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dark matter

(Encyclopedia)dark matter, material that is believed to make up nearly 27% of the mass of the universe but is not readily visible because it neither emits nor reflects electromagnetic radiation, such as light or ra...

Farm Credit Administration

(Encyclopedia)Farm Credit Administration (FCA), an independent agency of the executive branch of the federal government that supervises and regulates the Farm Credit System (FCS) for American agriculture. The Farm ...

Long Island, island, United States

(Encyclopedia)Long Island (1990 pop. 6,861,454), 1,723 sq mi (4,463 sq km), 118 mi (190 km) long, and from 12 to 20 mi (19–32 km) wide, SE N.Y.; fourth largest island of the United States and the largest outside ...

diapensia

(Encyclopedia)diapensia dīəpĕnˈsēə [key], common name for the Diapensiaceae, a family of low evergreen shrubs native to cool and arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The species that are restricted to t...

Europa Island

(Encyclopedia)Europa Island yo͝orōˈpə [key], volcanic island, c.11 sq mi (28 sq km), between Madagascar and Mozambique in the Mozambique Channel, W Indian Ocean, part of the Scattered Islands district in the Fr...

Hayes, Carlton Joseph Huntley

(Encyclopedia)Hayes, Carlton Joseph Huntley, 1882–1964, American historian and diplomat, b. Afton, N.Y. He began teaching history at Columbia in 1907, and from 1935 to his retirement in 1950 he held the Seth Low ...

Anticosti

(Encyclopedia)Anticosti ăntĭkŏsˈtē [key], low, flat island, 135 mi (217 km) long and 10 to 30 mi (16–48 km) wide, E Que., Canada, at the head of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The isl...

grease

(Encyclopedia)grease, mixture of lubricant and thickener. It is used to reduce friction between surfaces from which oils would leak away or cause damage by dripping, or where lubrication must be assured for extende...

Great Sandy Desert

(Encyclopedia)Great Sandy Desert, Australia's second-largest desert, c.110,000 sq mi (284,900 sq km), Western Australia and Northern Territory. Lying between the Tanami Desert (NE) and the Gibson Desert (S), it is ...

Habitat for Humanity

(Encyclopedia)Habitat for Humanity, nonprofit ecumenical Christian organization that enables low-income people to own affordable, livable housing. Headquartered in Americus, Ga., it was founded in 1976 by former bu...