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Romantic literature Romantic literature, the body of written works produced during Romanticism, an attitude or intellectual orientation that characterized many artistic and scholarly works in Western civilization from the late 18th to the mid-19th century. Romantic literature developed throughout Europe and flourished...
Mixue Mixue Bingcheng, commonly known as Mixue, is a Chinese fast-food company specializing in ice cream, tea-based drinks, and other inexpensive menu items. Founded in Zhengzhou, China, Mixue has grown from a small local business into a large franchise with thousands of locations. Its rapid expansion,...
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, novel by British author of detective stories Agatha Christie.Published in 1926, it was her third novel featuring Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. This novel was the first to bring Christie great recognition and is regarded by many critics as her best novel. The Murder...
Life & Times of Michael K Life & Times of Michael K, novel by South African author J.M. Coetzee, who was awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize for Literature. Published in 1983, Life & Times of Michael K won the Booker Prize for fiction. Life & Times of Michael K uses the enduring South African pastoral ideal to challenge the myths...
Fargo Fargo, American dark comedy crime thriller, released in 1996 and set mostly in the dead of winter in Minnesota, that revolves around a debt-ridden car salesman, a botched kidnapping, a triple homicide, and the pregnant small-town police chief who investigates the murders. Written, directed, and...
Bombay Presidency Association Bombay Presidency Association, political organization founded in January 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, by Pherozeshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji, and Kashinath Trimbak Telang. It was one of the key political precursors to the Indian National Congress (Congress Party), which was founded in...
Madras Native Association Madras Native Association, anti-colonial organization founded in 1852 in Madras (now Chennai, India) by businessman and political activist Gazulu Lakshiminarasu Chetty. The first Indian political organization of the Madras Presidency, it consisted mostly of merchants, landowners, and educated...
Demonetization through the years: A history of making money worthless Most paper money today is fiat currency, meaning it has value because users have faith in the government backing it—not in the material it’s made from. And just as the government can giveth, it can taketh away. That’s right: Governments can use a process called demonetization to render bills or...
Deferred interest: How zero-interest credit cards and promotional rates can cost you No-interest financing, often advertised as a 0% annual percentage rate (APR), is a common credit card promotion that lets you make a purchase now and pay it off over time without interest—as long as you qualify and meet the terms. It sounds like a great deal. You avoid interest charges, and...
The emergency fund ratio: How much should you save for a rainy day? Build an emergency fund, they say. It’s one of the basic bits of personal finance advice almost every expert offers. But how much do you need in your emergency fund? As with all things personal finance, how much you should set aside for a rainy day is, well, personal. The short answer is that you...
common ion effect Common ion effect, in chemistry, phenomenon in which the addition of an ion that is already present in a solution reduces the solubility of a weak electrolyte or suppresses the ionization of a weak acid or base. It is a direct application of Le Chatelier’s principle, an underlying concept of...
White House Chief of Staff The role of chief of staff to the U.S. president is widely considered one of the most demanding and fraught jobs in the White House. The chief of staff is often one of the president’s closest advisers on policy and politics, but at times the person must also be a ruthless gatekeeper in determining...
Filmfare Awards Filmfare Awards, annual awards that recognize artistic and technical achievements in Indian cinema. The awards originally honored Bollywood, the Hindi-language film industry of India, but are now presented to films made in several regional languages. Winners receive a black statuette made of bronze...
Long-term care insurance: Costs, coverage, and policy types Paying for costly health care in retirement can add financial stress when you least expect it. Although Medicare covers many health needs, individuals who need assistance with daily living due to aging, a chronic illness, or disability may require additional care. Long-term care insurance is...
Menendez brothers On August 20, 1989, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez brutally murdered their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, shooting each of them multiple times in the family’s mansion in Beverly Hills, California. In the decades since there has been little dispute about those facts. But were the killings...
Why Do Salmon Die After Spawning? Salmon are biologically programmed to die after spawning, a phenomenon known as semelparity. This is a reproductive strategy where an organism expends all its energy in a single, massive effort to reproduce. For Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus), this means they invest everything into their journey...
What Causes Allergies? Allergic reactions are caused by substances known as allergens. These substances can be found in a variety of sources such as pollen, mold spores, dust, animal dander, and certain foods. These substances induce the hypersensitive state of allergy and stimulate the formation of reaginic antibodies,...
What Are the Phases of the Moon? The Moon goes through a cycle of eight distinct phases as it orbits Earth, each offering a unique view of its illuminated surface. The cycle kicks off with the new moon, when the Moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun, leaving its illuminated side hidden from our view. As it moves along its...
Why Are There Different Blood Types? Different blood groups are the result of genetic variations that determine the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells. These variations arise due to differences in genes that are inherited from parents, and they have evolved over time to serve various biological...
Does It Rain on Other Planets? Unlike Earth, where water falls as rain, other planets in our solar system experience vastly different precipitation. On Venus, the atmosphere is thick with carbon dioxide, and the clouds are composed of sulfuric acid. This means that instead of water, Venus experiences sulfuric acid rain. However,...
What Causes Acid Rain? The main contributors to acid rain are sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx; the combination of NO and NO2), which are released into the air primarily through the combustion of such fossil fuels as coal, oil, and natural gas. These pollutants are emitted by power plants, vehicles, and...
Why Is The Ocean Blue? When sunlight hits the ocean, the different colors of the solar spectrum are either absorbed or scattered by water molecules and other particles. Water absorbs colors in the red part of the light spectrum and reflects the blue part, which is why we perceive the ocean as blue. The depth and clarity...
How Are Mountains Formed? The most common and visible way mountains are formed is through the convergence of Earth’s tectonic plates. When two lithospheric plates collide, the immense pressure causes the crust to crumple and fold, creating mountain ranges. This process, called orogeny, results in the formation of long,...
Why Is Summer Warmer Than Winter? The temperature people feel outside is largely based on the absorption of radiant energy from the Sun. Differing seasonal temperatures are caused by the tilt of Earth’s axis, which is at an angle of about 23.4 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. Summer occurs when a part of Earth is...
How Do Clouds Form? Cloud formation, a key part of the water cycle, begins as moist air ascends into the atmosphere. This occurs because, in most climates, moist air is less dense than dry air. As the air rises, it encounters lower pressures, causing it to expand and cool. The resulting cooling process is crucial...
Why Do Humans Have Eyebrows? Eyebrows are like the unsung heroes of the face, quietly doing their job of protecting the eyes from the glare of the sun and from small hazards like dust, dirt, sweat, and rain. Eyebrows act as a barrier, diverting moisture away from the eyes toward the sides of the face through their shape and...
What Is Dark Matter? Despite its elusive nature, dark matter is a crucial component of the cosmos. Because it is electromagnetically neutral, dark matter does not interact with light and is thus impossible to see directly. Although it is invisible, we infer its existence from its gravitational effects on visible...
Why Do Stars Twinkle? Light emitted from stars does not actually twinkle but only appears to twinkle when viewed from Earth. As starlight passes through the different layers of Earth’s atmosphere, turbulence causes the starlight to bend. This distortion of the starlight makes the star appear as if twinkling. Technically...
Can Salamanders Regrow Body Parts? Salamanders are renowned for their remarkable ability to regenerate lost limbs. When a salamander loses a limb, the tissues at the stump undergo a fascinating transformation. They dedifferentiate, meaning they lose their specialized characteristics and revert to a more embryonic state. This process...
Why Do Snakes Shed Their Skin? As snakes grow, their skin does not grow with them. Instead, they periodically shed their outer layer of skin to accommodate their increasing size. This process, known as molting, or ecdysis, involves the formation of a new layer of skin beneath the old one. Once the new skin is ready, the old skin...
How Was the Grand Canyon Formed? The short answer is the hard work of the Colorado River, but the real answer is more complex. About six million years ago, the river began carving its way through the rock layers of the Colorado Plateau. The river’s rapid flow, combined with its load of mud, sand, and gravel, acted like a natural...
What’s the Difference Between Planets and Stars? Stars are essentially cosmic furnaces, burning bright and hot due to nuclear fusion reactions occurring in their cores. This process involves the fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium, releasing a tremendous amount of energy in the form of light and heat. Stars, such as the Sun, are the celestial...
Why Do Giraffes Have Long Necks? The long neck of a giraffe (genus Giraffa) is a classic example of adaptation, which is the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment. Giraffes use their long necks to browse foliage that is as high as six meters (20 feet) off the ground, primarily from thorny acacia...
Why Is Chicago Called the Windy City? While the wind might blow off Lake Michigan, the nickname “Windy City” is rooted in Chicago’s reputation for verbose political speeches. In the late 19th century, the city was known for its blustering politicians—New York City’s The Sun newspaper accused them of being “full of hot air”—and they...
Why Is Mars Called the Red Planet? The distinct reddish color of Mars is primarily due to the presence of iron oxide (commonly called “rust”) in the dust and rocks that cover the planet’s surface. Mars has been associated with the color red for centuries. In various historical cultures and mythologies, Mars has been linked to death,...
Why Do Cats Purr? While purring is often associated with a cat’s contentment, such as when they are being petted or snuggled up in a cozy spot, it can also occur in less happy circumstances. Cats may purr when they are frightened, in pain, or when they are sick. This suggests that purring might serve as a...
How Do Electric Cars Work? At the core of an electric car is its battery, which stores the electrical energy needed to power the vehicle. These batteries are typically made of lithium-ion cells, similar to those found in a laptop or smartphone, but on a much larger scale. The energy stored in an electric car’s batteries...
How Does Sound Travel? Sound travels in waves that are essentially disturbances that move through a medium by causing particles to vibrate back and forth in the direction of the wave’s travel. Imagine a Slinky toy or a coiled spring: when you pull back one end and release it, a wave of compression and expansion of the...
The Rocky Horror Picture Show The Rocky Horror Picture Show, musical comedy-horror film released in 1975 that has gained a cult following. It was directed by Jim Sharman and written by Sharman and Richard O’Brien. The film, and the stage musical on which it is based, is a tribute to B-movies of the 1930s–60s in the horror and...
Maggie Nelson With such books as Bluets (2009) and The Argonauts (2015), American writer Maggie Nelson is known for works that defy simple categorization by blending poetry, criticism, and autobiography. Her intensely confessional work has addressed motherhood, childbirth, violence, family, identity, and...
Deewaar Deewaar, 1975Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan in the Bollywood film Deewaar (“Wall”).© Dinodia Photos/Alamy Deewaar, Bollywood film, released in 1975, that is considered to be a masterpiece in Indian cinema. It was directed by Yash Chopra, written by Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan (Salim-Javed), and...
Tết Tết, celebration of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam. The holiday likely has its origins in the observance of the Chinese New Year but has taken on its own unique meanings and observances in Vietnam. The festival follows a lunar-solar calendar and occurs at the end of January or in early February. For...
Indian time zone Indian time zone, time zone in India observing Indian Standard Time (IST)—five and a half hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)—based on the Indian standard meridian (82°30′ E), which passes through Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. IST is the sole time zone observed in India across its vast...
Baisakhi Baisakhi, spring harvest festival celebrated primarily by Punjabis in India and around the world. Also spelled Vaisakhi, it is traditionally observed on the first day of the month of Vaishakha in the Hindu solar calendar, which falls in April. The annual festival is observed on April 13 or 14....
consumer affairs in India Consumer affairs in India, economic and legal policies concerned with protecting the rights and interests of consumers in the marketplace. These policies involve laws, standards, and institutions designed to ensure fair business practices, product safety, and the resolution of complaints. In India...
government of India Government of India, political authority by which the Republic of India is administered on the basis of the principles of democracy and federalism. The functions of the government are to enact and enforce legislation, formulate and implement policies, and maintain law and order. The Constitution of...
pastoral communities in India Greener pasturesA Raika pastoral shepherd walking with his goats near Jawai Bandh in Rajasthan, India.© Sandeep Bisht/Alamy pastoral communities in India, groups of people in that country whose livelihoods depend primarily on herding and rearing livestock, such as sheep, goats, cows, buffalo,...
The Inheritance of Loss The Inheritance of Loss, second novel written by Indian-born American author Kiran Desai. Published in 2006, it was hailed by critics and readers and was awarded the Booker Prize. The Inheritance of Loss is set in the mid-1980s both in India and in New York City, with the British colonial past...
The Hours The Hours, novel by American writer Michael Cunningham, published in 1998. It won a Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and it was adapted as a 2002 film starring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and Julianne Moore. An intricate reworking of Virginia Woolf’s classic 1925 stream-of-consciousness...
water infrastructure in India Water infrastructure in India, infrastructure for the holistic management of the water resources of India. The infrastructure includes dams, irrigation systems, and reservoirs and ensures the collection, storage, and distribution of water to agriculture, industries, and households. Vital for...
fetal personhood Fetal personhood, aspect of legal personhood that designates human fetuses as entities that have rights and protections in the legal system. Laws that grant fetuses legal personhood may also apply to embryos or fertilized eggs, stages that occur before the fetal stage. The fetal personhood issue...
Laudato si’ Laudato si’, papal encyclical issued by Pope Francis on May 24, 2015. It was the second encyclical of Francis’s papacy (2013– ) and his first social encyclical (i.e., it specifically addresses moral issues). Also known as “On Care for Our Common Home,” Laudato si’ (“Praise Be to You”) is the first...
Linda McMahon Linda McMahon is an American business executive and politician who serves as secretary of the U.S. Department of Education in the Republican administration of U.S. Pres. Donald Trump. During Trump’s first term in office, McMahon was administrator of the Small Business Administration (2017–19)....
nakshatra Nakshatra, term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology (jyotisha). The Sanskrit word nakshatra refers to both individual stars as well as constellations of stars. Since approximately 1000 bce the Hindu calendar system has divided the year into 12 lunar months, each with 27 (or in some sources 28)...
Baltic Germans Baltic Germans, members of an ethnic group (known in German as Deutschbalten or Baltendeutsche) that mostly lived in what are now Estonia and Latvia from the 13th to the 20th centuries. They comprised most of the nobility, as well as the merchant and administrative classes, of these territories...
Formula One racing Formula One (F1) is the most prestigious international open-wheel, single-seat automobile racing competition in the world. At the heart of the allure of F1 is speed. Cars travel in excess of 200 miles per hour (almost 322 kilometers per hour). Need for speedMax Verstappen's (33) car leads the field...
Jen Psaki Jen Psaki is a political communications expert and commentator who served as White House press secretary during the first two years of the administration of Pres. Joe Biden. Her poised press briefings attracted considerable attention during the volatile period after the January 6 U.S. Capitol...
conference of the parties Conference of the parties (COP), a generic term that refers to the governing body of an international treaty or framework convention, bringing together its members to review and update the treaty’s implementation. Although the United Nations hosts several such conferences on various topics,...
sanctuary city Sanctuary city, municipality in the United States that limits local enforcement of federal immigration laws to protect undocumented immigrants. Such policies are established at a city, state, or county level and may be formally enforced or a de facto practice. Although there is no official...
Nostra aetate Nostra aetate, Roman Catholic declaration that was proclaimed by Pope Paul VI on October 28, 1965, during the final session of the Second Vatican Council (1962–65; commonly called Vatican II). Vatican II was an ecumenical council convened to foster spiritual renewal for the Roman Catholic Church...
Salim-Javed Salim-Javed are a legendary Indian scriptwriting duo who collaborated on more than 20 films, including the landmark movies Sholay (1975; “Embers”) and Deewaar (1975; “Wall”). They achieved a level of stardom and influence in Bollywood that no other writers have. Salim-Javed are: Khan moved to...
Sovereign wealth funds: How nations invest for the future A sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is a state-owned investment fund that governments use to invest surplus revenues and other financial reserves. Countries establish these funds to stabilize their economies, grow national wealth, and generate long-term financial returns. Some SWFs manage hundreds of...
Morena Morena, major political party in Mexico. It was founded in 2014 when populist Mexican political leader Andrés Manuel López Obrador mobilized politicians from across the political spectrum in Mexico to form a new political party. The platform of Morena emphasizes an anti-corruption agenda, supports...
Symbols on a U.S. Dollar Bill A U.S. $1 bill is one of the world’s most recognizable currencies, but how closely have you looked at it? The bill features a number of unusual symbols, including an unfinished pyramid and an all-seeing eye. Although they may seem random, these motifs have deep meanings. They tell the story of the...
How housing inflation is measured: Prices, rent, and construction costs Housing inflation refers to the rising cost of living in or purchasing a home, and it’s a tricky and often misunderstood topic. Contributing to the confusion are numerous reports that measure different aspects of the housing market—home values, rent prices, and material costs, among others—with no...
Umbrella insurance: An all-weather financial tool to protect your assets If you’re concerned that your current auto or homeowner’s policy doesn’t have a high enough liability limit to cover the risks you’re exposed to, you might consider umbrella insurance. An umbrella liability policy comes with higher limits than most standard insurance policies, offering additional...
Senior living options: Finding the right fit for your needs As you or your family members age, living options may become an important consideration. Although many older adults prefer to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, others look for living arrangements that offer greater support or a sense of community. Senior living options range from...
Maxwell Street Market Maxwell Street Market, historic open-air market on Chicago’s Near West Side, first established about 1880 by Jewish immigrants fleeing pogroms and antisemitism in Russia, Poland, and Romania. The market’s vendors and customers changed with the neighborhood’s evolving demographics, welcoming Black...
Maurice Hilleman Maurice Hilleman was an American microbiologist and virologist who developed more than 40 vaccines, including those for varicella (chickenpox), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, measles, meningitis, mumps, and rubella. His work was credited with saving tens of millions of lives by making possible the...
The Great Indian Novel The Great Indian Novel, satirical novel by Indian politician and author Shashi Tharoor. His debut novel, The Great Indian Novel was first published in 1989. It was critically praised and has been translated into four European languages and three Indian languages. The Great Indian Novel sets itself...
history of Lesotho History of Lesotho, a survey of notable events and people in the history of Lesotho focusing on the events from the mid-19th century up to the present day. Lesotho is a small country in Southern Africa known for being a scenic land of tall mountains and narrow valleys. The country is also...
The History of Love The History of Love, novel by American writer Nicole Krauss that was published in 2005 and was later adapted as a 2016 film. This sad and achingly beautiful book is a skillfully crafted exploration of loss and its aftermath. With continually changing narrative voices, it weaves at least three...
history of Palestine The use of Palestine today The term Palestine refers generically to a geographic region along the eastern Mediterranean coast, in which Israel and the administrative entities of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are today located. The term was in common use by the time of Herodotus, whose...
Pam Bondi Pam Bondi is an American lawyer who serves as the U.S. attorney general (2025– ) in the Republican administration of Pres. Donald Trump. Bondi previously made history as the first female attorney general of Florida (2011–19). Bondi is one of three children born to Joseph Bondi and Patsy Loretta...
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) UPI, an abbreviation for Unified Payments Interface, is a digital system that allows instant money transfer and payments through a smartphone. From grocery shopping to splitting bills among people, UPI has made transactions easy. Users link one or more bank accounts to a single mobile application...
Lynn Nottage Lynn Nottage is an American playwright whose work often focuses on marginalized communities, the working class, and race relations in America. Nottage has said of her work, “In all my plays, I’m trying to figure out how someone who feels marginalized, invisible, can at the same time be powerful and...
Zakir Hussain Zakir Hussain was an Indian tabla player and composer known for his contributions to Hindustani classical music and his collaborations with international artists. Over a career spanning six decades, he worked with musicians from many genres—jazz, rock, and folk—expanding the reach of Indian...
jumping ant spider Jumping ant spider, (Myrmarachne formicaria), species of jumping spider that mimics a redwood ant (Formica rufa) in both appearance and behavior to escape predators. The spider is native to grasslands in temperate regions of Eurasia, and has been accidentally introduced to parts of the eastern...
Arab Peace Initiative Arab Peace Initiative, historic proposal by Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for Arab states to recognize Israel and normalize relations with the country in exchange for an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Endorsed by all 22 Arab League states during the organization’s...
ultra-processed food Ultra-processed food (UPF), any of a variety of industrially produced foods that contain or are made primarily of highly processed ingredients, including artificial additives, and that typically have high levels of fat, sugar, or salt. Examples of ultra-processed foods include frozen foods,...
U.S. Agency for International Development U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), lead U.S. government agency working in more than 100 countries to promote global economic prosperity, advance food security, strengthen democracy, protect human rights, improve public health, and provide humanitarian assistance. The agency was...
David Remnick David Remnick is one of the leading figures in American media, especially known as the editor of The New Yorker magazine (1998– ). He previously worked as a reporter at The Washington Post. Remnick has also written numerous articles and books, and he won a Pulitzer Prize for Lenin’s Tomb: The Last...
The put-call ratio: Gauge the market’s mood with an old-school volatility indicator The stock market has historically risen over time, but it also goes through significant cycles of bull and bear markets. And if you know the basics of trading options, you know that put and call options may be used to—among other things—speculate on the market’s direction. Put options in particular...
Mary Barra Mary Barra, née Mary Teresa Makela (born December 24, 1961, Waterford, Michigan), is chief executive officer (CEO) and chair of the board of General Motors Company (GM). When she was appointed CEO in 2014, Barra became the first woman to head a global automaker. The Pontiac Fiero: Innovation and...
Great Moravia Great Moravia, former state located in central Europe, the earliest widely attested primarily West Slavic state in recorded history. Most of its territory was in present-day Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. It existed from approximately the 830s until sometime in the early 10th century....
Life plan communities: What they offer and how they work Retirement can bring the freedom to travel, garden, cook, and enjoy life at your own pace. But if maintaining a home, preparing every meal, and handling household chores no longer appeal to you, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) might be worth considering. A CCRC, also known as a life...
Filing a tax return: When it’s required and when it’s worth it Filing taxes can feel like a hassle, but not everyone needs to file a return. If you started a new job or are recently retired or unemployed, your income may be low enough that you’re not required to submit a return. Still, filing may be worth it—if taxes were withheld from your paycheck, you might...
The Graduate The Graduate, novel by American writer Charles Webb, that was published in 1963 and was adapted as a 1967 film. The film became an enduring classic and won its director an Academy Award. The Graduate, Webb’s most successful novel, is so much eclipsed by the movie (starring Anne Bancroft and Dustin...
The English Patient The English Patient, acclaimed novel by Sri-Lankan-born Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje. Published in 1992, it won the Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction and a Booker Prize. It was adapted as a 1996 film, which won the Academy Award for best picture. The novel is set in a bombed-out...
Constitution of India Constitution of India, the supreme law that defines the organizing principles of the Republic of India, the structure and functions of the government, and the rights of citizens. It was framed after India achieved independence from British rule in 1947, and it went into effect on January 26,...
Department of Government Efficiency Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), U.S. federal department that was formerly called the United States Digital Service (USDS). On January 20, 2025, U.S. Pres. Donald Trump issued an executive order that reorganized the USDS and changed its name to the United States DOGE Service; DOGE stands...
Meg Ryan Meg Ryan is an American actress known especially for her roles as the plucky leading lady in such romantic comedies as When Harry Met Sally… (1989), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), and You’ve Got Mail (1998). She later pursued roles behind the camera as well, directing the films Ithaca (2015) and What...
exponential distribution Exponential distribution, a continuous probability distribution used to determine the time taken by a continuous process, occurring at an average rate, to change its state. The exponential distribution is used to model situations in which smaller values are more likely to occur than larger values....
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs—meant to address historical and systemic disparities based on race, gender, age, ability, and sexual orientation in the workplace—became a controversial cornerstone for both the government and private sector in the 21st century. The practice, once...
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM), natural marine area made up of an isolated archipelago of islets, coral atolls, coral reefs, and surrounding deep-ocean waters in the northern Pacific Ocean. It is located approximately 155 miles (250 km) to the northwest of the main Hawaiian...
confessional poetry Confessional poetry, literary movement that emerged in American poetry in the 1950s and ’60s and remained influential into the 21st century. Confessional poetry is characterized by poems that are self-revelatory and often deeply personal, written from the perspective of “I” (the author) rather than...
Myanmar Civil War Myanmar Civil War, ongoing conflict in Myanmar involving more than a hundred armed groups, triggered by military officers’ 2021 coup d’état. Following the coup a state of war erupted between the military junta—officially known as the State Administration Council (SAC)—and the National Unity...
Jameson Raid Jameson Raid, unsuccessful attempt by British officials and mining industry leaders to overthrow the government of the Transvaal—more formally known as the South African Republic (SAR)—that began on December 29, 1895, and ended in a stunning collapse on January 2, 1896. Considered to be the...
Hawa Abdi Hawa Abdi was a Somali physician, lawyer, community leader, and human rights activist. Amid the dangerous landscape of the Somali Civil War, Abdi organized a safe shelter, school, and clinical camp for internally displaced people, which grew into a city-sized community. Abdi’s father was a port...
tragacanth Tragacanth, dried, mucilage-forming gum that comes primarily from the shrub Astragalus gummifer. Tragacanth is second to gum arabic in commercial importance and has an ancient history of use in traditional medicine. Known for its chemical stability and long shelf life, the gum is still used...
Rajaraja I Rajaraja I, emperor of the Chola dynasty from 985 to 1014, known today for reinstating the Chola empire to a position of power in southern India and expanding its territory within southern India and overseas, conquering northern Sri Lanka, Lakshadweep, and the Maldives. He built the Brihadishvara...
puberty blocker Puberty blocker, medication that temporarily stops the actions of hormones responsible for physical changes that occur during puberty, such as breast development in females and growth of the testes and deepening of the voice in males. Puberty blockers are often used in medical settings for children...
sporting dog Sporting dog, dog that scents and either points, flushes, or retrieves birds and other game on land and in water. The four basic types of sporting dogs are pointers, retrievers, setters, and spaniels. Vizslas and Weimaraners are also sporting dogs. While the breeds differ in size, they tend to be...
C.N. Annadurai C.N. Annadurai was an Indian politician who served as the last chief minister of the erstwhile Madras state from 1967 to 1969 and as the first chief minister of Tamil Nadu (renamed from Madras) from January 14 to February 3, 1969. He founded the Dravidian Progressive Federation (Dravida Munnetra...
Jamie Dimon James “Jamie” Dimon (born March 13, 1956, New York City, U.S.) is a billionaire businessman and the chair and chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM). He has been called one of the most powerful leaders in corporate America. One of three children to parents Theodore and Themis Dimon,...
Where the Crawdads Sing Where the Crawdads Sing, debut novel by author Delia Owens, first published in 2018 and later adapted into a feature film starring Daisy Edgar-Jones in 2022. The book quickly became a best-seller, selling over 1.1 million copies in its first year and surpassing 12 million copies sold by 2022. The...
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, nonfiction book by American writer Tom Wolfe, published in 1968, that became a classic of the 1960s counterculture and is one of the most notable works of New Journalism. As exemplified by the work of Hunter S. Thompson, Norman Mailer, and Joan Didion, as well as...
the Emergency The Emergency, period of 21 months (June 1975–March 1977) in India during which emergency powers were applied across the country at the behest of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the Indian National Congress (Congress Party). The Emergency has been widely condemned for its curtailment of civil...
maltose Maltose, organic compound composed of two glucose molecules linked together. The compound (C12H22O11) is a disaccharide formed during the breakdown of starch. It occurs naturally in sprouted grains, such as barley, corn (maize), and wheat, and is found in malted foods and beverages, particularly...
What Does the Term “Judea and Samaria” Mean? The term “Judea and Samaria” is a reference to the biblical regions of Judaea and Samaria. It is also the name given by the Israeli government to the West Bank, an area west of the Jordan River whose borders were defined by the 1949 armistice agreement between Israel and Jordan at the end of the...
March 23 Movement March 23 Movement (M23), rebel group primarily based in North Kivu, a mineral-rich province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is one of many armed groups in the conflict-ridden eastern DRC that have been fighting against other armed groups as well as the DRC’s army, the Armed...
beta distribution Beta distribution, continuous probability distribution used to represent outcomes of random behavior within fixed bounds, usually the range from 0 to 1. Beta distributions have two parameters α and β, which define the distribution’s shape in a range [a,b], where a is less than b. The lower limit,...
Hanlon’s razor Hanlon’s razor, adage attributed to American writer Robert J. Hanlon that states, “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” As a heuristic reasoning tool, the statement is a reminder to give others the benefit of the doubt by considering alternative explanations...
Ron Livingston Ron Livingston is an American actor whose lengthy résumé includes the workplace satire Office Space (1999), the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers (2001), and the TV show Loudermilk (2017–20), about a substance-use counselor. Livingston also had a memorable role on the hit HBO show Sex and...