Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Cornu, Marie Alfred

(Encyclopedia)Cornu, Marie Alfred märēˈ älfrĕdˈ kôrnüˈ [key], 1841–1902, French physicist. From 1867 he was professor at the École polytechnique, Paris. He measured the velocity of light and made import...

Beta Crucis

(Encyclopedia)Beta Crucis kro͞oˈsĭs [key]: see Mimosa, in astronomy. ...

Chicago, Judy

(Encyclopedia)Chicago, Judy (Judy Gerowitz Chicago) gĕrˈəwĭtsˌ, shĭkäˈgō, –kôˈ– [key], 1939–, American artist, b. Chicago as Judy Cohen, grad. Univ. of California, Los Angeles (B.A. 1962, M.A. 1964...

nadir

(Encyclopedia)nadir nāˈdər [key] [Arab.,=opposite], in astronomy, the point on the celestial sphere directly opposite the zenith, i.e., directly beneath the observer. ...

Hawaii, University of

(Encyclopedia)Hawaii, University of, at Honolulu (Manoa Campus), Hilo, and Pearl City (West Oahu Campus) with additional community college campuses; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1907, op...

Lovell, Sir Bernard

(Encyclopedia)Lovell, Sir Bernard (Sir Alfred Charles Bernard Lovell), 1913–2012, English radio astronomer, b. Oldland Common, Gloucestershire, England, Ph.D. Univ. of Bristol, 1936. He was a member of the cosmic...

synchrotron radiation

(Encyclopedia)synchrotron radiation, in physics, electromagnetic radiation emitted by high-speed electrons spiraling along the lines of force of a magnetic field (see magnetism). Depending on the electron's energy ...

Hypsicles of Alexandria

(Encyclopedia)Hypsicles of Alexandria hĭpˈsĭklēz [key], astronomer of ancient Greece. Some authorities place Hypsicles in the 2d cent. b.c. and some in the 2d cent. a.d. The 14th and 15th books of Euclid's Elem...

psychokinesis

(Encyclopedia)psychokinesis, movement or deformation of a physical object by thought or willpower alone (i.e., without the application of physical force). Telekinesis (sometimes abbreviated TK), an older term for p...
 

Browse by Subject