭkh də vätĕlˈ [key], 1714–67, Swiss philosopher and jurist. He served (1746–58) as Saxon minister at Bern and later in the cabinet of Augustus III at Dresden. He is...

Preston, Lewis Thompson

(Encyclopedia)Preston, Lewis Thompson, 1926–95, American financial executive, b. New York City. After serving as a U.S. Marine during World War II and graduating from Harvard (1951), he joined J. P. Morgan. He be...

Browse by Subject