Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

man, in anthropology and biology

(Encyclopedia)man: see anthropology; human evolution; race. ...

Geber, Arab alchemist and physician

(Encyclopedia)Geber: see Jabir.

Kutuzov, Mikhail Ilarionovich

(Encyclopedia)Kutuzov, Mikhail Ilarionovich mēkhəyēlˈ ēləryônˈəvĭch ko͝oto͞oˈzəf [key], 1745–1813, Russian field marshal. He fought against the Polish Confederation of Bar (see Bar, Confederation of...

firearm

(Encyclopedia)firearm, device consisting essentially of a straight tube to propel shot, shell, or bullets by the explosion of gunpowder. Although the Chinese discovered gunpowder as early as the 9th cent., they did...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(Encyclopedia)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. The ...

León, region and former kingdom, Spain

(Encyclopedia)León lā-ōnˈ [key], historic region and former kingdom, NW Spain, E of Portugal and Galicia, now part of Castile–León. It includes the provinces of León, Salamanca, and Zamora, named after thei...

Madrid, autonomous community and province, Spain

(Encyclopedia)Madrid mədrĭdˈ, Span. mäᵺhrēᵺˈ [key], autonomous community and coextensive prov., (2011 pop. 6,421,874), 3,099 sq mi (8,027 sq km), central Spain. Madrid, the capital of Spain, is also its c...

Titan , in Greek religion and mythology

(Encyclopedia)Titan, in Greek religion and mythology, one of 12 primeval deities. The female Titan is also called Titaness. The Titans—six sons and six daughters—were the children of Uranus and Gaea. They were ...

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

(Encyclopedia)Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, better known as Virginia Tech, at Blacksburg; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered and opened 1872 as an agricultural and mecha...

Dvina, river, Russia, Belarus, and Latvia

(Encyclopedia)Dvina or Western Dvina, Ger. Düna, Latvian Daugava, Rus. Zapadnaya Dvina, river, c.635 mi (1,020 km) long, in Russia, Belarus, and Latvia. Rising in the Valdai Hills, it flows S and then generally W ...