(Encyclopedia) TaxcoTaxcotäsˈkō [key], town (1990 pop. 43,836), Guerrero state, S Mexico. Founded in 1529 as a silver-mining community, Taxco was also an important stop between Mexico City and…
(Encyclopedia) shamrock, a plant with leaves composed of three leaflets. According to legend it was used by St. Patrick in explaining the doctrine of the Trinity; it is now used as the emblem of…
(Encyclopedia) Civilis (Julius Civilis)Civilissĭvīˈlĭs [key], fl. a.d. 70, Batavian chief who chose the unsettled period at the fall of Nero to raise a revolt in Germany, which quickly spread to Gaul…
(Encyclopedia) albedoalbedoălbēˈdō [key], reflectivity of the surface of a planet, moon, asteroid, or other celestial body that does not shine by its own light. Albedo is measured as the fraction of…
(Encyclopedia) Geulincx, ArnoldGeulincx, Arnoldgöˈlĭngks [key], 1624–69, Flemish Cartesian philosopher, b. Antwerp. One of the founders of occasionalism, his philosophy is characterized by a curious…
(Encyclopedia) Dedekind, Julius Wilhelm RichardDedekind, Julius Wilhelm Richardy&oomacr;lˈy&oobreve;s vĭlˈhĕlm rĭkhˈärt dāˈdəkĭnt [key], 1831–1916, German mathematician. Dedekind studied at…
(Encyclopedia) Farinelli, Carlo BroschiFarinelli, Carlo Broschikärˈlō brôˈskē färēnĕlˈlē [key], 1705–82, Italian male soprano, greatest of the castrati (see castrato), pupil of Niccolò Porpora, in…
(Encyclopedia) Vaihinger, HansVaihinger, Hanshäns fīˈhĭng-ər [key], 1852–1933, German philosopher. Educated at Tübingen, Leipzig, and Berlin, he served at Strasbourg first as tutor and then as…
(Encyclopedia) Puskás, Ferenc, 1927–2006, Hungarian soccer player. A relatively slow but extremely powerful forward, Puskás became famous for his extraordinarily effective left-footed kick. He began…
(Encyclopedia) Overbeck, Johann FriedrichOverbeck, Johann Friedrichyōˈhän frēˈdrĭkh oˈvərbĕk [key], 1789–1869, German religious painter. Expelled from the Vienna Academy because of his opposition to…
