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quartz

(Encyclopedia)quartz, one of the commonest of all rock-forming minerals and one of the most important constituents of the earth's crust. Chemically, it is silicon dioxide, SiO2. It occurs in crystals of the hexagon...

Emmental

(Encyclopedia)Emmental ĕmˈəntäl [key], valley of the Emme River, W central Switzerland. In a region devoted to farming, cattle raising, and dairying, it produces emmenthaler, also called Swiss cheese. ...

Longhorn Cavern

(Encyclopedia)Longhorn Cavern, limestone cave, central Tex., at Burnet. On the northern edge of the Edwards Plateau, the cave (explored length c.8 mi/13 km) lies beneath a triangular ridge rising above the valley o...

Ofen, Alpine pass, Switzerland

(Encyclopedia)Ofen ōˈfən [key], Alpine pass, 7,070 ft (2,155 m) high, Grisons canton, E Switzerland. The Ofen Pass Road links the Engadine Valley with the Italian Tyrol. ...

Caney Fork

(Encyclopedia)Caney Fork, river, 144 mi (232 km) long, rising in central Tenn. and flowing NW to the Cumberland River. On Caney Fork, part of the Tennessee Valley Authority, are Great Falls Dam and Center Hill Dam,...

Rephaim

(Encyclopedia)Rephaim rēfāˈĭm [key], in the Bible. 1 Pre-Israelite race of giants. They were also referred to simply as “giants.” 2 Valley, SW of Jerusalem. ...

Spokane, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Spokane, river, c.100 mi (160 km) long, rising in Coeur d'Alene Lake, N Idaho, and flowing through NE Washington to the Columbia River. Dams on the river include Nine Mile, Long Lake, and Little Falls...

supernova

(Encyclopedia)supernova, a massive star in the latter stages of stellar evolution that suddenly contracts and then explodes, increasing its energy output as much as a billionfold. Supernovas are the principal distr...

Hay, river, Canada

(Encyclopedia)Hay, river, c.530 mi (850 km) long, rising in several headstreams in NE British Columbia and NW Alta., Canada, and flowing generally NE through NW Alta., over Alexander Falls, and into Great Slave Lak...

Gardena, Val

(Encyclopedia)Gardena, Val väl gärdāˈnä [key], Alpine valley, c.15 mi (25 km) long, in the Dolomites, Trentino–Alto Adige, N Italy. Its scenery attracts many tourists. Ortisei is the best-known resort. ...