Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

136 results found

Foucault, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Foucault, Michel, 1926–84, French philosopher and historian. He was professor at the Collège de France (1970–84). He is renowned for historical studies that reveal the sometimes morally disturbin...

Foucault pendulum

(Encyclopedia)Foucault pendulum: see pendulum. ...

Foucault, Jean Bernard Léon

(Encyclopedia)Foucault, Jean Bernard Léon zhäN bĕrnärˈ lāôNˈ fo͞okōˈ [key], 1819–68, French physicist. Known especially for his research on the speed of light, he determined its velocity in air and fou...

Jobert, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Jobert, Michel mēshĕlˈ zhôbĕrˈ [key], 1921–2002, French diplomat, b. Morocco (then a French colony). In 1963, he joined Georges Pompidou's staff during Pompidou's premiership. After Pompidou's...

Michel, Bob

(Encyclopedia)Michel, Bob (Robert Henry Michel) mīˈkəl [key], 1923–2017, U.S. congressman, b. Peoria, Ill. A decorated veteran, he served in the army during World War II before being elected to the U.S. House ...

Michel, Claude

(Encyclopedia)Michel, Claude: see Clodion.

Michel, Hartmut

(Encyclopedia)Michel, Hartmut mĭkhˈəl [key], 1948–, German biochemist, Ph.D. Univ. of Würzburg, 1977. Michel was the first person to reduce a photosynthetic action center, which is a four-protein complex, to ...

Accault, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Accault, Michel: see Aco, Michel.

Fokine, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Fokine, Michel mēshĕlˈ fōkēnˈ, Rus. fôˈkyĭn [key], 1880–1942, Russian-American choreographer and ballet dancer, b. Russia. He studied at the Imperial Ballet School (1889–98) and danced at...

Houellebecq, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Houellebecq, Michel mēshĕlˈ wĕlˈbĕk [key], b. 1958– or 1956–, French author, perhaps France's best-known contemporary novelist, b. Réunion as Michel Thomas. A literary pessimist and master ...