unidentified flying object: Possible explanations for UFO sightings and alien abductions: “Contact events,” such as abductions, are often associated with UFOs because they are ascribed to extraterrestrial visitors. However, the credibility of the ETH as an explanation for abductions is disputed by most psychologists who have investigated this phenomenon. They suggest that a common experience known as “sleep paralysis” may…

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Vienna: the early years: …Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio). (Joseph II currently required that German opera, rather than the traditional Italian, be given at the court theatre.) In the summer of 1781, rumours began to circulate, as far as Salzburg, that Mozart was contemplating marriage with the third of…

abductor muscle, any of the muscles that cause movement of a limb away from the midplane of the body or away from a neighbouring part or limb, as in raising the arms to the side (effected by the deltoideus muscle) or spreading the fingers or toes. In man certain muscles of the hands and feet are

Muḥammad ʿAbduh was a religious scholar, jurist, and liberal reformer, who led the late 19th-century movement in Egypt and other Muslim countries to revitalize Islamic teachings and institutions in the modern world. As muftī (Islamic legal counsellor) for Egypt, he effected reforms in Islamic law,

the Roots: With the addition of rapper Malik B (Malik Abdul Basit) and bassist Hub (Leonard Hubbard), they began making a name for themselves in clubs in Philadelphia and New York City.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was an Indian scientist and politician who played a leading role in the development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. He was president of India from 2002 to 2007. His scientific achievements and popularity gained him the epithets “Missile Man” and “People’s

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was an Indian scientist and politician who played a leading role in the development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. He was president of India from 2002 to 2007. His scientific achievements and popularity gained him the epithets “Missile Man” and “People’s

Esther Duflo: …then at MIT), founded the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a research centre supporting scientifically informed policy making to reduce global poverty. Duflo and Banerjee were married in 2015.

Iraq: 2018 parliamentary elections and the premiership of Adel Abdul Mahdi: …he designated an independent politician, Adel Abdul Mahdi, as prime minister and tasked him with forming a cabinet. But Abdul Mahdi was unable to receive approval from the parliament on key cabinet positions and was sworn in on October 24 with only a partial cabinet.

Singapore: East India Company: …a subordinate of his cousin Abdul Rahman, sultan of Riau-Johor, who was under Dutch surveillance. Furthermore, Abdul Rahman was a younger son and not a sultan de jure. Raffles, disobeying instructions not to offend the Dutch, withdrew his own recognition of Abdul Rahman’s suzerainty over Singapore and installed Abdul Rahman’s…

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj was the first prime minister of independent Malaya (1957–63) and then of Malaysia (1963–70), under whose leadership the newly formed government was stabilized. After studies in England (1920–31), Abdul Rahman returned to Malaya to enter the Kedah civil service. In

Tuanku Abdul Rahman was the first supreme chief of state of the Federation of Malaya. After the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1957, the tuanku became the first head of state, or paramount ruler, elected by and from the Malay rulers for a five-year term. Abdul Rahman died before

Feisal Abdul Rauf is a Kuwaiti-born Egyptian American imam, author, and interfaith leader. He led an effort to build an Islamic community centre in Manhattan, New York, a few blocks from the World Trade Center site—one of the targets of the September 11 attacks by Islamic extremists in 2001—which

Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Hussein was the prime minister, foreign minister, and defense minister of Malaysia from 1970 to 1976. A lawyer by training, Abdul Razak joined the civil service in 1950, entered politics in 1955, and was a key figure in gaining his country’s independence from Britain in

Abscam, undercover criminal investigation (1978–80) by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), whose most prominent targets were U.S. elected officials. Although some saw the investigators’ methods as excessive—critics characterized them as entrapment—the convictions of one U.S. senator, six

Sindhi literature: …poet, also a Sufi saint, Abdul Wahhab Sachal Sarmast (1739–1826), who enriched the tradition of religious songs. His contemporary Sami (1743?–1850) was a Vedantist. He represented the tradition of bhakti poetry then in decline in other parts of India.

Paula Abdul is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, choreographer, and television personality who first gained fame in the 1980s, known for such dance-pop hits as “Forever Your Girl” and “Opposites Attract.” Abdul later served as a judge on a number of TV competition shows, and in the 2000s she

Paula Abdul is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, choreographer, and television personality who first gained fame in the 1980s, known for such dance-pop hits as “Forever Your Girl” and “Opposites Attract.” Abdul later served as a judge on a number of TV competition shows, and in the 2000s she

Abdülhamid II was an Ottoman sultan from 1876 to 1909, under whose autocratic rule the reform movement of Tanzimat (Reorganization) reached its climax and who adopted a policy of pan-Islamism in opposition to Western intervention in Ottoman affairs. A son of Sultan Abdülmecid I, he came to the

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American collegiate and professional basketball player who, as a 7-foot 2-inch- (2.18-metre-) tall centre, dominated the game throughout the 1970s and early ’80s. (Read Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Britannica essay on the New York Rens.) Alcindor played for Power Memorial Academy

Watchmen: Reprints, sequels, and media adaptations: …led a cast that included Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Louis Gossett, Jr., and Jeremy Irons. The show was a critical smash, and it won the Emmy for outstanding limited series, with King and Abdul-Mateen capturing acting prizes and Lindelof sharing the award for outstanding writing in a limited series.

Abdülmecid I was an Ottoman sultan from 1839 to 1861 who issued two major social and political reform edicts known as the Hatt-ı Şerif of Gülhane (Noble Edict of the Rose Chamber) in 1839 and the Hatt-ı Hümayun (Imperial Edict) in 1856, heralding the new era of Tanzimat (“Reorganization”). Well

Abdülmecid II was the last caliph and crown prince of the Ottoman dynasty of Turkey. Following Ottoman custom, Abdülmecid was confined to the palace until he was 40, during which time his father, Abdülaziz, and three of his cousins reigned. When his fourth cousin took the throne as Mehmed VI in

Abdülmecid I was an Ottoman sultan from 1839 to 1861 who issued two major social and political reform edicts known as the Hatt-ı Şerif of Gülhane (Noble Edict of the Rose Chamber) in 1839 and the Hatt-ı Hümayun (Imperial Edict) in 1856, heralding the new era of Tanzimat (“Reorganization”). Well

Abdülmecid II was the last caliph and crown prince of the Ottoman dynasty of Turkey. Following Ottoman custom, Abdülmecid was confined to the palace until he was 40, during which time his father, Abdülaziz, and three of his cousins reigned. When his fourth cousin took the throne as Mehmed VI in

Abdelkader was the amīr of Mascara (from 1832), the military and religious leader who founded the Algerian state and led the Algerians in their 19th-century struggle against French domination (1840–46). His physical handsomeness and the qualities of his mind had made Abdelkader popular even before

Abdülaziz was an Ottoman sultan (1861–76) who continued the Westernizing reforms that had been initiated by his predecessors until 1871, after which his reign took an absolutist turn. Like his brother Abdülmecid I, whom he succeeded as sultan on June 25, 1861, Abdülaziz was an ardent admirer of the

Abdülaziz was an Ottoman sultan (1861–76) who continued the Westernizing reforms that had been initiated by his predecessors until 1871, after which his reign took an absolutist turn. Like his brother Abdülmecid I, whom he succeeded as sultan on June 25, 1861, Abdülaziz was an ardent admirer of the

Bâkî was one of the greatest lyric poets of the classical period of Ottoman Turkish literature. The son of a muezzin, he lived in Constantinople. After an apprenticeship as a saddler, he entered a religious college, where he studied Islāmic law. He also came into contact with many famous men of

Abdülhak Hâmid was a poet and playwright, considered one of the greatest Turkish Romantic writers. He was instrumental in introducing Western influences into Turkish literature. Born into a family of famous scholars, Hâmid was educated in Istanbul and in Paris. Later in Tehrān, he studied Arabic

Abdülhak Hâmid was a poet and playwright, considered one of the greatest Turkish Romantic writers. He was instrumental in introducing Western influences into Turkish literature. Born into a family of famous scholars, Hâmid was educated in Istanbul and in Paris. Later in Tehrān, he studied Arabic

Abdülhamid I was an Ottoman sultan from 1774 to 1789 who concluded the war with Russia by signing the humiliating Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca. By the terms of the treaty, Russia obtained the fortresses on the coast of the Sea of Azov, the area between the Dnieper and Bug rivers, and navigation and

Abdülhamid II was an Ottoman sultan from 1876 to 1909, under whose autocratic rule the reform movement of Tanzimat (Reorganization) reached its climax and who adopted a policy of pan-Islamism in opposition to Western intervention in Ottoman affairs. A son of Sultan Abdülmecid I, he came to the

Uzbekistan: Cultural life: The younger poets Batu, Cholpán (Abdulhamid Sulayman Yunús), and Elbek (Mashriq Yunus Oghli) offered metres and rhyme schemes quite different from the verse composed in the traditions long employed by the poets of the region. Fitrat gained fame and popularity for such prose and poetic dialogues as Munazara (1909;…

Muhammed Said Abdulla was a Tanzanian novelist generally regarded as the father of Swahili popular literature. Abdulla, after completing his formal education in 1938, began his career as an inspector in the Public Health Department. After 10 years there, however, he decided to become a journalist.

Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was the king of Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2015. As crown prince (1982–2005), he had served as the country’s de facto ruler following the 1995 stroke of his half-brother King Fahd (reigned 1982–2005). Abdullah was one of dozens of sons born to King Abdulaziz ibn Saud’s. For

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is a Malay politician who was the prime minister of Malaysia (2003–09). In 1964 Abdullah graduated with a B.A. (with honors) in Islamic studies from the University of Malaya. He then joined the Malayan civil service. He served on the National Operation Council, which exercised

Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir was a Malayan-born writer who, through his autobiographical and other works, played an important role as a progenitor of modern Malay literature. Of mixed Arab (Yemeni) and Tamil descent, and Malayo-Muslim culture, Abdullah was born and grew up in a Malacca newly British,

Abdullah I was a statesman who became the first ruler (1946–51) of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Abdullah, the second son of Hussein ibn Ali, the ruler of the Hejaz, was educated in Istanbul in what was then the Ottoman Empire. After the Young Turk Revolution of 1908, he represented Mecca in the

Art Blakey was an American drummer and bandleader noted for his extraordinary drum solos, which helped define the offshoot of bebop known as “hard bop” and gave the drums a significant solo status. His style was characterized by thunderous press rolls, cross beats, and drum rolls that began as

Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was the king of Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2015. As crown prince (1982–2005), he had served as the country’s de facto ruler following the 1995 stroke of his half-brother King Fahd (reigned 1982–2005). Abdullah was one of dozens of sons born to King Abdulaziz ibn Saud’s. For

Abdullah II is the king of Jordan from 1999. He succeeded his father, Hussein, who had named Abdullah crown prince just weeks before his death. Abdullah is a member of the Hashemite dynasty, considered by pious Muslims to be direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (see Ahl al-Bayt). The

Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was the king of Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2015. As crown prince (1982–2005), he had served as the country’s de facto ruler following the 1995 stroke of his half-brother King Fahd (reigned 1982–2005). Abdullah was one of dozens of sons born to King Abdulaziz ibn Saud’s. For

Afghanistan: The Hamid Karzai presidency, NATO takeover, and Taliban resurgence: …closest challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah. With more than 2,000 complaints of fraud and intimidation, however, the United Nations-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) ordered an audit of suspect polling stations, including those that registered a turnout exceeding 100 percent, and began an investigation into fraud allegations. In mid-October the…

Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah was an Egyptian militant Islamist and al-Qaeda strategist who was indicted by the United States for his role in the August 7, 1998, bombings of U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. According to the indictment, Abdullah had served as a member of al-Qaeda’s inner circle and

Farooq Abdullah is an Indian politician and government official who twice served as president (1982–2002 and 2009– ) of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC). He also was the chief minister (head of government) of Jammu and Kashmir state, northwestern India, on three occasions: 1982–84,

Farooq Abdullah is an Indian politician and government official who twice served as president (1982–2002 and 2009– ) of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC). He also was the chief minister (head of government) of Jammu and Kashmir state, northwestern India, on three occasions: 1982–84,

Omar Abdullah is an Indian politician and government official and the chief minister (2024– ) of Jammu and Kashmir union territory in northwestern India. He previously served as chief minister (2009–15) of Jammu and Kashmir state before its bifurcation into Jammu and Kashmir union territory and

Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was a prominent figure in India’s struggle for independence from British rule, who fought for the rights of the Kashmir region. He won a semiautonomous status for Jammu and Kashmir state within independent India, a status which the state continued to enjoy into the 21st

ʿAbd Allāh was a political and religious leader who succeeded Muḥammad Aḥmad (al-Mahdī) as head of a religious movement and state within the Sudan. ʿAbd Allāh followed his family’s vocation for religion. In about 1880 he became a disciple of Muḥammad Aḥmad, who announced that he had a divine

Usman dan Fodio: Growing leadership: …him were his younger brother, Abdullahi, who was one of his first pupils, and his son, Muhammad Bello, both distinguished teachers and writers. But his own scholarly clan was slow to come over to him. Significant support appears to have come from the Hausa peasantry. Their economic and social grievances…

Abdülmecid I was an Ottoman sultan from 1839 to 1861 who issued two major social and political reform edicts known as the Hatt-ı Şerif of Gülhane (Noble Edict of the Rose Chamber) in 1839 and the Hatt-ı Hümayun (Imperial Edict) in 1856, heralding the new era of Tanzimat (“Reorganization”). Well

Abdülmecid II was the last caliph and crown prince of the Ottoman dynasty of Turkey. Following Ottoman custom, Abdülmecid was confined to the palace until he was 40, during which time his father, Abdülaziz, and three of his cousins reigned. When his fourth cousin took the throne as Mehmed VI in

Abdur Rahman Khan was the emir of Afghanistan (1880–1901) who played a prominent role in the fierce and long-drawn struggle for power waged by his father and his uncle, Aʿẓam Khān, against his cousin Shīr ʿAlī, the successor of Dōst Moḥammad Khān. Abdur Rahman was the son of Afẕal Khān, whose

South Africa: Black, Coloured, and Indian political responses: Under the presidency of Abdullah Abdurahman, this body lobbied for Coloured rights and had links at times with other Black political groups. Indians in the Transvaal, led by Mohandas K. Gandhi, also resisted discriminatory legislation. Gandhi spent the years 1893 to 1914 in South Africa as a legal agent…

Abe Isoo was one of the founders of the Japanese socialist movement and titular head of the Social Mass Party (Shakai Taishūtō) from its inception in 1932 until 1940. He is also remembered for introducing the game of baseball to Japan. Abe was attracted to socialism while studying for the ministry

Abe Kōbō was a Japanese novelist and playwright noted for his use of bizarre and allegorical situations to underline the isolation of the individual. He grew up in Mukden (now Shenyang), in Manchuria, where his father, a physician, taught at the medical college. In middle school his strongest

Abe Kōbō was a Japanese novelist and playwright noted for his use of bizarre and allegorical situations to underline the isolation of the individual. He grew up in Mukden (now Shenyang), in Manchuria, where his father, a physician, taught at the medical college. In middle school his strongest

Abe Lincoln in Illinois, drama in 12 scenes by Robert E. Sherwood, first produced in 1938 and published in 1939 with extended commentary by the playwright. The play, which in 1939 was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for drama, concerns Lincoln’s life and career—from his early, unsuccessful days as a

John Cromwell: From The Prisoner of Zenda to Caged: Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Robert E. Sherwood. The moving drama featured an Academy Award-nominated performance by Raymond Massey as the future president; Ruth Gordon was Mary Todd Lincoln, and Cromwell played John Brown.

Abe Masahiro was a statesman who negotiated the opening of Japan to trade and communication with Western nations after the arrival of Commodore Matthew C. Perry and his U.S. Navy fleet. Born into an influential noble family, Abe was only 25 years old when he was appointed head of the rōjū (senior

Shinzo Abe: Early life and first term as prime minister: …as secretary to his father, Shintaro Abe, who was Japan’s foreign minister.

Shinzo Abe was a Japanese politician, who twice served as the prime minister of Japan (2006–07 and 2012–20). His 2022 assassination sent shockwaves throughout Japan. Abe was a member of a prominent political family. His grandfather Nobusuke Kishi served as Japan’s prime minister from 1957 to 1960,

A soldier in the palace guard of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, Abebe Bikila had run only two official marathons before the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. He entered the race as an unknown, but by the end of the 26 miles and 385 yards, he earned worldwide fame as well as a gold medal. Bikila not

abecedarius, a type of acrostic in which the first letter of each line of a poem or the first letter of the first word of each stanza taken in order forms the alphabet. Examples of these are some of the Psalms (in Hebrew), such as Psalms 25 and 34, where successive verses begin with the letters of

dictionary: From Classical times to 1604: …Richard Huloet’s work of 1552, Abecedarium Anglo-Latinum, for it contained a greater number of English words than had before appeared in any similar dictionary. In 1556 appeared the first edition by John Withals of A Short Dictionary for Young Beginners, which gained greater circulation (to judge by the frequency of…

abecedarius, a type of acrostic in which the first letter of each line of a poem or the first letter of the first word of each stanza taken in order forms the alphabet. Examples of these are some of the Psalms (in Hebrew), such as Psalms 25 and 34, where successive verses begin with the letters of

Abéché, town located in eastern Chad, between the wadis Chao and Sao. Historically, it was the site of the capital of the Muslim sultanate of Ouaddaï, which dominated much of the area of Chad before the French conquest in 1912. The remains of the ancient capital include a palace, tombs of former

Abedi Ayew Pelé is a Ghanaian football (soccer) player who was the only man to have won the African Player of the Year award three consecutive times (1991–93). As an attacking midfielder with Olympique de Marseille in France, Abedi Pelé was one of the first African players to have an impact on club

Bangladesh: Visual art and architecture: …behind the art movement was Zainul Abedin, who first attracted attention with his sketches of the Bengal famine of 1943. After the partition of Pakistan from India in 1947, he was able to gather around him a school of artists who experimented with various forms.

Cornplanter was a Seneca Indian leader who aided white expansion into Indian territory in the eastern United States. Cornplanter’s father was a white trader of English or Dutch ancestry named John O’Bail, and his mother was a Seneca Indian. Little is known of his early life. During the American

Richard Wilhelm Heinrich Abegg was a physical chemist whose work contributed to the understanding of valence (the capacity of an atom to combine with another atom) in light of the newly discovered presence of electrons within the atom. Abegg became professor of chemistry at the University of

Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.), one of the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Curving from North Cape to East Point, “the Island,” as Prince Edward Islanders refer to the province, is about 140 miles (225 km) long, ranging from 2 to 40 miles (3 to 65 km) in width. It lies between 46° and 47° N latitude

Peter Abelard was a French theologian and philosopher best known for his solution of the problem of universals and for his original use of dialectics. He is also known for his poetry and for his celebrated love affair with Héloïse. The outline of Abelard’s career is well known, largely because he

Mexico: Pre-Columbian Mexico: During the Abejas phase (3400–2300 bc), use of cultivated plants increased at the expense of wild plants and, probably, at the expense of hunting. In addition, pumpkins and the common bean were introduced. Toward the end of the phase, more-permanent settlements seem to have developed as pit-house…

Abel, in the Old Testament, second son of Adam and Eve, who was slain by his older brother, Cain (Genesis 4:1–16). According to Genesis, Abel, a shepherd, offered the Lord the firstborn of his flock. The Lord respected Abel’s sacrifice but did not respect that offered by Cain. In a jealous rage,

Abel Prize, award granted annually for research in mathematics, in commemoration of the brilliant 19th-century Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel. The Niels Henrik Abel Memorial Fund was established on Jan. 1, 2002, and it is administered by the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.

Miguel de Unamuno: …una historia de pasión (1917; Abel Sanchez), a modern re-creation of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, which centres on the painfully conflicting impulses of the character representing Cain. His other novels include Amor y pedagogía (1902; “Love and Pedagogy”), which describes a father’s attempt to raise his son…

Miguel de Unamuno: …una historia de pasión (1917; Abel Sanchez), a modern re-creation of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, which centres on the painfully conflicting impulses of the character representing Cain. His other novels include Amor y pedagogía (1902; “Love and Pedagogy”), which describes a father’s attempt to raise his son…

Abel Tasman National Park, wildlife preserve in northwestern South Island, New Zealand. Established in 1942, it was named for Abel Tasman, the Dutch navigator. With an area of 55,699 acres (22,541 hectares), it extends inland for about 6 miles (10 km) from the beaches of Tasman Bay on its western

William Steig: …Steig’s two Newbery Honor Books, Abel’s Island (1976) and Doctor De Soto (1982). His other self-illustrated publications include Amos and Boris (1971), Dominic (1972), The Real Thief (1973), Gorky Rises (1980), Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa (1992), Zeke Pippin (1994), and Grown-Ups Get to Do All the Driving (1995).…

Abel’s test, in analysis (a branch of mathematics), a test for determining if an infinite series converges to some finite value. The test is named for the Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802–29). Starting with any known convergent series, say Σ an (i.e., a1 + a2 + a3 + ⋯), Abel proved

Niels Henrik Abel: His central result, known as Abel’s theorem, is the basis for the later theory of Abelian integrals and Abelian functions, a generalization of elliptic function theory to functions of several variables. However, Abel’s visit to Paris was unsuccessful in securing him an appointment, and the memoir he submitted to the…

Carl Friedrich Abel was a symphonist of the pre-Classical school and one of the last virtuosos of the viola da gamba. After playing in the Dresden court orchestra (1743–58), Abel went to London in 1759, where he was appointed chamber musician to Queen Charlotte in 1764. When J.C. Bach arrived in

John Jacob Abel was an American pharmacologist and physiological chemist who made important contributions to a modern understanding of the ductless, or endocrine, glands. He isolated adrenaline in the form of a chemical derivative (1897) and crystallized insulin (1926). He also invented a primitive

Niels Henrik Abel was a Norwegian mathematician, a pioneer in the development of several branches of modern mathematics. Abel’s father was a poor Lutheran minister who moved his family to the parish of Gjerstad, near the town of Risør in southeast Norway, soon after Niels Henrik was born. In 1815

Rudolf Abel was a Soviet intelligence officer, convicted in the United States in 1957 for conspiring to transmit military secrets to the Soviet Union. He was exchanged in 1962 for the American aviator Francis Gary Powers, who had been imprisoned as a spy in the Soviet Union since 1960. Genrich

Rudolf Abel was a Soviet intelligence officer, convicted in the United States in 1957 for conspiring to transmit military secrets to the Soviet Union. He was exchanged in 1962 for the American aviator Francis Gary Powers, who had been imprisoned as a spy in the Soviet Union since 1960. Genrich

Sir Frederick Augustus Abel was an English chemist and explosives specialist who, with the chemist Sir James Dewar, invented cordite (1889), later adopted as the standard explosive of the British army. Abel also made studies of dust explosions in coal mines, invented a device for testing the flash

Theodora Mead Abel was an American clinical psychologist and educator who combined sociology and psychology, most notably in her work with Native Americans. Abel earned a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College (1921), a Master’s degree from Columbia University (1924), and a degree in psychology from

Malta: Modern history: On January 12, 2020, Robert Abela, the son of a former president, was elected leader of the party, and he was sworn in as prime minister the following day. Although Labour under Abela’s leadership oversaw some government reform, the remainder of the parliamentary term focused primarily on navigating the…

Oceanic art and architecture: The Sepik River regions: The art of the Abelam tribe, which lived in the Prince Alexander Mountains, was tied to a vigorous ceremonial life. It thus presents a far more spectacular scene. Their pyramidal ceremonial houses, centres for cults of yam growing and initiation, were built on the grandest scale known in New…

Peter Abelard was a French theologian and philosopher best known for his solution of the problem of universals and for his original use of dialectics. He is also known for his poetry and for his celebrated love affair with Héloïse. The outline of Abelard’s career is well known, largely because he

Peter Abelard was a French theologian and philosopher best known for his solution of the problem of universals and for his original use of dialectics. He is also known for his poetry and for his celebrated love affair with Héloïse. The outline of Abelard’s career is well known, largely because he

Dutch literature: Songs, drama, and the rhetoricians: …the first extant plays—the 14th-century Abele spelen (“seemly plays”)—were entirely secular (and may have been the first of such in Europe), incorporating romantic themes from the earlier songs, there is reason to attribute the emergence of drama in the Netherlands as much to mime and song as to liturgical action.…

Caprifoliaceae: Major genera and species: The genus Abelia has about 30 species, which are native to East Asia and Mexico. Given this unusual geographical distribution, the taxonomy of the genus is contentious. Mexican abelia (A. floribunda) is cultivated as an ornamental and has bright green oval leaves and small clusters of fragrant…

Caprifoliaceae: Major genera and species: Mexican abelia (A. floribunda) is cultivated as an ornamental and has bright green oval leaves and small clusters of fragrant pinkish purple tubular flowers. It may reach 1.8 metres (6 feet) but usually is shorter. The glossy abelia (A. ×grandiflora) has pinkish white blooms and…

Caprifoliaceae: Major genera and species: The glossy abelia (A. ×grandiflora) has pinkish white blooms and is evergreen in warm climates.

modern algebra: Group theory: …group is called commutative, or Abelian; for such Abelian groups, operations are sometimes written α + β instead of αβ, using addition in place of multiplication.

Niels Henrik Abel: His central result, known as Abel’s theorem, is the basis for the later theory of Abelian integrals and Abelian functions, a generalization of elliptic function theory to functions of several variables. However, Abel’s visit to Paris was unsuccessful in securing him an appointment, and the memoir he submitted to the…