Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) gutta-percha gŭtˈə-pûrˈchə [key], natural latex obtained from Palaquium gutta and several other evergreen trees of East Asia. The latex, collected by felling or girdling the tree, is allowed to ...

(Encyclopedia) atomic clock, electric or electronic timekeeping device that is controlled by atomic or molecular oscillations. A timekeeping device must contain or be connected to some apparatus that oscillates at a...

(Encyclopedia) Messi, Lionel Andrés lyonālˈ ändrāsˈ māˈsē [key], 1987–, Argentinian-Spanish soccer player, b. Rosario, Argentina. He showed great talent early, and his family moved to Spain in 2000 when F...

(Encyclopedia) Hohokam hōˈhōkămˌ, hōhōˈkəm [key], term denoting the culture of the ancient agricultural populations inhabiting the Salt and Gila river valleys of S Arizona (a.d. 300–1200). They are noted ...

(Encyclopedia) brasses, monumental, or sepulchral brasses, memorials to the dead, in use in churches on the Continent and in England in the 13th cent. and for several centuries following. They are usually set in the...

(Encyclopedia) Rose, Pete (Peter Edward Rose), 1941–, American baseball player, b. Cincinnati. The National League Rookie of the Year in 1963 and Most Valuable Player in 1973, Rose was a switch hitter who played o...

(Encyclopedia) Samara səmäˈrə [key], formerly Kuybyshev, city (1989 pop. 1,254,000), capital of its region, E central European Russia, on the left bank of the Volga and at the mouth of the Samara River. It is a ...

(Encyclopedia) Roy, Rammohun räm-mōˈhən roi [key], 1772–1833, Indian religious and educational reformer. Sometimes called the father of modern India, Roy was born to a wealthy and devout Brahman family in Beng...

(Encyclopedia) Pelosi, Nancy Patricia pəlōˈsē [key], 1940–, U.S. congresswoman, Speaker of the U.S. House of ...

(Encyclopedia) pangolin păng-gōˈlĭn [key], armored, toothless mammal of tropical Asia and Africa. Pangolins range in length from 3 to 6 ft (90–180 cm) including the long, broad tail. Their snouts are narrow an...