Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Ellery, William, 1727–1820, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Newport, R.I. While a member of the Continental Congress (1776–81, 1783–85)...

(Encyclopedia) Abzug, Bella Savitsky səvĭtˈskē ăbˈzo͝og [key], 1920–98, U.S. politician, b. New York City. A lawyer and a Democrat, she helped found Women Strike for Peace (1961) and the reformist New Democ...

(Encyclopedia) Murrow, Edward Roscoe, 1908–65, American news broadcaster, b. Greensboro, N.C. He joined the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in 1935 and became its European director two years later, assembling a...

(Encyclopedia) Olynthus ōlĭnˈthəs [key], ancient city of Greece, on the peninsula of Chalcidice (now Khalkidhikí), NE of Potidaea. A league of Chalcidic cities grew up in the late 5th cent. b.c., and Olynthus, ...

(Encyclopedia) Mitchell, Maria, 1818–89, American astronomer and educator, b. Nantucket, Mass. Mitchell taught school in Nantucket, and later became a librarian. On Oct. 1, 1847, Mitchell discovered a comet (1847 ...

(Encyclopedia) shell, in zoology, hard outer covering secreted by an animal for protection. It is also called the test, crust, or carapace. The term usually refers to the calcareous shells of the many species of mol...

(Encyclopedia) Calvino, Italo ĭtəlō călvēˈnō [key], 1923–85, Italian novelist. Calvino was one of the most popular novelists of the 20th cent. Although loneliness is an essential condition in his writings, ...

(Encyclopedia) Clark, Kenneth MacKenzie (Lord Clark of Saltwood), 1903–83, English art historian, studied Oxford. After working with Bernard Berenson in Florence, Clark was keeper of the department of fine art at ...

(Encyclopedia) incubator, apparatus for the maintenance of controlled conditions in which eggs can be hatched artificially. Incubator houses with double walls of mud, a fireroom, and several compartments each holdin...

(Encyclopedia) Anguissola or Anguisciola, Sofonisba sōfōnēsˈbä ängˌēsōˈlä, –shōlä [key], c.1535–1625, Italian painter. Born to a noble family, she studied with Bernardino Campi and later with Michel...