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arapaima

(Encyclopedia)arapaima ărˌəpīˈmə [key], tropical fish, genus Arapaima, of the Amazon basin. Arapaimas are perhaps the largest of the strictly freshwater fishes, reportedly reaching a length of 15 ft (4.5 m), ...

cellulose

(Encyclopedia)cellulose, chief constituent of the cell walls of plants. Chemically, it is a carbohydrate that is a high molecular weight polysaccharide. Raw cotton is composed of 91% pure cellulose; other important...

synthetic textile fibers

(Encyclopedia)synthetic textile fibers have revolutionized the textile industry. Such artificial fibers are usually long-chain polymers, produced industrially by the condensation of many small units. Orlon is the t...

tall tale

(Encyclopedia)tall tale, extravagantly and humorously exaggerated story of the backwoods exploits of an American frontiersman. Originating in the 1820s, the genre remained popular well into the 20th cent. One of th...

bonefish

(Encyclopedia)bonefish, common name for a fish belonging to several species in the two genera of the family Albulidae. Albula vulpes, the bonefish, is widespread in warm, shallow marine waters; it is the only bonef...

sailfish

(Encyclopedia)sailfish, common name for a marine game and food fish, genus Istiophorus, belonging to the family Istiophoridae and related to the marlin. It is named for its high, wide dorsal fin (or “sail”), co...

Pilobolus Dance Theater

(Encyclopedia)Pilobolus Dance Theater pīläbˈələs [key], innovative modern dance company formed (1971) by Moses Pendleton, Jonathan Wolken, Lee Harris, and Robby Barnett from a dance class given by Alison Chase...

statin

(Encyclopedia)statin, any of a class of drugs that reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood by interfering with the production of cholesterol in the liver; commonly prescribed statins include atorvastatin, lo...

rickets

(Encyclopedia)rickets or rachitis rəkīˈtĭs [key], bone disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin D or calcium. Essential in regulating calcium and phosphorus absorption by the body, vitamin D can be formed in t...

catfish

(Encyclopedia)catfish, common name applied to members of the fish families constituting the order Siluriformes, found in fresh and coastal waters. Catfish are named for the barbels (“whiskers”) around their mou...