(Encyclopedia) international date line, imaginary line on the earth's surface, generally following the 180° meridian of longitude, where, by international agreement, travelers change dates. Traveling…
Ancestor of Mammals Discovered The fossil skull of a 260-million-year-old sheep-sized animal was found near Williston on the Northern Cape, South Africa. It is the most primitive member yet…
(Encyclopedia) second, abbr. sec or s, fundamental unit of time in all systems of measurement. In practical terms, the second is 1/60 of a minute, 1/3,600 of an hour, or 1/86,400 of a day. Since the…
(Encyclopedia) JanusJanusjāˈnəs [key], in Roman religion, god of beginnings. He was one of the principal Roman gods, the custodian of the universe. The first hour of the day, the first day of the…
(Encyclopedia) French Revolutionary calendar, the official calendar of France, Nov. 24, 1793–Dec. 31, 1805. Its introduction was decreed by the Convention on Oct. 5, 1793, but it was computed from…
Zubin MehtaBiographies ofNotable Asian Pacific AmericansA-Z ListGovernment Officials and PoliticiansBusiness and Media LeadersAthletes & Sports PersonalitiesScientistsEntertainers:…
(Encyclopedia) Frigg or Frigga, Norse mother goddess and the wife of Odin (Woden). One of the most important goddesses of Germanic religion, she was queen of the heavens, a deity of love and the…
(Encyclopedia) Coué, ÉmileCoué, Émileāmēlˈ kwā [key], 1857–1926, French psychotherapist. He is remembered for his formula for curing by optimistic autosuggestion, “Day by day, in every way, I am…
The Fog at the Beginning of the Universe A team of astronomers from the California Institute of Technology, led by S. George Djorgovski, may have glimpsed the dawn of our universe. In Aug. 2001,…
