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Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada

(Encyclopedia)Sable Island, low, sandy island, c.25 mi (40 km) long and 1 mi (1.6 km) wide, off N.S., Canada, ESE of Halifax, near the edge of the continental shelf. The crescent-shaped island is the exposed part o...

Samoyed

(Encyclopedia)Samoyed sămˈəyĕd [key], breed of hardy, muscular working dog developed in N Siberia many centuries ago. It stands from 19 to 23.5 in. (48.3–59.7 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 35 to 65...

caracal

(Encyclopedia)caracal kărˈəkəl [key] or Persian lynx, mammal of the family Felidae (cat family), native to Asia and Africa. The caracal, Caracal caracal, is reddish brown with black-tufted ears. Its total lengt...

puli

(Encyclopedia)puli po͝olˈē, pyo͞oˈlē [key] (pl. pulik), a breed of wiry, medium-sized working dog developed nearly 1,000 years ago in Hungary. It stands from 16 to 18 in. (40.6–45.7 cm) high at the shoulder...

radiosonde

(Encyclopedia)radiosonde rāˈdēōsŏnd [key], group of instruments for simultaneous measurement and radio transmission of meteorological data, including temperature, pressure, and humidity of the atmosphere. The ...

oracle bones

(Encyclopedia)oracle bones, bones used for divination by the Chinese during the Shang dynasty (traditionally c.1766 b.c.–c.1122 b.c.). Along with contemporary inscriptions on bronze vessels, these records of divi...

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(Encyclopedia)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), civilian agency of the U.S. federal government with the mission of conducting research and developing operational programs in the areas of space e...

wind

(Encyclopedia)wind, flow of air relative to the earth's surface. A wind is named according to the point of the compass from which it blows, e.g., a wind blowing from the north is a north wind. The diurnal, or dai...

space probe

(Encyclopedia)space probe, space vehicle carrying sophisticated instrumentation but no crew, designed to explore various aspects of the solar system (see space exploration). Unlike an artificial satellite, which is...

air conditioning

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Cross section of air conditioning unit. air conditioning, mechanical process for controlling the humidity, temperature, cleanliness, and circulation of air in buildings and rooms. Indoor air i...