Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

463 results found

Pons, Lily

(Encyclopedia)Pons, Lily pänz, Fr. pôNs [key], 1904–76, French-American coloratura soprano. Pons studied piano at the Paris Conservatory. She made her debut in Delibes's Lakmé at Mulhouse, Alsace, in 1928. She...

Zeno of Elea

(Encyclopedia)Zeno of Elea ēˈlēə [key], c.490–c.430 b.c., Greek philosopher of the Eleatic school. He undertook to support in his only known work, fragments of which are extant, the doctrine of Parmenides by ...

aerodynamics

(Encyclopedia)aerodynamics, study of gases in motion. As the principal application of aerodynamics is the design of aircraft, air is the gas with which the science is most concerned. Although aerodynamics is primar...

Fort Lee

(Encyclopedia)Fort Lee, residential borough (2020 pop. 40,223), Bergen co., NE N.J., on the Palisades overlooking the Hudson River; settled c.1700, inc. 1904. The Rev...

Hyatt, John Wesley

(Encyclopedia)Hyatt, John Wesley, 1837–1920, American inventor, b. Starkey, N.Y. He is known especially for his development of celluloid; with his brothers, he began its manufacture in 1872. He also invented the ...

di Suvero, Mark

(Encyclopedia)di Suvero, Mark dē so͞oˈvərō [key], 1933–, American sculptor, b. Shanghai. Di Suvero's major works are constructions of massize pieces of steel, huge weathered timbers, tires, chains, and rope....

Culver City

(Encyclopedia)Culver City, city (2020 pop. 40,779), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles; inc. 1917. Culver City's chief manufactures are ru...

Solna

(Encyclopedia)Solna sōlˈnä [key], city (1995 pop. 54,160), Stockholm co., E Sweden, an industrial suburb of Stockholm. Manufactures include machinery, electrical goods, paper, and chocolate. It is the seat of th...

Burnham, Sherburne Wesley

(Encyclopedia)Burnham, Sherburne Wesley, 1838–1921, American astronomer, b. Thetford, Vt. After serving as observer at Dearborn Observatory, Chicago (1877–81, 1882–84), and as astronomer at Lick Observatory (...

seeing

(Encyclopedia)seeing, in astronomy, the clarity with which stars and other celestial objects can be observed. It is primarily determined by the atmosphere of the earth. The most obvious phenomenon is twinkling, whe...

Browse by Subject