Once stretching from Vienna in the north to Iraq and Yemen in the south, the Ottoman Empire has played an integral role in the history of Eurasia and the Middle East. The dynamics and complexity of t
Although the science of ecology emerged only recently, it has a long ancestry. It begins in the 18th century with the story of Gilbert White, an English clergyman whose correspondence describing and
If the global focus of the new millennium could be characterized by four words, those words would be "weapons of mass destruction." The millennium was barely a few months old when a cruelly innovativ
Hispanic-American literature has a venerable history, but it has never been more important and popular than it is now. Containing more than 250 entries, Encyclopedia of Hispanic-American Literature i
An understanding of the science of light has led to ways of correcting faulty vision, and improving vision to study objects that are too small or too distant to be seen by the unaided eye. The perfor
As our knowledge of matter grows, so too do the number of materials. Metals saw early uses as swords, coins, and later, in the building of airplanes. The 20th century witnessed several new materials:
Nuclear physics investigates the properties and behavior of the central portion, or nucleus, of the atom. This branch of physics had perhaps the biggest impact on the world in the 20th century becaus
Electrical equipment is vital not only to the commuters traveling to and from the office but also to the fighter pilots who soar through the sky in swift and maneuverable airplanes. Other electrical
From the American Revolution in the 18th century to the Iraq War in the 21st century, wars have had a profound impact on U.S. history. Each of the 12 major conflicts since 1775 has generated impassion
Provides cultural, historical, and social contexts for the study of English literature, covering leaders, laws, social movements, scientific developments, religious changes, and the details of everyda
Encyclopedia of Mathematics is a useful reference providing current and accurate information on the subject for high school and college students. Comprehensive coverage includes significant discoveri
From the study of explosives and bodily fluids to drug analysis and fingerprints, chemical methods have played a major role in crime investigation in the last few decades. Forensic Chemistry examines
The field of astrochemistry is constantly changing, and new space probes are sent into the solar system on a regular basis to research astronomical bodies. Chemistry of Space offers an overview of th
The 1960s, a new addition to Facts On File's critically acclaimed Eyewitness History series, provides hundreds of firsthand accounts of the period - from letters, speeches, and newspaper accounts - t
Tennessee Williams is one of the most captivating and popular playwrights of the 20th century. Williams is known for his beautiful and sensitive characterizations, his use of poetic realism and irony
Still the only reference of its kind, Dictionary of Historic Documents, Revised Edition provides basic factual information about more than 2,400 significant documents in world history. Included are k
Letters, speeches, and newspaper articles serve as witnesses to America's growth from fledgling republic in 1783 into rapidly expanding nation by 1828. Historian Purcell (Grinnell College, IA) notes t
Designed to give readers a sense of wonder through its recounting of the development of lasers and the ways in which they are used, Lasers, New Edition shows how the scientists and engineers who inve
