New Articles

Sergeant Stubby Sergeant Stubby was a stray dog whose heroic service during World War I (1914–18) saved lives and even led to the capture of a German spy. He was the unofficial mascot for the 102nd Infantry, 26th “Yankee” Division, and is the first dog to be promoted to the rank of sergeant in the U.S. Army. When...
Iron Dome Iron Dome, short-range mobile air defense system developed for Israel by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, with additional support from Raytheon. First deployed in 2011, Iron Dome constitutes the innermost layer of the tiered Israeli air defense network. The 2006...
Neo-Babylonian empire Neo-Babylonian empire, ancient Middle Eastern empire with its capital at Babylon. It dominated much of Southwest Asia from shortly after its founding in 626 bce until the defeat of its final king by the Persian king Cyrus the Great in 539 bce. Memory of this empire was preserved through the...
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), U.S. law that regulates the handling of Indigenous human remains and cultural items. Passed in 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) requires federal agencies and institutions that receive money...
lo-fi music Lo-fi music, genre of music production in which a recording is intentionally rendered to include imperfections, such as harmonic distortion, background noise, or other anomalous sounds. Such irregularities are normally filtered out of professional recordings, since they generally are undesirable....
Rafi Bistritzer Rafi Bistritzer is an Israeli physicist known for his work on graphene. Bistritzer was born into a family of physicians and seemed likely to follow them into the medical profession, but his first high-school physics teacher awoke in him an interest in physics. He received a bachelor’s degree in...
Stephanie Wilson Stephanie Wilson is an American astronaut who has made three spaceflights to the International Space Station (ISS) on the space shuttle Discovery and is part of the Artemis team of astronauts who are to fly to the Moon in the mid-2020s. She was the second Black woman in space, after Mae Jemison....
Timeline: The History of Mattel Like many iconic American companies, Mattel sprang from modest roots. Begun in a garage in 1945 by a husband and wife and their friend, the company—then known as Mattel Creations—had yet to embrace toy making as a way to success. That changed in 1947 with the introduction of a toy ukulele that was...
U.S. Army Camel Corps U.S. Army Camel Corps, a failed experiment in the mid-1800s by the United States Army to introduce camels as beasts of burden in desert regions of the American Southwest. It was hoped that camels would be an effective replacement for horses and mules, which were adversely affected by the region’s...
Temple Mount Temple Mount, site of the Temple of Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Romans on the 9th/10th of Av in 70 ce (see Tisha be-Av). It consists of a raised platform that, since the 7th century, has been home to the Islamic holy sites of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. The lower section of...
esotericism Esotericism, a category encompassing a diverse range of religious traditions that are typically included together because of their shared cultural marginality or their focus on imparting teachings to a select group. The concept emerged largely in 19th-century western Europe as a means of...
Castellammarese War Castellammarese War, conflict between the Castellammarese and Masseria organized crime families in New York City from 1930 to 1931 that ultimately led to the reorganization of the Mafia. The Castellammarese family was led by Salvatore Maranzano, who was born in the Sicilian town of Castellammare...
Caeleb Dressel Caeleb Dressel is one of the world’s elite swimmers, known as a sprint specialist for his performances in the 50 meters and 100 meters. He has seven Olympic gold medals, five of which were won at the 2020 Tokyo Games (delayed until 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic). With his numerous tattoos,...
Christopher Guest Christopher Guest is a multitalented American-British actor, writer, producer, director, and musician best known for his satirical faux-documentary-style comedies, including This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Best in Show (2000), and A Mighty Wind (2003). Guest’s British-born father, Lord Peter...
Juan Alberto Grieve Juan Alberto Grieve was a Peruvian inventor who was the first to design and build a quality automobile in South America. Grieve came from a line of talented engineers who had made improvements in Peru’s public transit infrastructure. His grandfather was a Scottish engineer who had arrived in Peru...
Robert D. Bullard Robert D. Bullard is an American sociologist and environmental activist, often referred to as the father of environmental justice. Bullard was born and raised in Elba, Alabama, a small town in the southeastern region of the state. His father was an electrician and a plumber, though he was unable to...
Freedom Caucus The Freedom Caucus is a group of lawmakers within the U.S. House of Representatives made up of the most conservative wing of the Republican Party’s congressional members. The caucus, an outgrowth of the 2009 Tea Party movement, represents a shift toward more ideologically driven and less...
Matt Gaetz Matt Gaetz is a lawyer and a congressman representing Florida’s 1st congressional district (2017– ). He is one of the most outspoken ultraconservative members of his party, has been a staunch defender of former U.S. president Donald Trump, and played a pivotal role in the ouster of Kevin McCarthy...
Sussex pledge Sussex pledge, agreement by the German government during World War I to stop the indiscriminate sinking of nonmilitary ships. The pledge followed the torpedoing of the French passenger steamer Sussex in the English Channel by a German submarine on March 24, 1916. The submarine captain attacked the...
plantar fasciitis Plantar fasciitis, swelling or degeneration of the plantar fascia, the thick band of connective tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot and connects the heel bone to the toes. Plantar fasciitis causes dull or stabbing pain, typically after a long period of rest, such as sleeping or sitting....
tart cherry Tart cherry, (Prunus cerasus), species of cherry cultivated for its acidic fruits. Tart cherries are one of three types of cherries grown commercially, the others being sweet cherries and a cross of sweet and tart cherries known as dukes. Generally considered too acidic to eat fresh, tart cherries...
Popemobile Popemobile, motorized vehicle used to transport the pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, when he greets the public. The term has been used to describe any number of specially designed vehicles by automobile brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Fiat, Jeep, and Cadillac. The Popemobile also...
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, American animated superhero film released in 2018 that was acclaimed for its bold and inventive animation as well as its character-driven storytelling. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing nearly $400 million worldwide and winning the Academy...
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, (BDS), decentralized Palestinian-led movement of nonviolent resistance to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. The movement advocates punitive measures against the state of Israel, including boycotts, divestment, and economic sanctions. BDS initiatives demand an end...
Mulholland Drive Mulholland Drive, American surrealist thriller and neo-noir film, released in 2001, that is considered one of director David Lynch’s finest works. The movie is noted for its dreamlike, nonlinear structure and its exploration of the dark side of the so-called Hollywood dream factory. Mulholland...
Sally Pearson Sally Pearson is a retired track athlete and Olympian considered to be one of the most successful Australian hurdlers of all time. Pearson won a gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and she was also the world champion in the event in 2011 and 2017. In 2014 she was...
Battle of Yarmouk After a devastating blow to the Sassanid Persians at Firaz, Muslim Arab forces under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid took on the army of the Christian Byzantine Empire at Yarmouk near the border of modern-day Syria and Jordan. The Battle of Yarmouk, which began on August 20, 636, was to continue...
megamouth shark Megamouth shark, (Megachasma pelagios), species of large filter-feeding sharks inhabiting the continental shelf and open-ocean regions of tropical and temperate oceans worldwide. The species is found between latitudes 40° N and 40° S from just below the surface to depths of as much as 1,500 meters...
Battles of El-Alamein Battles of El-Alamein, linked battles in World War II, fought from July 1–27 and October 23—November 11, 1942, pitting German and Italian against British, Australian, New Zealander, South African, and Indian forces in coastal central Egypt and resulting in a pivotalAllied victory. After the First...
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Beethoven Piano Sonatas, compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven. Although he was far from the first great composer to write multi-movement compositions for solo piano, he was, nonetheless, the first to show how much power and variety of expression could be drawn forth from this single instrument. For...
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550, symphony by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, sometimes known as the Great G Minor Symphony. Composed in the summer of 1788, it was finished at about the same time as his Symphony No. 39 and Symphony No. 41, marking a period of productivity exceptional even by Mozart’s...
Baseball Positions and Roles In baseball, teams alternate between being fielders (defense) and batters (offense). On defense, nine players take up assigned positions on the field with the primary objective of preventing the opposing offense from scoring. The defense is tasked with collecting outs (also called putouts), which...
Bobi Wine Bobi Wine is a Ugandan politician, performer, and activist who first garnered acclaim for his popular hits and socially conscious songs he called “edutainment”—the fusion of education and entertainment. He later became known for being a vocal critic of Ugandan Pres. Yoweri Museveni (1986– ) and his...
dissidents in the Soviet Union and Russia Dissidents in the Soviet Union and Russia, critics of the regimes in the Soviet Union and 21st-century Russia. Intellectuals and artists who criticized the Soviet system were subjected to persecution, imprisonment, or exile. Opponents of the “managed democracy” of Russian leader Vladimir Putin have...
Symphony No. 1 in D Major Symphony No. 1 in D Major, symphony by composer Gustav Mahler, also known as Titan. Begun in Leipzig while Mahler was serving as second conductor of the Stadttheater and drafted in about six weeks, it premiered in Budapest November 20, 1889, after Mahler assumed the post of musical director of the...
What Does the Easter Bunny Have to Do with Jesus? The Easter Bunny is an odd character to associate with the Christian festival celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as Santa Claus has become synonymous with Christmas, the festival celebrating Jesus’ birth, the Easter Bunny has become one of the most-recognized symbols of Easter. But...
Taxi Driver Taxi Driver, American neo-noir film, released in 1976, that was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. It is considered one of the greatest and most controversial films in history. Set in New York City, it follows a Vietnam War veteran who works as a taxi driver and becomes...
How to invest in art and collectibles: From pastime to portfolio Could your collection bring you riches?Investing in art and other collectibles offers some features that traditional stock and bond investing simply can’t: physical appeal and enjoyment. You can admire a painting on your living room wall, play a violin, and wear a watch. Collectible investments are...
Tax schedules and forms related to Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Income Tax Return So many forms, so little time.It’s time to file taxes again this year. You might prepare your taxes yourself or have a tax preparer help you. But as your return gets more complex—maybe thanks to your investments, or your home business, or your kids’ college expenses—more schedules and forms will be...
Rob Zombie Rob Zombie is an American heavy metal musician and filmmaker whose work is known for its motifs of horror and science fiction. Zombie earned fame initially through his role as frontman of the heavy metal band White Zombie in the 1980s and ’90s, and he later gained prominence through his solo career...
Arthropleura Arthropleura, genus of exceptionally large extinct millipede-like arthropods that thrived from the Viséan Age of the Carboniferous Period to the Asselian Age of the Permian Period (346.7 million to 293.52 million years ago) and are known from their fossilized exoskeletons. Members of Arthropleura...
Invasion of Poland Invasion of Poland, attack on Poland by Nazi Germany that marked the start of World War II. The invasion lasted from September 1 to October 5, 1939. As dawn broke on September 1, 1939, German forces launched a surprise attack on Poland. The attack was sounded with the predawn shelling, by the...
Bathers at Asnières Bathers at Asnières, French artist Georges Seurat’s first large-scale painting (measuring 6.59 × 9.84 feet [2.01 × 3.00 meters]). It depicts factory workers relaxing in the sunshine by the Seine River. Images of “lowly” workingmen were more typical of small-scale genre paintings, but here they are...
Battle of Saint-Mihiel Battle of Saint-Mihiel, Allied victory and the first U.S.-led offensive in World War I, fought from September 12–16, 1918 . The Allied attack against the Saint-Mihiel salient provided the Americans with an opportunity to use the American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front en masse and, for...
Burmese python Burmese python, (Python bivittatus), species of constrictor snake that is native to various environments in southern and Southeast Asia, including several islands in Indonesia, and is known for its exceptional size and its environmental adaptability. Burmese pythons inhabit mangrove forests,...
sweet cherry Sweet cherry, (Prunus avium), species of cherry cultivated for its sweet, edible fruits. It is one of three types of cherries that are grown commercially, the others being tart cherries and dukes, which are crosses of sweet and tart cherries. A popular summer fruit, sweet cherries are usually...
Roy Cohn Roy Cohn was a lawyer and a controversial public figure who rose to prominence through his alliance with U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy and his tenacious legal representation of high-profile clients, including businessman and future U.S. president Donald Trump, shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, and...
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92, symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. Premiering in Vienna on December 8, 1813, the work is considered a notable example of the more ebullient side of Beethoven’s compositional personality and evidence that even after the onset of deafness, he yet found cause for...
Billy Crudup Billy Crudup is an American stage and screen actor who has had a long and steady career playing complex characters within an ensemble cast. He is perhaps best known for his roles as rock star Russell Hammond in Almost Famous (2000) and as network executive Cory Ellison in the streaming series The...
Igbo Landing In 1803, having just overpowered their captors on a small slave vessel off the coast of a small island in Georgia, a group of Igbo people chose death over a life of enslavement and defiantly waded into the cool coastal waters and drowned. One of the largest mass suicides of enslaved West Africans...
Battle of Monte Cassino Battle of Monte Cassino, battle at Cassino, Italy, during World War II from January 17 to May 18, 1944, between Allied forces and Nazi Germany. It resulted in the destruction of the town and its historic Benedictine monastery. Allied progress up the “boot” of Italy had ground to a halt during the...
Battle of Toulouse Battle of Toulouse, the last major engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought on April 10, 1814, between the British and French armiez. Fought in southern France, the battle proved that the French were still determined and able to fight, and although it was inconclusive, the British suffered more...
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero Pablo Jarillo-Herrero is a Spanish physicist known for his work in the field of twistronics, the study of how the properties of layers of two-dimensional materials change when one layer is rotated with respect to the other. Jarillo-Herrero received a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University...
Battle of Kasserine Pass Battle of Kasserine Pass, the first large-scale encounter in World War II between Italian and German land forces and the U.S. army, fought February 14–24, 1943. The Axis offensive along the Kasserine Pass, in a gap in the Atlas Mountains of west-central Tunisia, resulted in a humiliating setback...
Percival Everett Percival Everett is an American writer whose works reflect a wide range of subjects and styles and often deal head-on with philosophy and preconceptions concerning race. He has authored more than 30 books of fiction and poetry, including the novels I Am Not Sidney Poitier (2009), So Much Blue...
Battle of Corregidor Battle of Corregidor, the successful recapture by U.S. troops on February 16–March 2, 1945, during World War II, of Corregidor Island. Located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the Philippines, Corregidor had been called the “Gibraltar of the East.” The fort had been surrendered to invading Japanese...
Battle of Moscow Battle of Moscow, battle fought between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union from September 30, 1941 to January 7, 1942, during World War II. It was the climax of Nazi Germany’s Operation Barbarossa, and it ended the Germans’ intention to capture Moscow, which ultimately doomed the Third Reich. The...
Battle of Jumonville Glen Battle of Jumonville Glen, opening battle of the French and Indian War, fought on May 28, 1754, also noteworthy as the combat action for George Washington. Imperial ambitions brought England and France into conflict in the Ohio River Valley, forming a theater in the global Seven Years’ War, of...
Symphony No. 6 in F Major Symphony No. 6 in F Major, symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. Premiering in Vienna December 22, 1808, on the same concert that offered the premiere of his Symphony No. 5, this work is distinct from that one in part due to its generally optimistic character, but also by the presence of a sequence of...
Dos de Mayo Uprising Dos de Mayo Uprising, also called the Battle of Madridan engagement of the Peninsular War that occurred on May 2, 1808. The French commanders in Spain were highly experienced and successful soldiers, but they completely misjudged the inflammatory nature of Spanish political, religious, and social...
Resurrection Symphony No. 2 in C Minor Resurrection Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, symphony by Gustav Mahler, known as “Resurrection.” The first three movements were heard in Berlin on March 4, 1895; the premiere of the complete work would not occur until December, again in Berlin. The premiere of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, from...
Battle of Gibraltar Battle of Gibraltar, naval battle fought on April 25, 1607, between ships of the Spanish Empire and the Dutch United Provinces. After their loss at the Battle of Ostend, the Dutch United Provinces intensified their maritime campaign against Spain. This culminated in the breathtakingly bold raid on...
Battle of Fort Necessity Battle of Fort Necessity, one of the earliest skirmishes of the French and Indian War, the North American theater of the global Seven Years’ War, and the only battle George Washington ever surrendered. The fight occurred on July 3, 1754, near the site of an earlier skirmish that precipitated it....
Battle of Smolensk Battle of Smolensk, engagement of the Napoleonic Wars fought in eastern Russia on August 16–18, 1812, and the first large-scale battle of the French campaign in Russia. When Napoleon invaded Russia in June 1812, he led a multinational army of more than half a million soldiers. He needed a rapid and...
Leningrad Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60 Leningrad Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60, symphony by Dmitry Shostakovich, known as “Leningrad.” The work premiered informally on March 5, 1942, at Kuybyshev (now Samara), a provincial city alongside the Volga, where the composer and many of his colleagues were seeking refuge from World War II....
Lisa Carrington Lisa Carrington is the most decorated New Zealander Olympian, having won six Olympic medals—five gold and one bronze—as a canoe sprint racer specializing in 200- and 500-meter races in a kayak. Carrington is also the first Māori woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Carrington is of Te...
Siege of Drogheda Siege of Drogheda, siege fought in northeastern Ireland from September 3 to September 11, 1649, pitting Irish Royalists against the New Model Army of Oliver Cromwell. The Royalist rebellion that broke out in Ireland against the new English republic in 1649 was met by a prompt English response. On...
Siege of Calais Siege of Calais, siege during the Hundred Years’ War on the northern coast of France, lasting from September 4, 1346, to August 4, 1347. After his magnificent victory at the Battle of Crécy in August 1346, Edward III of England marched north and besieged Calais, the closest port to England and...
Hun Manet Hun Manet is a Cambodian politician who became prime minister in 2023. He succeeded his father, Hun Sen, who ruled for almost four decades, from 1985 to 2023. Hun Manet is the eldest son of five children born to Hun Sen and Bun Rany. Hun Sen later said in public speeches that Hun Manet is possibly...
plague of Justinian Plague of Justinian, plague pandemic that spread throughout the Mediterranean region and beyond beginning about 541 CE. It is named for Justinian I, who was the Byzantine emperor at that time. Although there is evidence that bubonic plague has been around for as long as humankind, the plague of...
Makar Sankranti Makar Sankranti, Hindu festival in January celebrating the entrance of the sun into the astrological sign of makara (corresponding to Capricorn) and the beginning of the sun’s uttarayana (northward journey). Makar Sankranti occurs on January 14 (or 15 during a leap year). Unlike most other holidays...
Caitlin Clark Caitlin Clark is one of the greatest players in the history of women’s college basketball, especially known for her scoring. As a guard for the University of Iowa in 2024, Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball, surpassing Pete Maravich’s record of 3,667 points. Her widespread...
Powers of attorney: What they are and how they work Your wish is their command.A power of attorney (POA) doesn’t refer to a lawyer. Rather, a POA is a legal document that you (the principal) can use to delegate your wishes to a trusted agent who can act on your behalf in legal, financial, or health care matters. This delegation of power is typically...
Biruté Galdikas Biruté Galdikas is a primatologist, conservationist, and educator who, having dedicated more than half a century to the study of orangutans in Indonesian Borneo, is credited with conducting the longest-running longitudinal study by one principal investigator of any wild mammal in the world. This...
GoodFellas GoodFellas, is a critically acclaimed American gangster film, released in 1990, that is regarded as one of the finest works of director Martin Scorsese’s career. Its creative cinematography and outstanding performances by actors including Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, and Lorraine Bracco...
Great Swamp Fight Great Swamp Fight, critical battle of King Philip’s War, fought on December 19, 1675, in which the Native peoples of New England fought English settlers and their Mohegan and Pequot allies in what is believed to be the bloodiest conflict per capita in U.S. history. Sometimes called the “Great Swamp...
hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic Hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic, economic disaster in the Weimar Republic in 1922–23 that impoverished millions of German citizens and paved the way for the rise of the Nazi Party. During World War I, prices in Germany had doubled, but that was just the start of the country’s economic...
Moscow theater hostage crisis of 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis of 2002, hostage taking by Chechen militants at the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow, Russia, that lasted from October 23 to October 26, 2002. It ended when Russian Spetsnaz (special forces) troops of the anti-terrorist Alfa command filled the theater with a gas. At least...
Nolan Arenado Nolan Arenado is a professional baseball player considered to be one of the best all-around third basemen in Major League Baseball (MLB). An elite infielder, Arenado won the Gold Glove Award in each of his first 10 seasons. He made his MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2013 and quickly became...
rhombus Rhombus, a four-sided, or quadrilateral, geometric figure in which all four sides are of the same length and each of the two pairs of opposite sides are parallel to each other. The word rhombus comes from the Greek rhombos, meaning “a spinning top” or “a piece of wood whirled on a string.”...
Jen Pawol As a girl growing up on Long Island, New York, Jen Pawol wanted to play Little League, but that wasn’t what girls in the 1980s did, so she played softball instead. In the spring of 2024 Pawol umpired her first Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training game and seemed on the verge of doing what no...
Alien Alien, American science-fiction–horror film, released in 1979 and directed by Ridley Scott, that chronicles the struggle of the crew of a deep-space commercial spacecraft to survive an encounter with a terrifying alien creature. The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. Alien,...
2024 Paris Olympics: Athletes to watch On July 26, 2024, the Paris Olympics will officially begin. Over the course of the next two weeks, some 10,500 athletes will compete in 329 events. The Games will feature a full roster of star athletes, and there will undoubtedly be a number of breakout stars. Who should be on your radar? Read on...
Spotify Spotify, audio streaming service that offers users access to music tracks, podcasts, and other media through a subscription model. It is a publicly traded company that was founded by Swedish entrepreneurs Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon in 2006. Spotify is headquartered in Stockholm and has more...
Siege of Antwerp Siege of Antwerp, German capture of the Belgian city of Antwerp from 28 September 28 to October 10, 1914, in the early months of World War I. The Siege of Antwerp showed the weakness of fortifications in the face of the latest German heavy artillery, but it also revealed the Belgians’ refusal to...
Siege of Sarajevo Siege of Sarajevo, siege of the city Sarajevo by Bosnian Serb forces from April 5, 1992, to February 29, 1996, during the Bosnian War, which followed the dissolution of Yugoslavia. It is the longest siege in modern European history through the 20th century, followed by the 872-day Nazi siege of...
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-Sharp Minor Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-Sharp Minor, the second and most famous of the 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies composed for piano by Franz Liszt between 1846–53. Originally composed in 1851 for solo piano, the work was soon converted into orchestral form by Liszt’s colleague, Franz Doppler, who also added a...
Siege of Fort Ticonderoga Siege of Fort Ticonderoga, engagement in the American Revolution from July 2–6, 1777, resulting in a British victory that failed to end the rebellion, as its commander had believed it would. The summer after their success at Valcour Island, the British opened their renewed invasion plan with a...
separation anxiety disorder Separation anxiety disorder, condition characterized by intense and prolonged concern, dread, worry, or apprehension about being separated from a loved one. Separation anxiety disorder is associated with significant distress, to the degree that it interferes with the affected individual’s ability...
Assembly of Experts Assembly of Experts, deliberative body in Iran that oversees the supreme leader (officially called rahbar, or leader). Originally formed after the Iranian Revolution in 1979 to draft a new constitution, the Assembly of Experts was temporarily dissolved shortly thereafter and reestablished in 1983...
American alligator American alligator, (Alligator mississippiensis), species of alligator inhabiting freshwater rivers, lakes, and swamps and brackish waters in the Southern U.S. and northeastern Mexico. The alligator’s geographic range extends from the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas...
territorial disputes in the South China Sea Territorial disputes in the South China Sea, series of conflicts arising from the overlapping territorial claims of several countries that border the South China Sea. In recent decades China has been widely seen as the conflicts’ primary driver. While countries have long disagreed on the sea’s...
The Cat in the Hat The Cat in the Hat, iconic children’s picture book written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss and published in 1957. Using simple words written in rollicking and repetitive rhyme, the book features a mischievous talking cat who attempts to entertain two siblings on a...
Matthew Macfadyen Matthew Macfadyen is a British stage and screen actor who has had a long and steady career playing a diverse set of characters, including the brooding Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice (2005) and the irritatingly ambitious Tom Wambsgans in the HBO series Succession (2018–23). Macfadyen is the son of...
Azurá Stevens Azurá Stevens is an American basketball player who is known for her mobility, defensive play, and shooting ability. As a power forward and center for the Chicago Sky, she helped win a WNBA title in 2021. Two years later Stevens led the U.S. team to a gold medal in the 3×3 competition at the Pan...
How have the Olympics changed? While many associate the modern Olympics with tradition, the quadrennial sporting event is continually changing. There’s the size of the Games: at the Athens Olympics in 1896, 241 athletes competed in 43 events, while the 2020 Tokyo Games (delayed until 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic) featured...
Requiem in D Minor, Op. 48 Requiem in D Minor, Op. 48, composition by Gabriel Fauré. Begun in 1877 and largely composed in the late 1880s, the work was not completed until 1900. Unusually gentle for a requiem mass, the work is often reminiscent of the composer’s best-known work, the restful and graceful Pavane of 1887. Fauré...
Robert Swan Robert Swan is a British explorer and global environmental activist who became the first person to successfully walk to both the South Pole and the North Pole. While studying history at the University of Durham in the mid-1970s, Swan became intrigued by British naval officer and explorer Robert...
Siege of Rome Siege of Rome, siege mounted on Rome, then an outpost of the Byzantine Empire, by the kingdom of the Ostrogoths in 537–538. The desire of Emperor Justinian to restore the full extent of the Roman Empire led to a struggle for control of Italy between his Byzantine army, led by Belisarius, and the...
Fall of Saigon Fall of Saigon, capture of Saigon, the capital of the Republic of South Vietnam, by North Vietnamese forces, which occurred from March 4 to April 30, 1975. It was the last major event of the Vietnam War and effectively signalled the bitterly contested unification of Vietnam. The Paris Peace Accords...
Lisa Kudrow Lisa Kudrow is an actress who excels at applying her keen comedic timing and delivery to offbeat, eccentric characters. She rose to fame portraying the free-spirited massage therapist and coffee-shop folk musician Phoebe Buffay on the popular sitcom Friends (1994–2004). She is also known for...
Battle of Santo Domingo Battle of Santo Domingo, British naval victory over a French flotilla during the Napoleonic Wars, fought in the waters off the southern coast of what is now the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean, on February 6. 1806. Although unwilling after the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) to face Britain in a...
reactive attachment disorder Reactive attachment disorder, rare condition in which infants and young children fail to form emotional bonds with their parents or other caregivers. The disorder is associated with trauma or other stressors that typically result from neglect or physical or emotional abuse and that affect early...
Money market account vs. CD: Which one should you choose? Different accounts for different purposes.The record-low interest rates common in the 2010s may have made you hesitant to put your money into a money market account or especially a certificate of deposit (CD). But since the Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates, the yields offered on these...
Money market account vs. checking account: Which is best? Two tools for managing your money.A checking account is a financial workhorse. From paying bills, to shopping, to getting quick cash, a checking account can do it all—except when it comes to paying you a decent interest rate on your balance. The yields on most checking accounts are minimal at best,...
Is your employee 401(k) match enough to retire on? Free money only goes so far.You may have heard that it’s wise to contribute as much to your employer 401(k) plan as you need to collect the full match (if a match is offered). But should you go above and beyond in your 401(k), or are there other ways to get the most from your retirement planning?...
Tamara de Lempicka Tamara de Lempicka was a 20th-century artist who created a unique painting style, often called “stylized cubism,” which appears to combine the monumentality of 16th-century Mannerism, the mechanical feel of Italian Futurism, and the exaggeration of contemporary fashion magazines. De Lempicka is...
Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka is an American singer, songwriter, composer, and pianist, one of the most prolific songwriters of his era, having written or cowritten more than 500 songs, including the hits “Calendar Girl” (1959), “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” (1960), and “Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen” (1961). Although...
Wu Minxia Wu Minxia is the most-decorated female athlete in the history of diving and became the most-decorated Chinese athlete in Olympic history at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. There she won her seventh medal overall, more than any other Chinese athlete. One of the medals Wu won was a gold medal for...
Second Battle of Fort Wagner Second Battle of Fort Wagner, unsuccessful Union assault on July 18, 1863, during the American Civil War (1861–65) on Confederate-held Fort Wagner on Morris Island, South Carolina. An early assault on the fort on July 11 (the First Battle of Fort Wagner) had been just as unsuccessful. Despite the...
Battle of Balaklava Battle of Balaklava, also spelled Balaclava, (Oct. 25 [Oct. 13, Old Style], 1854), indecisive military engagement of the Crimean War, best known as the inspiration of the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade.” In this battle, the Russians failed to capture Balaklava,...
Battle of Carthage The Battle of Carthage in 146 bce ended generations of war between the Phoenician-founded city and Rome, both vying for control of the Mediterranean Sea. It ended with the destruction of the city and can be viewed an act of Roman aggression prompted as much by motives of revenge for earlier wars as...
Supply chain management: From raw materials to retail Getting from ground to gadget.Take a look around your home. Almost every product you see—from the simplest grocery item to the most sophisticated device—took hundreds, if not thousands, of steps to get there. It required numerous resources, activities, and people to get from an idea to its end...
Battle of the Crater Battle of the Crater, Union defeat on July 30, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861–65), part of the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia. In the final full year of the war, Union forces besieged the town of Petersburg, to the south of the Confederate capital of Richmond. But a well-conceived attempt...
Summer Olympic Games Occurring every four years—provided there is no global war or pandemic—the Summer Olympic Games bring together athletes from across the world to compete for the love of country and sport. While the slate of events has changed over the years, with sports regularly being added and removed,...
Sack of Rome Sack of Rome, an attack on the city of Rome on May 6, 1527, by the forces of the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain, Charles V. Charles’s victory over the French at Pavia in 1525 had left his armies dominant in Italy. After ravaging the countryside, Charles’s forces stormed the city of Rome and...
capital punishment in the United States Capital punishment is legal in some U.S. states and not legal in others. In some states it has been officially or effectively put on hold as a result of gubernatorial actions. The map and table below indicate the legal or effective status, methods, and recent history of capital punishment in each...
MySQL MySQL, open-source relational database management software, owned by the computer software company Oracle, that allows users to interact with large amounts of data across multiple databases. MySQL is one of the most popular database management programs used worldwide. Though SQL is sometimes...
Are 401(k) fees affecting your retirement savings? Don’t let fees nibble down your nest egg.You know you’re supposed to save for retirement, and if your employer offers a 401(k) plan, building a nest egg can be a cinch. But the fees charged by some 401(k) plans can take a toll on the returns your retirement account should be racking up, leaving you...
Yorgos Lanthimos Yorgos Lanthimos is a Greek director and screenwriter known for his surreal films that combine absurd scenarios, striking set designs, and stories of penetrating psychological insight. Lanthimos learned his trade directing television commercials and music videos in Greece before turning to feature...
Boris Nemtsov Boris Nemtsov was a leading figure in the opposition movement for free-market economics and democratic social reforms in postcommunist Russia. After the rise of Vladimir Putin to the country’s presidency, Nemtsov became one of Putin’s most visible and outspoken critics within Russia’s political...
Proxima Centauri Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun, about 4.2 light-years away in the Alpha Centauri system. As a red dwarf star—the most common type of star—Proxima Centauri is about seven times smaller than the Sun and a little more than half as hot, at 3,100 kelvins. In fact, the tiny star is only...
Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin, the oldest university in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland and endowed by the city of Dublin. The two names of the school—the University of Dublin and Trinity College Dublin—are used interchangeably, though there are legal and other...
Contact Contact, science-fiction novel by Carl Sagan, published in 1985. (Read Carl Sagan’s Britannica entry on extraterrestrial life.) Sagan, an astronomer at Cornell University who was inextricably tied to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (the SETI program), was one of the most famous popular...
Blue Mosque Blue Mosque, 17th-century mosque that is one of the most magnificent structures of the Ottoman Empire, set next to the Byzantine Hippodrome and across from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. Known for having six minarets (rather than the standard four) and for its many domes and semidomes, the...
Gandhi’s Phoenix Settlement Gandhi’s Phoenix Settlement, the first ashram-like settlement established by Mahatma Gandhi, near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Gandhi and his family made their home at the settlement from its founding in 1904 until his return to India in 1914. Gandhi studied law in England in his youth...
Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum, institution dedicated to the life and work of Marie Curie located in a gracious town house in the New Town district of central Warsaw, Poland. The house is a replica of the 18th-century house in which Curie was born. Her birthplace was among the buildings destroyed by...
Waterloo Battlefield Waterloo Battlefield, location, 3 miles (5 km) south of Waterloo, Belgium, where, on June 18, 1815, the Battle of Waterloo took place, marking Napoleon’s final defeat. In this battle, the British duke of Wellington’s 68,000 allied forces, including British, Dutch, Belgian, and German troops, and...
Frauenkirche Frauenkirche, Lutheran church in Dresden, Germany, that has long been the symbolic heart of the city. It showed the beauty and power of Dresden and its dedication to Lutheranism, then later recalled the horrors of World War II, and now stands for the city’s resilience and the reconciliation between...
Filing your taxes: Answers to 6 frequently asked questions DIY or get help?The start of the new year brings the trickle of forms for tax-filing season and the annual debate over whether to go it alone or opt to get some help in preparing your tax return. What’s certain is the April 15 filing deadline will arrive sooner than you might like. You may be among...
Geoffrey Hinton Geoffrey Hinton is a British-Canadian cognitive psychologist and computer scientist known as the “godfather of AI.” He revolutionized the field of artificial intelligence with his work on neural network models. He contributed significantly to AI research with novel insights and key discoveries in...
polydactyly Polydactyly, condition that is present at birth in which a person has more than five fingers on a hand or more than five toes on a foot. The term polydactyly is derived from the Greek words poly, meaning “many,” and daktylos, meaning “digit.” Polydactyly occurs in an estimated 1 in 500–1,000...
Cloud Atlas Cloud Atlas, novel by David Mitchell, published in 2004. Cloud Atlas is a polyphonic compendium of interlacing but nonlinear parables. Divided into six different accounts spanning several centuries, Mitchell ranges from the journal of a 19th-century American notary to the post-apocalyptic memoir of...
Battle of Santiago de Cuba Battle of Santiago de Cuba, concluding naval engagement, of the Spanish-American War, fought on July 3, 1898, near Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, a battle that sealed the U.S. victory over the Spaniards. On May 19, 1898, a month after the outbreak of hostilities between the two powers, a Spanish fleet...
history of Côte d’Ivoire History of Côte d’Ivoire, a survey of notable events and people in the history of Côte d’Ivoire. The country, located on the coast of western Africa, is also known as the Ivory Coast. It is made up of four natural regions: the coastal fringe, the equatorial forest zone, the cultivated forest zone,...
rogue wave Rogue wave, a relatively unpredictable and unexpectedly high water wave arising at the water’s surface and formed from the coincidental stacking of multiple wind-driven wave crests passing through a single point or arising from a combination of waves and currents that may shorten the waves’...
supreme leader of Iran Supreme leader of Iran, head of state in Iran, overseeing virtually all functions of government either directly or indirectly. The post was instituted as rahbar (“leader”) in 1979 with the creation of Iran’s Islamic Republic, which blends democratic elements with theocratic oversight from Islamic...
Sampoong Department Store collapse Sampoong Department Store collapse, disaster that occurred on June 29, 1995, when a department store in Seoul, South Korea, collapsed, killing more than 500 people and injuring more than 930. South Korea’s construction boom in the 1980s and 1990s often meant that corners were cut, rules bent, and...
sinking of the Estonia Sinking of the Estonia, disaster that occurred on September 28, 1994, when the ferry Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea, killing 852 people. It is among the 20th century’s worst maritime disasters and the second-deadliest sinking of a European civilian vessel after that of the Titanic. On September 27,...
Battle of Mukden Battle of Mukden, battle fought between forces of Imperial Russia and Japan on February 20–March 10, 1905) at Mukden (Shenyang in northeast China) during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). The battle, the last land engagement of the war, was one of the largest fought before World War I, with more...
Becoming Dylan: Bob Dylan’s Rise to Fame in Pictures Inarguably one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Bob Dylan reshaped popular music by “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition,” according to the Swedish Academy, which presented him with the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016. “I contain...
Britannica’s Female Directors Bingo Are you a feminist film buff? Looking for a good movie to get you in the mood for Oscars night? Or something to celebrate women’s history? Whether you’re a fan of rom-coms, foreign-language films, or action-packed blockbusters, you’ll find 24 great films directed by women in our Female Directors...
Siege of Paris Siege of Paris, major military engagement of the Franco-German (Prussian) War (1870–71), lasting from September 19, 1870 to January 28, 1871). After the defeat at the Battle of the Sedan, where French emperor Napoleon III surrendered, the new French Third Republic was not ready to accept German...
Babylonian Map of the World Babylonian Map of the World, clay tablet produced between the late 8th and 6th centuries bce that depicts the oldest known map of the ancient world. Acquired by the British Museum in 1882 and translated in 1889, this tablet depicts a map of known and unknown regions of the ancient Mesopotamian...
Battle of Alma Battle of Alma, battle fought on September 20, 1854, the first major engagement of the Crimean War. The victory by the British and the French left the Russian naval base of Sevastopol vulnerable and endangered the entire Russian position in the war. Commanded by Prince Aleksandr Menshikov, the...
Battle of Stamford Bridge Battle of Stamford Bridge, battle fought between Saxon and Viking forces on September 25, 1066, about 7 miles east of York, England, with the Britons emerging victorious. Were it not totally overshadowed by a more famous confrontation that took place at Hastings three weeks later, the Battle of...
Battle of Messines Battle of Messines, battle during World War I, fought from June (–14, 1917, between German and British forces, resulting in a British victory . The capture of Messines Ridge, in southernmost Flanders, Belgium, was a preliminary operation that took place just prior to the Battle of Passchendaele...
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, painting by Pablo Picasso completed in 1907. At 25 years of age, with an already serious reputation as an artist, Picasso began work on a painting that he referred to as “mon bordel,” reflecting the painting’s original title, Le Bordel d’Avignon (The Brothel of Avignon)....
Louisiana Hayride Louisiana Hayride, country music show that aired on Saturday nights over 50,000-watt KWKH radio in Shreveport, Louisiana, from April 3, 1948, through August 27, 1960. The three-hour show, performed live in Shreveport’s Municipal Auditorium, was created and hosted by KWKH program director Horace...
encephalitis lethargica Encephalitis lethargica, form of encephalitis that emerged in the early 20th century. An encephalitis lethargica epidemic occurred from 1915 to 1928. The disease was first described medically in 1917, though numerous possible forerunners dating back to the 16th century have been identified....
Battle of Watling Street Battle of Watling Street, battle fought between Britons and Romans in 61 CE about 25 miles west of modern metropolitan Birmingham. In this final decisive battle of Boudicca’s revolt against Roman rule in Britain, a large British force was routed by the heavily outnumbered Romans under the command...
Donny Hathaway Donny Hathaway was a soul music singer, composer, and keyboardist whose influential work blends elements of rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz, and gospel music and helped lay the groundwork for American soul music in the 1970s. A talented keyboardist with a smooth and expressive vocal style, Hathaway is...
Yulimar Rojas Yulimar Rojas is considered the “Queen of the Triple Jump,” known for her series of historic performances. In 2022 she set the world record in the sport, jumping 15.74 meters (51.64 feet). In addition, at the 2020 Tokyo Games (which were delayed until 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), she...
J.B. Pritzker J.B. Pritzker is an American Democratic politician and businessman who is governor of Illinois (2019– ). He is a member of the prominent Pritzker family, who owns the Hyatt hotel chain and is one of the wealthiest families in the United States. Before being elected governor, Pritzker played a role...
Vasa Vasa, 17th-century Swedish vessel, the mightiest warship of its day, that sank on its maiden voyage on August 10, 1628, with about 30 of 150 persons aboard drowning. While the Thirty Years’ War was raging in Europe, King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden realized he needed a stronger naval presence if he...
Southern strategy Southern strategy, in the political history of the United States, a campaign strategy of the Republican Party, actively pursued from the 1960s, that initially sought to increase and preserve support from white voters in the South by subtly endorsing racial segregation, racial discrimination, and...
Ye Shiwen Ye Shiwen is a Chinese swimmer, who specialized in the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley (IM). In IMs the swimmer performs four different strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle) during the same race. Ye was a breakout star at the London 2012 Olympic Games, winning two...
Jessica Watkins Jessica Watkins is an American astronaut who spent six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2022 and has been chosen for the Artemis program, which will return Americans to the Moon in the mid-2020s. She was the first Black woman to spend a long-duration stay on the ISS. In 2008...
Battle of Sandwich Battle of Sandwich, battle that took place in the Strait of Dover on August 24, 1217, that saved England from French occupation, but it has also gone down in history as the first battle fought by sailing ships in the open sea. It is also known as the Battle of Dover. King John of England had...
Goodwill accounting: A complicated part of mergers and acquisitions Keeping the balance sheet balanced … with an asterisk.When companies announce acquisitions, the executives throw around a number called goodwill, which is the difference between the price paid and the value of the company’s net assets on its balance sheet. Goodwill is almost always positive—and can...
bullet ant Bullet ant, (Paraponera clavata), large predatory neotropical ant known for its extremely painful sting. The bullet ant is found in the humid lowland rainforests of Central and South America, ranging from El Salvador and Honduras to Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. The bullet ant’s sting is said to feel...
What is ABLE? Understanding ABLE accounts for individuals with disabilities Make life a bit more affordABLE.If you or someone you know has a disability, then you may have heard about ABLE, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. It was signed into law in 2014 to increase the financial security and tax benefits afforded to people with disabilities. ABLE helps...
What is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and how do I start one? A tax exemption with approval, compliance, and management complexities.Have you ever wondered how an organization can be nonprofit? A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization earns its classification from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) based on its primary purpose. Charitable, religious, educational,...
Donating to a 501(c)(3): Research, verify, donate, itemize, and deduct Remember to keep your receipts.Now that your budget is under control and you have some excess funds, you’re thinking of donating to a charity. But how do you know which charity to support? Why are some charities called 501(c)(3)s? Key Points Donating to a 501(c)(3)When you want to give back. © New...
mason bee Mason bee, (genus Osmia), genus of more than 350 species of solitary bees mostly native to the Northern Hemisphere and known for their habit of using mud in the construction of their nests. Like most other bees, mason bees do not produce honey, and they do not sting unless provoked. They are...
Rush Rush, Canadian rock band that rose to popularity in the 1970s and became one of Canada’s most successful groups, with some 45 million records sold worldwide by 2023. The band was known for its inventive meld of progressive rock with heavy metal, alternative rock, and other styles and for its...
Emerald Fennell Emerald Fennell is an English actress, director, and writer known for her versatile talents and her provocative works exploring horror, revenge, gender, and social class. She directed and wrote the films Promising Young Woman (2020), which won her an Academy Award for best original screenplay, and...
Order of Canada Order of Canada, Canadian honors system founded in July 1967 by Queen Elizabeth II (under the advice of Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson) on the occasion of the Canadian Confederation’s centennial. The order’s motto is “Desiderantes meliorem patriam,” Latin for “They desire a better...
Battle of Lake Okeechobee Battle of Lake Okeechobee, battle in Florida territory fought December 25–28, 1837, between U.S. forces under the command of Colonel Zachary Taylor and an encampment of Seminole Indians, a critical episode in the Second Seminole War (1835–42). In December 1835. Seminole warriors under the command...
Barbara Kopple Barbara Kopple is an American director and producer who is best known for her riveting documentaries that chronicle battles in the American labor movement in the 1970s and ’80s. She was the first woman to win two Academy Awards in the documentary feature category, for Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)...
Left Behind series Left Behind series, series of 16 thriller novels written by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye about Evangelical Christians living through an end-times apocalypse inspired by the Book of Revelation. The best-selling books were published by Tyndale House from 1995 to 2007 and generated spinoffs, audio...
solid-state battery Solid-state battery, device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy by using a solid electrolyte to move lithium ions from one electrode to the other. Solid electrolytes are materials, typically composite compounds, that consist of a solid matrix with relatively high ionic...
Hitler Diaries Hitler Diaries, a 60-volume set of diaries, attributed to Adolf Hitler, at the center of one of the greatest hoaxes of modern times. The diaries had actually been produced between 1981–83 by forger Konrad Kujau, who posed as a Stuttgart antiques dealer named Konrad Fischer, and who had previously...
CSS CSS, declarative-style computer programming language used to design website content. CSS is one of the three main languages used to design Web content, along with HTML (hypertext markup language) and JavaScript. HTML code gives websites their structure and content; JavaScript enables websites to be...
Cain Cain, novel by José Saramago, published in 2009. This final work of Portuguese Nobel laureate José Saramago, an avowed Marxist and atheist, takes as its hero the fratricidal Cain and as its villain the god of the Old Testament, who is violent and decidedly unjust. After killing his brother Abel,...
Lake Nyos disaster Lake Nyos disaster, massive release of carbon dioxide from Lake Nyos in Cameroon on August 21, 1986. The disaster killed between 1,700 and 1,800 people. On August 21, 1986, a cloud of magmatic carbon dioxide gas arose from the bed of Lake Nyos, a freshwater lake located in a volcanic caldera in the...
history of El Salvador History of El Salvador, a survey of important events and people in the history of El Salvador from the time of European settlement. Bounded by Honduras to the north and east, by the Pacific Ocean to the south, and by Guatemala to the northwest, El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated...
Chinese alligator Chinese alligator, (Alligator sinensis), species of alligator inhabiting the stream, pond, and wetland ecosystems in the lower Yangtze River basin of east-central China. Once widespread throughout the basin, the Chinese alligator’s geographic range has contracted to a handful of small habitats in...
cats as pets Cats are second only to dogs as the most common pets in the world. Their association with humans goes back thousands of years. For an account of this history, see cat. With their clean and quiet ways and appealing personalities, cats have long been popular as companion animals. Their self-reliance...
list of race riots and massacres in the United States Racial violence is woven throughout the fabric of the history of the United States. In the centuries following the initial colonization of North America, racial and ethnic minorities—especially African American and Indigenous people—have repeatedly been targeted by white people, often as part of...
American Bully American Bully, breed of muscular companion dog (in contrast to a working dog) created in the United States in the 1980s and ’90s. With proper training and care, it can often be an excellent family dog. However, because of its strength and potential for aggression, this powerful breed has been...
Who’s won the most NASCAR Cup Series championships? Since 1949 NASCAR has been crowning a season champion, using a scoring system that awards drivers points in each race in the Cup Series. While a number of drivers have won multiple championships, three are in a league (or lane) of their own: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson. Each...
Marty Robbins An American singer, songwriter, music publisher, and NASCAR driver, Marty Robbins was one of the most popular country music performers in the 1950s through 1980s. Martin David Robinson was born on September 26, 1925, in a shack in the desert outside Glendale, Arizona, then an agricultural outlier...
polyuria Polyuria, daily output of an excessive amount of urine. In humans, polyuria involves the output of more than three liters of urine per day. Although characterized in part by needing to void more frequently, polyuria differs from frequent urination, since it also involves increased urine volume....
Money market account vs. money market fund: What’s the difference? Both offer interest, but only one is an investment.If you’re looking for a safe place to invest your money, you may be trying to decide between a money market account or a money market mutual fund. Both offer steady returns and are less volatile than investing in the stock market. Despite the...
Battle of Ia Drang Battle of Ia Drang, first major clash between U.S. soldiers and North Vietnamese troops during the Vietnam War. It occurred in the Ia Drang valley, near Vietnam’s border with Cambodia, on November 14–18, 1965. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) was tasked with carrying troops to seek out...
accredited investor Accredited investors are a category of high-net-worth individuals and certain financial entities that meet financial or professional criteria established by a regulatory authority, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States. Accredited investors have the privilege of...
boza Boza, a thick, fermented malt drink made from corn, wheat, millet, or bulgur (depending on location), with a subtle tart, tangy taste and a very low alcohol content. Drinks fermented from indigenous cereals have been known in Anatolia and neighbouring regions for thousands of years. and from there...
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, novel, presented as journalism and laden with autobiographical detail, written by Hunter S. Thompson and published in 1971. First published in Rolling Stone magazine in November 1971 and credited to “sports editor” Raoul Duke, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has one...
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, American sitcom developed by Rob McElhenney and Glenn Howerton that premiered on FX in 2005 and moved to the network’s FXX channel in 2013. Starring McElhenney and Howerton as well as fellow actors Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito, It’s Always Sunny in...
xylazine Xylazine, drug used in veterinary medicine to sedate, relieve pain, and induce muscle relaxation in animals. Xylazine was discovered in 1962 by researchers at the German pharmaceutical company Farbenfabriken Bayer AG (now Bayer AG). The drug was initially investigated for its antihypertensive...
1953 coup in Iran 1953 coup in Iran, coup d’état in Iran that occurred in August 1953. Funded by the United States and the United Kingdom, it removed Mohammad Mosaddegh from power and restored Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi as Iran’s leader. Some 300 people died during fighting in Tehrān. With its strategic location and...
Battle of the Alamo Battle of the Alamo, battle during the Texas Revolution that occurred from February 23 to March 6, 1836, in San Antonio, Texas. It ended in a decisive victory for Mexican forces over “Texian” volunteers, who were annihilated. It also became a symbol of fierce resistance for the people of Texas and...
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, novel by Junot Díaz, published in 2007. The long-awaited first novel from Junot Díaz, which won him the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2008, expands a short story about Oscar Wao—a lonely, overweight, Dominican sci-fi nerd in Paterson, New Jersey, who falls...
Battle of Horseshoe Bend Battle of Horseshoe Bend, battle fought on March 27, 1814, between U.S. federal forces and Creek warriors in central Alabama. The battle, also called the Battle of Tohopeka, yielded a decisive U.S. victory over Native Americans opposed to white expansion into their territories, and it largely...
Ottessa Moshfegh Ottessa Moshfegh is an American writer who is known for novels and short stories that feature bitterly introspective, isolated protagonists, most often young women, living on the outskirts of society. Her fiction has been characterized as being distinctively gritty and uncompromisingly honest in...
Heaven’s Gate Heaven’s Gate, film by director Michael Cimino that was released in 1980 and is, according to many critics, one of the worst films ever made. Hollywood’s film studios felt expansive during the 1970s. Relatively young directors such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola could...
Sazerac Sazerac, a variation of a cognac cocktail native to New Orleans, and the city’s signature alcoholic beverage. Named for the French cognac Sazerac de Forge et Fils, the original base until a grape blight in France restricted the supply of cognac, this drink is made by mixing rye whiskey or bourbon...
atmospheric river Atmospheric river, any long, narrow, and concentrated horizontal corridor of moisture in Earth’s troposphere. Such formations transport vast amounts of water vapor—at flow rates more than double that of the Amazon River—and heat from tropical regions near the Equator toward the middle and higher...
Siamese crocodile Siamese crocodile, (Crocodylus siamensis), medium-sized crocodile inhabiting freshwater streams, lakes, and swamps in parts of Southeast Asia. It is one of the least-known crocodile species, because its population (which numbers between 500 and 1,000 wild individuals) is one of the smallest in...