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Santa Maria, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Santa Maria, city (1990 pop. 61,284), Santa Barbara co., S Calif., near San Luis Obispo Bay; founded 1874 as Central City, renamed 1882, inc. 1905. A growing city, it has an economy based largely on a...

Robinson, Theodore

(Encyclopedia)Robinson, Theodore, 1852–96, American painter, b. Irasburg, Vt. Beginning his career as a realist, Robinson was profoundly influenced by his meeting with Monet in 1888. Translating the impressionist...

Elizabeth Islands

(Encyclopedia)Elizabeth Islands, chain of small islands off Cape Cod that form the southern boundary of Buzzards Bay; SE Mass. Naushon is the largest island. Cuttyhunk Island was settled in 1641 and has a U.S. Coas...

White, Peregrine

(Encyclopedia)White, Peregrine, 1620–1704, first child born to English parents in New England. He was born on the Mayflower as she lay at anchor in Cape Cod Bay on Nov. 20. He became a citizen of Marshfield, Mass...

Eustachian tube

(Encyclopedia)Eustachian tube yo͞ostāˈshən [key] [for Bartolomeo Eustachi], a hollow structure of bone and cartilage extending from the middle ear to the rear of the throat, or pharynx, technically known as the...

hay fever

(Encyclopedia)hay fever, seasonal allergy causing inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and eyes. It is characterized by itching about the eyes and nose, sneezing, a profuse watery nasal discharge, and t...

holmium

(Encyclopedia)holmium hōlˈmēəm [key] [Lat.,=Stockholm], metallic chemical element; symbol Ho; at. no. 67; at. wt. 164.93032; m.p. about 1,474℃; b.p. about 2,425℃; sp. gr. 8.78 at 25℃; valence +3. Holmium ...

jet stream

(Encyclopedia)jet stream, narrow, swift currents or tubes of air found at heights ranging from 7 to 8 mi (11.3–12.9 km) above the surface of the earth. They are caused by great temperature differences between adj...

nitrous oxide

(Encyclopedia)nitrous oxide or nitrogen (I) oxide, chemical compound, N2O, a colorless gas with a sweetish taste and odor. Its density is 1.977 grams per liter at STP. It is soluble in water, alcohol, ether, and ot...

aerogel

(Encyclopedia)aerogel, any of a group of extremely light and porous solid materials; the lightest is less than four times as dense as dry air. Aerogels are produced from certain gels (see colloid) by heating the ge...