Pytheas was a navigator, geographer, astronomer, and the first Greek to visit and describe the British Isles and the Atlantic coast of Europe. Though his principal work, On the Ocean, is lost, something is known of his ventures through the Greek historian Polybius (c. 200–c. 118 bc). Sailing from

ecstasy: The Pythia (priestess) of the oracle at Delphi often went into an ecstatic state during which she uttered sounds revealed to her by the Greek god Apollo. Her “words” were then interpreted by a priest to help a suppliant find a way to avoid calamities, especially…

fungus: Annotated classification: Order Pythiales Pathogenic in plants, algae, and fungi, some are saprotrophic in soil or water; hyphae may grow within or between cells of plants, causing root rot; example genera include Pythium, Phytophthora, and Pythiogeton. Order Rhipidiales Aquatic, saprotrophic, often found in

Pythian Games, in ancient Greece, various athletic and musical competitions held in honour of Apollo, chiefly those at Delphi. The musicians’ contest there dated from very early times. In 582 bc it was made quadrennial, and athletic events including foot and chariot races were added in emulation of

Coleoptera: Annotated classification: …temperate region; example Pyrochroa Family Pythidae Few species widely distributed in Eurasia and America; example Pytho. Family Ripiphoridae (wedge-shaped beetles) About 400 species, many with specialized parasitic habits on other insects; complicated life cycle; examples Pelecotoma, Metoecus.

Pythium: insidiosum causes pythiosis, a rare and deadly tropical disease found in dogs, horses, humans, and certain other mammals.

Pythium, genus of destructive root parasites of the family Pythiaceae (phylum Oomycota, kingdom Chromista). Pythium species have filamentous sporangia, smooth-walled spherical oogonia, and stalked antheridia. Several are often responsible for serious diseases in plants, such as damping-off and rot.

Pythium: P. insidiosum causes pythiosis, a rare and deadly tropical disease found in dogs, horses, humans, and certain other mammals.

Priene: Built by Pythius, probable architect of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the temple was recognized in ancient times as the classic example of the pure Ionic style. Priene is laid out on a grid plan, with 6 main streets running east-west and 15 streets crossing at right angles,…

ecstasy: The Pythia (priestess) of the oracle at Delphi often went into an ecstatic state during which she uttered sounds revealed to her by the Greek god Apollo. Her “words” were then interpreted by a priest to help a suppliant find a way to avoid calamities, especially…

python, any of about 40 species of snakes, all but one of which are found in the Old World tropics and subtropics. Most are large, with the reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) of Asia being the longest, with the largest adults measuring 7–8 meters (23–26.2 feet) in length, but there are

Python, general-purpose high-level computer programming language valued for its English-like syntax and powerful built-in data analysis and data science functions and libraries. Dutch programmer Guido van Rossum developed Python in 1991 after expressing frustration with the limitations of the

Python, in Greek mythology, a huge serpent that was killed by the god Apollo at Delphi either because it would not let him found his oracle, being accustomed itself to giving oracles, or because it had persecuted Apollo’s mother, Leto, during her pregnancy. In the earliest account, the Homeric Hymn

tactical weapons system: Air-to-air systems: …Israeli missile system, known as Python 3, is said to have shot down 50 Syrian aircraft in the invasion of Lebanon in 1982. When that system detects an airplane within range, it lights an indicator lamp and sounds a warning in the cockpit of the aircraft carrying the missile. The…

Burmese python, (Python bivittatus), species of constrictor snake that is native to various environments in southern and Southeast Asia, including several islands in Indonesia, and is known for its exceptional size and its environmental adaptability. Burmese pythons inhabit mangrove forests,

python: Old world pythons: sebae), India (P. molurus), Southeast Asia and Java (P. bivittatus), New Guinea (L. papuanus), and Australia (L. amethistinus) regularly exceed 3 metres (10 feet). Despite their large size, some of these species survive in urban and suburban areas, where their secretive habits and recognized value as…

Burmese python, (Python bivittatus), species of constrictor snake that is native to various environments in southern and Southeast Asia, including several islands in Indonesia, and is known for its exceptional size and its environmental adaptability. Burmese pythons inhabit mangrove forests,

reticulated python, (Malayopython reticulatus), species of giant constricting snake belonging to the python family, Pythonidae, and known for being the longest living snake in the world, with the largest recorded individual measuring 10 meters (32.8 feet) in length. The reticulated python inhabits

python: Old world pythons: …metre, but some pythons of Africa (P. sebae), India (P. molurus), Southeast Asia and Java (P. bivittatus), New Guinea (L. papuanus), and Australia (L. amethistinus) regularly exceed 3 metres (10 feet). Despite their large size, some of these species survive in urban and suburban areas, where their secretive habits and…

Myanmar: The Pyu state: Between the 1st century bce and the 9th century ce, speakers of Tibeto-Burman languages known as the Pyu established city-kingdoms in Myanmar at Binnaka, Mongamo, Shri Kshetra, and Halingyi. At the time, a long-standing trade route between China and India passed through northern…

pyx, in Christianity, vessel containing the consecrated bread used in the service of Holy Communion. Although pyxes were made in various shapes, such as that of a dove, the most common form was that of a small cylindrical box fitted with a cover, which is generally conical. An English pyx dating

African bullfrog, (Pyxicephalus adspersus), species of large frog (family Pyxicephalidae) that is found mainly in Southern Africa. African bullfrogs live in many different habitats, including grasslands, shrublands, freshwater lakes, marshes, and farmland. The animals are sometimes kept as pets.

fungus: Annotated classification: Order Pyxidiophorales Ectoparasitic on mandibulate arthropods, may be mycoparasitic; mycelial; anamorphs lack vesiculate conidiophores; example genus includes Pyxidiophora. Class Lecanoromycetes Forms lichens; thick ascal apex with narrow canal; includes subclasses Acarosporomycetidae, Lecanoromycetidae, and Ostropomycetidae; contains 10

African bullfrog, (Pyxicephalus adspersus), species of large frog (family Pyxicephalidae) that is found mainly in Southern Africa. African bullfrogs live in many different habitats, including grasslands, shrublands, freshwater lakes, marshes, and farmland. The animals are sometimes kept as pets.

Pyxis, constellation in the southern sky at about 9 hours right ascension and 30° south in declination. Its brightest star is Alpha Pyxidis, with a magnitude of 3.7. The French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille formed this constellation in 1754 from stars near what was considered the mast of

Finland: Theatre, opera, and music: …in the country is the Pyynikki Open Air Theatre of Tampere, the revolving auditorium of which can be moved to face any of the natural sets. There are innumerable institutions connected with the theatre in Finland, including the Central Federation of Finnish Theatrical Organizations. There is a wide repertory of…

tank: Gun calibre: …gun was adopted for the Pz. 61 and Pz. 68 tanks produced in Switzerland, the West German Leopard 1, the Swedish S-tank, the Japanese Type 74, and the Mark 1 and 2 versions of the Israeli Merkava. It was also retained in the original version of the U.S. M1 Abrams…

panzer: Pz. I: The Pz. I was a light tank intended as a training vehicle for the new panzer divisions until the more powerful Pz. II, III, and IV tanks could be put into service. The Pz. I went into production in 1934. It was lightly…

panzer: Pz. I: …and an improved version, the IB, was used in large numbers by the German army in the invasions of Poland (1939) and France (1940). The lightly armed and armoured IB performed adequately in these campaigns because it was used in massed formations and because opposing forces made poor use of…

panzer: Pz. II: The Pz. II was larger and more heavily armed and armoured than the Pz. I, but it was still a light tank. It was nevertheless the mainstay of the panzer divisions in the first two years of the war, because of delays encountered…

tank: Interwar developments: …cruiser tanks, and the German Pz. III also required support from more heavily armed tanks if they were to engage in fighting of any intensity. The need for tanks with more powerful 75-mm guns was clearly recognized in Germany, leading in 1934 to the design of the Pz. IV. The…

tank: World War II: The German Pz. IV and Soviet T-34 were rearmed in 1942 with longer-barreled, higher-velocity guns; soon afterward these began to be displaced by more powerfully armed tanks. In 1943 the Germans introduced the Panther medium tank with a long 75-mm gun having a muzzle velocity of 936…

tank: World War II: …1943 the Germans introduced the Panther medium tank with a long 75-mm gun having a muzzle velocity of 936 metres (3,070 feet) per second, compared with 384 metres (1,260 feet) per second for the original Pz. IV and 750 metres (2,460 feet) per second for its 1942 version. The 43-ton…

Ferdinand Porsche: …designed military vehicles, notably the Tiger tank. After the war the elder Porsche was imprisoned by the French for a time. In 1950 the Porsche sports car was introduced. The Porsche Museum opened in Zuffenhausen, a suburb of Stuttgart, in 2009.

Poland: Political process: …Poland was governed by the Polish United Workers’ Party (PUWP; Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza), the country’s communist party, which was modeled on the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The postwar government was run as a dual system in which state organs were controlled by parallel organs of the PUWP.…

time: Time determination: The photographic zenith tube (PZT) is a telescope permanently mounted in a precisely vertical position. The light from a star passing almost directly overhead is refracted by the lens, reflected from the perfectly horizontal surface of a pool of mercury, and brought to a focus just…