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Sakharov, Andrei Dmitriyevich

(Encyclopedia)Sakharov, Andrei Dmitriyevich, 1921–89, Soviet nuclear physicist and human-rights advocate; first Soviet citizen to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (1975). From 1948 to 1956 he helped to develop the U...

Voronezh

(Encyclopedia)Voronezh Rus. vərôˈnyĭsh [key], city (1989 pop. 887,000), capital of Voronezh region, central European Russia, on the Voronezh River. A river port and a major industrial center in a black-earth ag...

Carter, Ashton Baldwin

(Encyclopedia)Carter, Ashton Baldwin, 1954–, U.S. political scientist and government official, b. Philadephia, Pa. Trained as a theoretical physicist, he shifted to the study of ballistic missiles and internation...

guided missile

(Encyclopedia)guided missile, self-propelled, unmanned space or air vehicle carrying an explosive warhead. Its path can be adjusted during flight, either by automatic self-contained controls or remote human control...

Nevada

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Nevada nəvădˈə, –vä– [key], far western state of the United States. It is bordered by Utah (E), Arizona (SE), California (SW, W), and Oregon and Idaho (N). In the 20th cent. the ...

radiation sickness

(Encyclopedia)radiation sickness, harmful effect produced on body tissues by exposure to radioactive substances. The biological action of radiation is not fully understood, but it is believed that a disturbance in ...

submarine

(Encyclopedia)submarine, naval craft capable of operating for an extended period of time underwater. Submarines are almost always warships, although a few are used for scientific, business, or other purposes (see a...

Lop Nur

(Encyclopedia)Lop Nur lôp nûr [key], salt basin, SE Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, in the Tarim River basin. Since 1964, Lop Nur has been used by the China for its nuclear test explosions. Once a large ...

Kiritimati

(Encyclopedia)Kiritimati kərĭsˈməs [key], largest atoll in the Pacific (1990 pop. 2,537), 222 sq mi (575 sq km), in the Line Islands, one of the island groups that compose the Republic of Kiribati. It was previ...

Fuchs, Klaus Emil

(Encyclopedia)Fuchs, Klaus Emil fo͝oks, fo͞oks [key], 1912–88, British physicist and Communist spy, b. Germany. In 1933 he fled Germany for England, where he completed his education. Interned (1940–41) in Can...