Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Wieschaus, Eric Francis

(Encyclopedia)Wieschaus, Eric Francis, 1947–, American biologist and geneticist, b. South Bend, Ind., Ph.D. Yale 1974. He was a researcher at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, from...

Spottiswoode, John

(Encyclopedia)Spottiswoode, John spŏtˈĭswo͝od [key], 1565–1639, Scottish prelate and church historian. Under James and Andrew Melville he studied for the ministry but later veered from strict Presbyterianism ...

Peninsular campaign

(Encyclopedia)Peninsular campaign, in the American Civil War, the unsuccessful Union attempt (Apr.–July, 1862) to capture Richmond, Va., by way of the peninsula between the York and James rivers. Late in May...

Strategic Defense Initiative

(Encyclopedia)Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), former U.S. government program responsible for research and development of a space-based system to defend the nation from attack by strategic ballistic missiles (se...

Taney, Roger Brooke

(Encyclopedia)Taney, Roger Brooke tôˈnē [key], 1777–1864, American jurist, 5th chief justice of the United States (1836–64), b. Calvert co., Md., grad. Dickinson College, 1795. The Senate, incensed by Tan...

Charles IV, king of France

(Encyclopedia)Charles IV (Charles the Fair), 1294–1328, king of France (1322–28), youngest son of Philip IV, brother and successor of Philip V. Charles continued his brother's work of strengthening the royal po...

Emanuel, Rahm Israel

(Encyclopedia)Emanuel, Rahm Israel, 1959–, American politician, b. Chicago, grad. Sarah Lawrence College (B.A., 1981), Northwestern Univ. (M.A., 1985). A seasoned Democratic power broker and skilled dealmaker kno...

Huckabee, Mike

(Encyclopedia)Huckabee, Mike (Michael Dale Huckabee), 1955–, American politican and Baptist minister, b. Hope, Ark. He attended Ouachita Baptist Univ. (B.A., 1975) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. H...

Gregoras, Nicephorus

(Encyclopedia)Gregoras, Nicephorus nīsĕfˈərəs grĕgˈərəs [key], c.1295–c.1359, Byzantine historian and theologian, one of the most learned men of his time. Among his scientific and philosophical works is ...

Müller, Hermann

(Encyclopedia)Müller, Hermann mülˈər [key], 1876–1931, German statesman. A Social Democrat, he succeeded in 1919 to the post of German foreign minister and signed the Treaty of Versailles. He was chancellor ...