(Encyclopedia) shaft sinking, excavation from the surface of an opening in the earth. Shafts, which are generally vertical, are usually distinguished from tunnels, which are horizontal. Little…
(Encyclopedia) cleavage, tendency of many minerals to split along definite smooth planar surfaces determined by their crystal structure. The directions of these surfaces are related to weaknesses in…
(Encyclopedia) Puy-en-Velay, LePuy-en-Velay, Lelə püēˈ-äN-vəlāˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 23,434), capital of Haute-Loire dept., S central France. Le Puy-en-Velay is the center of an old lace industry,…
(Encyclopedia) gravel, particles of rock, i.e., stones and pebbles, usually round in form and intermediate in size between sand grains and boulders. Gravel is composed of various kinds of rock, the…
(Encyclopedia) Leonard, Elmore (John Elmore Leonard), 1925–2013, American novelist, b. New Orleans, grad. Univ. of Detroit (1950). “Dutch” Leonard began publishing Western tales in the early 1950s,…
(Encyclopedia) Ondaatje, Michael (Philip Michael Ondaatje)Ondaatje, Michaeländätˈchā [key], 1943–, Canadian writer, b. Colombo, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). Immigrating (1962) to Canada, he attended the…
(Encyclopedia) Morton, Jelly Roll, 1890–1941, American jazz musician, composer, and band leader, originally named Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe, b. Gulfport, La. He began studying piano as a child and in…
(Encyclopedia) Redford, Robert, 1937–, American actor and director, b. Santa Monica, Calif., as Charles Robert Redford, Jr. One of Hollywood's superstars, he began his acting career in 1959, scoring…
(Encyclopedia) basaltbasaltbəsôltˈ, băsˈôlt [key], fine-grained rock of volcanic origin, dark gray, dark green, brown, reddish, or black in color. Basalt is an igneous rock, i.e., one that has…
Trending
Here are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
World's Most Corrupt Leaders & Politicians
Western Christian Holidays, 2010-2030
The Best Movie Quotes of All Time!
Top 10 Biggest Waterfalls in the World (Tallest, Widest, & Most Volume!)
