- Omalius d’Halloy, Jean-Baptiste-Julien d’ (Belgian geologist)
Jean-Baptiste-Julien d’ Omalius d’Halloy was a Belgian geologist who was an early proponent of evolution. D’Omalius was educated first in Liège and afterward in Paris. While a youth he became interested in geology (over the protests of his parents) and, having an independent income, was able to
- Oman
Oman, country occupying the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula at the confluence of the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. Much of the country’s interior falls within the sandy, treeless, and largely waterless region of the Arabian Peninsula known as the Rubʿ al-Khali. The region is still the
- Oman bullhead shark (fish)
bullhead shark: …the Oman bullhead shark (H. omanensis) of the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.
- Oman Mountains (mountains, Oman)
Arabian Desert: Physiography: The Oman Mountains divide short, steeply graded, northeast-sloping wadis from the less steep wadis sloping southwest into the eastern Rubʿ al-Khali.
- Oman, flag of
national flag consisting of horizontal stripes of white, red, and green and, at the hoist, a vertical red stripe with the national coat of arms. The flag generally has a width-to-length ratio of 1 to 2, but ratios of 4 to 7 or 5 to 9 are sometimes used.A plain red flag was used in Oman as early as
- Oman, Gulf of (gulf, Arabian Sea)
Gulf of Oman, northwest arm of the Arabian Sea, between the eastern portion (Oman) of the Arabian Peninsula to the southwest and Iran to the north. The gulf is 200 miles (320 km) wide between Cape al-Ḥadd in Oman and Gwādar Bay on the Pakistan–Iran border. It is 350 miles (560 km) long and connects
- Oman, history of
Oman: History: This discussion focuses on Oman since the 18th century. For a treatment of earlier periods and of the country in its regional context, see history of Arabia.
- Oman, John Wood (British theologian)
John Wood Oman was a British Presbyterian theologian. After graduating from Edinburgh University and the theological college of the United Presbyterian Church, Oman studied in Germany. After serving as an assistant pastor in Paisley, Scot., he transferred to the ministry of the Presbyterian Church
- Omani dynasties (African dynasties)
eastern Africa: The Omani ascendancy: There ensued, after the Omani victory, a century during which, despite a succession of Omani incursions, the East African coast remained very largely free from the dominance of any outside power. Oman itself suffered an invasion by the Persians and was long distracted…
- Omani highlands (geographical region, Arabia)
Arabia: Geology: The Omani highlands are geologically more closely related to the Zagros Mountains of western Iran than to other mountains in Arabia. (The sea is only about 50 miles wide at the Strait of Hormuz.)
- Omantel (Omani company)
Oman: Transportation and telecommunication: Government-owned Omantel (formerly known as General Telecommunications Organization) is Oman’s primary telecommunications provider. During the 1990s it instituted plans that increased the number of phone lines, expanded the fibre-optic network, and introduced digital technology. The Internet became available in 1997, with Omantel as the official provider.…
- Omar Khadr case (Canadian history)
Omar Khadr case, the imprisonment, trial, and eventual release of Omar Khadr, a Toronto-born Canadian, captured by U.S. soldiers after a firefight in Afghanistan in 2002 when he was 15 years old. The only minor since World War II to be convicted of purported war crimes, Khadr was held for nearly 13
- Omar Khayyam (Persian poet and astronomer)
Omar Khayyam was a Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet, renowned in his own country and time for his scientific achievements but chiefly known to English-speaking readers through the translation of a collection of his robāʿīyāt (“quatrains”) in The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám (1859), by the
- Omar! My Life on and off the Field (work by Vizquel and Dyer)
Omar Vizquel: His autobiography, Omar! My Life on and off the Field, written with Bob Dyer, was published in 2002. Vizquel was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.
- Omar, Ilhan (American politician)
Ilhan Omar is an American policy analyst, organizer, public speaker, advocate, and politician who began representing Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, which includes Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs, in 2019. Upon her inauguration to the U.S. House of Representatives, she became the first
- Omar, Mohammad (emir of Afghanistan)
Mohammad Omar was an Afghan militant and leader of the Taliban (Pashto: Ṭālebān [“Students”]) who was the emir of Afghanistan (1996–2001). Mullah Omar’s refusal to extradite al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden prompted the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 that overthrew the Taliban government
- Omar, Mosque of (shrine, Jerusalem)
Dome of the Rock, shrine in Jerusalem built by the Umayyad caliph ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān in the late 7th century ce. It is the oldest extant Islamic monument. The structure is situated on a flat elevated plaza known to Muslims as al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf (“The Noble Sanctuary”) and to Jews as the
- Omar, Mullah (emir of Afghanistan)
Mohammad Omar was an Afghan militant and leader of the Taliban (Pashto: Ṭālebān [“Students”]) who was the emir of Afghanistan (1996–2001). Mullah Omar’s refusal to extradite al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden prompted the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 that overthrew the Taliban government
- omasum (anatomy)
artiodactyl: Digestive system: … (or paunch), the reticulum, the omasum (psalterium or manyplies)—which are all believed to be derived from the esophagus—and the abomasum (or reed), which corresponds to the stomach of other mammals. The omasum is almost absent in chevrotains. Camels have a three-chambered stomach, lacking the separation of omasum and abomasum; the…
- Omayyad dynasty (Islamic history)
Umayyad dynasty, the first great Muslim dynasty to rule the empire of the caliphate (661–750 ce), sometimes referred to as the Arab kingdom (reflecting traditional Muslim disapproval of the secular nature of the Umayyad state). The Umayyads, headed by Abū Sufyān, were a largely merchant family of
- OMB (United States government)
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), agency of the U.S. federal government (executive branch). It assists the president in preparing the federal budget and in supervising the budget’s administration in executive agencies. It is involved in the development and resolution of all budget, policy,
- Ombédé, Philippe Louis (Cameroonian author)
René Philombe was an African novelist, poet, playwright, and journalist. The Cameroon Tribune called him “one of the most influential personalities in the new wave of creative writing in Cameroon.” Philombe, a cultural and political activist from his teens, became a policeman in 1949. He unionized
- Ombi Islands (islands, Indonesia)
Obi Islands, group of the northern Moluccas, Maluku Utara (North Moluccas) provinsi (province), Indonesia. They lie south of Halmahera Island, north of Ceram Island, and east of the Sula Islands. The principal island of the group is Obi Island, 52 miles (84 km) long and 28 miles (47 km) wide, which
- Ombos (ancient city, Egypt)
Kawm Umbū: …“Hill of Umbū”) lies ancient Ombos. It is known for its unique double temple of the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, which is dedicated to Sebek (Suchos), the crocodile god, and to Horus, the falcon-headed god. Parts of the temple’s pylon and court have been eroded away by the river. Ombos…
- ombre (card game)
ombre, Anglicized version of the classic Spanish card game originally called hombre (meaning “man”) and now known as tresillo in Spain and South America. Three players each receive 10 cards from the Spanish suited 40-card deck lacking 10-9-8 in each suit; the remaining cards go facedown as a stock.
- ombres chinoises (puppet show)
ombres chinoises, (French: “Chinese shadows”), European version of the Chinese shadow-puppet show, introduced in Europe in the mid-18th century by returning travelers. Soon adopted by French and English showmen, the form gained prominence in the shows of the French puppeteer Dominique Séraphin, who
- ombu (plant)
tree: Trees of special interest: The ombu (Phytolacca dioica) is a remarkable South American relative of the pokeweed (P. americana). A tree capable of attaining heights of 20 metres (65 feet) and a spread of 30 metres (100 feet), it has a wide trunk; the branches contain as much as 80…
- ombudsman (government overseer)
ombudsman, legislative commissioner for investigating citizens’ complaints of bureaucratic abuse. The office originated in Sweden in 1809–10 and has been copied in various forms in Scandinavia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Israel and in certain states in the United States and
- Omdurman (Sudan)
Omdurman, one of the Three Towns (with Khartoum and Khartoum North), east-central Sudan. Situated on the bank of the main Nile River just below the confluence of the Blue and White Niles, Omdurman was an insignificant riverine village until the victory of Muḥammad Aḥmad, known as al-Mahdī, over the
- Omdurman, Battle of (African history)
Battle of Omdurman, (September 2, 1898), decisive military engagement in which Anglo-Egyptian forces, under Maj. Gen. Herbert Kitchener (later Lord Kitchener), defeated the forces of the Mahdist leader ʿAbd Allāh and thereby won Sudanese territory that the Mahdists had dominated since 1881. In 1821
- Ōme (Japan)
Ōme, city, Tokyo to (metropolis), east-central Honshu, Japan, on the Tama River. An early trade centre and post town, it was known as a weaving centre for cotton textiles. Other traditional industries included the production of lumber and woodwork. Ōme became a municipality in 1951 when it and two
- Omecíhuatl (Aztec deity)
Ometecuhtli: With his female counterpart, Omecíhuatl (“Two-Lady” or “Lady of the Duality”), Ometecuhtli resided in Omeyocan (“Two-Place” or “Double Heaven”), the 13th and highest Aztec heaven. The opposing factors in the Aztec universe included male and female, light and dark, motion and stillness, and order and chaos. Ometecuhtli was the…
- Omega (Christianity)
Alpha and Omega, in Christianity, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, used to designate the comprehensiveness of God, implying that God includes all that can be. In the New Testament Revelation to John, the term is used as the self-designation of God and of Christ. The reference in
- Omega Centauri (astronomy)
Omega Centauri, (catalog number NGC 5139), the brightest globular star cluster. It is located in the southern constellation Centaurus. It has a magnitude of 3.7 and is visible to the unaided eye as a faint luminous patch. Omega Centauri is about 16,000 light-years from Earth and is thus one of the
- omega effect (geomagnetics)
geomagnetic field: The geomagnetic dynamo: This process is called the omega effect because it depends on the rotational velocity of the fluid.
- Omega Man, The (film by Sagal [1971])
I Am Legend: …Price as Neville, followed by The Omega Man (1971), with the Neville role played by Charlton Heston, and last a 2007 version starring Will Smith as Neville. The first version is most faithful to the book, which, in 2012, the Horror Writers Association honoured as the greatest vampire novel of…
- Omega Workshops (arts collective)
Roger Fry: …into a collective called the Omega Workshops. The goal of the collective was to infuse the innovative aesthetic of Post-Impressionism into the design of everyday functional objects (such as drapery, furniture, and china). The bright colour and ornamental pattern used by these artists marked a fresh departure from the more…
- omega-3 fatty acid (chemical compound)
dermatitis: Environmental influences and treatment: In addition, compounds called omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties, have become an important area of dermatitis research. Skin creams containing omega-3 fatty acids can lessen the severity of skin symptoms and, in some cases, prevent dermatitis. Studies comparing the early diets of children with and without dermatitis…
- omega-6 fatty acid (chemical compound)
fatty acid: …cannot synthesize linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid). Those fatty acids are required, however, for cellular processes and the production of other necessary omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Thus, because they must be taken in through the diet, they are called essential fatty…
- omega-chloroacetophenone (tear gas)
tear gas: …tear gases are ω-chloroacetophenone, or CN, and o-chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile, or CS. CN is the principal component of the aerosol agent Mace and is widely used in riot control. It affects chiefly the eyes. CS is a stronger irritant that causes burning sensations in the respiratory tract and involuntary closing of the…
- omega-consistency (logic)
metalogic: Discoveries about formal mathematical systems: …if such a system is ω-consistent—i.e., devoid of contradiction in a sense to be explained below—then it is not complete and that, if a system is consistent, then the statement of its consistency, easily expressible in the system, is not provable in it.
- omega-minus particle (subatomic particle)
subatomic particle: SU(3) symmetry: …known as the Ω− (or omega-minus), had not yet been observed. Its discovery early in 1964, at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, confirmed the validity of the SU(3) symmetry of the hadrons.
- omegatron (instrument)
mass spectrometry: Ion-trap methods: …derived from this idea, the omegatron and the Fourier-transform spectrometer. Both make use of the cyclotron principle (see particle accelerator: Cyclotrons), in which positive ions produced by a beam of electrons flowing along the axis of a uniform magnetic field follow circular trajectories with a radius proportional to momentum, r…
- Omegna, Roberto (Italian filmmaker)
Roberto Omegna was a motion picture cameraman, director, and producer of documentaries, and one of the pioneers of the Italian cinema. His thorough research and filmmaking skills place him in the forefront of early documentarians. (Read Martin Scorsese’s Britannica essay on film preservation.)
- omen (occultism)
omen, observed phenomenon that is interpreted as signifying good or bad fortune. In ancient times omens were numerous and varied and included, for instance, lightning, cloud movements, the flight of birds, and the paths of certain sacred animals. Within each type of sign were minor subdivisions,
- Omen, The (film by Moore [2006])
Antichrist: …and The Omen (1976 and 2006) and its sequels. The view of Antichrist as a diabolical institution is also reflected to some extent in the superstition that credit cards and electronic bar codes mysteriously mark innocent people with Antichrist’s sign, the number 666 (Revelation 13:18).
- Omen, The (film by Donner [1976])
Richard Donner: Early work: …had his big-screen breakthrough with The Omen, a violent supernatural thriller that starred Gregory Peck as an American diplomat whose son, Damien—switched at birth upon the suggestion of a priest—turns out to be the Antichrist. It was a critical and commercial success, and Donner’s focus shifted to films. For his…
- Omensetter’s Luck (novel by Gass)
William H. Gass: His first novel, Omensetter’s Luck (1966), is about a man whose purity and good fortune are tainted when he is maliciously and falsely connected to a mysterious death. By piecing together various viewpoints, Gass creates levels of insight into character and setting; he does this, however, without the…
- omentum (anatomy)
peritoneum: …are of primary importance: the omentum, which hangs in front of the stomach and intestine; and the mesentery, which attaches the small intestine and much of the large intestine to the posterior abdominal cavity.
- omeprazole (drug)
proton pump inhibitor: …of proton pump inhibitors include omeprazole, lansoprazole, and rabeprazole.
- Ömer (Ottoman poet)
Nefʾi was one of the greatest classical Ottoman poets and one of the most famous satirists and panegyrists in Ottoman Turkish literature. Little is known of Nefʾi’s early life; he served as a minor government official in the reign of the sultan Ahmed I (1603–17). Not until the time of Sultan Murad
- ʿOmer Counting, 33rd Day of the (Jewish holiday)
Lag ba-ʿOmer, minor Jewish observance falling on the 33rd day in the period of the counting of the ʿomer (“barley sheaves”); on this day semi-mourning ceases and weddings are allowed. The origin of the festival is obscure. Among many traditions, one holds that manna first fell from heaven on this
- Ömer Seyfeddin (Turkish author)
Omer Seyfeddin was a short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest modern Turkish authors. Seyfeddin studied in the military schools of Edirne and Constantinople and then entered the army, eventually taking part in the Balkan Wars (1912–13). After leaving the army, he devoted
- Omer Seyfettin (Turkish author)
Omer Seyfeddin was a short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest modern Turkish authors. Seyfeddin studied in the military schools of Edirne and Constantinople and then entered the army, eventually taking part in the Balkan Wars (1912–13). After leaving the army, he devoted
- Omer-paša Latas (ruler of Bosnia)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ottoman Bosnia: The first of these, Omer-paša Latas, crushed a major rebellion in 1850–51 and revoked the separate status of Herzegovina. The second, Topal Osman-paša, introduced a new method of military conscription in 1865 and a completely new administrative system in 1866, dividing Bosnia into seven sanjaks and establishing a consultative…
- Omerta (novel by Puzo)
Mario Puzo: Puzo’s last book, Omerta, was published posthumously in 2000; he considered it, along with The Godfather and The Last Don, part of his Mafia trilogy.
- omertà (Mafia code of honor)
Mafia: This code was based on omertà—i.e., the obligation never, under any circumstances, to apply for justice to the legal authorities and never to assist in any way in the detection of crimes committed against oneself or others. The right to avenge wrongs was reserved for the victims and their families,…
- Ometecuhtli (Aztec deity)
Ometecuhtli, Aztec deity, “Lord of the Duality” or Lord of Life, who represented one aspect of the cosmic duality of the Aztec tradition. With his female counterpart, Omecíhuatl (“Two-Lady” or “Lady of the Duality”), Ometecuhtli resided in Omeyocan (“Two-Place” or “Double Heaven”), the 13th and
- Ometepe (volcano, Nicaragua)
Concepción Volcano, one of two volcanic cones (the other is Madera) forming Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua, southwestern Nicaragua. Also known as Ometepe, it rises to 5,282 ft (1,610 m) and comprises the northern half of the island. Concepción is one of the country’s most active volcanoes and has
- Ometepe Island (island, Nicaragua)
Ometepe Island, island in southwestern Nicaragua, the largest island in Lake Nicaragua. Ometepe actually consists of two islands joined by a narrow isthmus 2 miles (3 km) in length. Their combined area is about 107 square miles (276 square km). The larger, northern one is 12 miles (19 km) from east
- omi (Japanese title)
Japan: The Yamato polity: …to have been muraji and omi, held only by clan leaders of powerful communities serving in the area of the Yamato court. Lower-ranking titles were awarded to leaders of smaller, distant clans who nonetheless swore allegiance. The highest officers of the emerging state were the ō-muraji and the ō-omi, the…
- Omicron Ceti (star)
Mira Ceti, first variable star (apart from novae) to be discovered, lying in the southern constellation Cetus, and the prototype of a class known as long-period variables, or Mira stars. There is some evidence that ancient Babylonian astronomers noticed its variable character. In a systematic study
- Omicron variant (virus variant)
Australia: The premiership of Scott Morrison (2018–22): …version of the virus: the Omicron variant, which resulted in record levels of infections and raised the number of COVID-19-related deaths in Australia to more than 2,700. Nevertheless, by February it too had abated, and Morrison announced that the country was ready to enter the final phase of the return…
- omicron-chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (tear gas)
tear gas: or CN, and o-chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile, or CS. CN is the principal component of the aerosol agent Mace and is widely used in riot control. It affects chiefly the eyes. CS is a stronger irritant that causes burning sensations in the respiratory tract and involuntary closing of the eyes, but its effects…
- omics (biology)
omics, any of several areas of biological study defined by the investigation of the entire complement of a specific type of biomolecule or the totality of a molecular process within an organism. In biology the word omics refers to the sum of constituents within a cell. The omics sciences share the
- Omīd (Iranian satellite)
Omīd, first satellite orbited by Iran. Omīd (Farsi for “hope”) was launched on February 2, 2009, by a Safīr rocket from a site near Semnan. Omīd was a cube 40 cm (16 inches) on a side and had a mass of 27 kg (60 pounds). Its orbit had a perigee of 245 km (152 miles) and an apogee of 378 km (235
- omina (ancient warning)
astrology: Nature and significance: …distinguishes astrology from the celestial omina (“omens”) that were first categorized and cataloged in ancient Mesopotamia. Originally, astrologers presupposed a geocentric universe in which the “planets” (including the Sun and Moon) revolve in orbits whose centres are at or near the centre of the Earth and in which the stars…
- Omina Isaac Opera (work by Israeli)
Isaac ben Solomon Israeli: …in Lyon under the title Omnia Isaac Opera (“All of Isaac’s Works”); the editor, however, mistakenly included the writings of other medical scholars as well. Israeli’s scientific works include standard treatises on fevers, urine, pharmacology, ophthalmology, and ailments and treatments. He wrote also on logic and psychology, showing particular insight…
- omission solid solution (chemistry)
mineral: Compositional variation: …type of solid solution is omission solid solution, in which a crystal contains one or more atomic sites that are not completely filled. The best-known example is exhibited by pyrrhotite (Fe1 − xS). In this mineral, each iron atom is surrounded by six neighbouring sulfur atoms. If every iron site…
- Ōmiya (Japan)
Saitama: Ōmiya, formerly the prefectural capital and now the northern portion of Saitama city, and Urawa, the southern part of the new city, were roughly equal in size at the time of the merger. Both had been post towns on the Nakasendō highway between Ōsaka and…
- Omkar temple (temple, India)
Godarpura: The Omkareshwar temple, on the south shore of the island, contains one of the 12 great Shiva lingams (Hindu symbols); another lingam stands outside the Gauri Somnath temple. The other temples on the island are Shaivite, but there are Vaisnavite and Jain temples on the north…
- Omkarji (pilgrimage site, India)
Godarpura, pilgrimage centre, western Madhya Pradesh state, central India. It is focused mainly on the island of Mandhata in the Narmada River, about 40 miles (65 km) southeast of Indore. The town of Omkareshwar (or Omkarji) lies adjacent to the island on the south side of the river. Godarpura has
- OMM (Mozambican organization)
Mozambique: Labour and taxation: The Organization of Mozambican Women (Organização da Mulher Moçambicana; OMM) was founded by Frelimo in 1973 to mobilize women around issues of interest to them. After independence many women moved to the cities to take advantage of new economic opportunities.
- Ommatidae (insect family)
coleopteran: Annotated classification: Family Ommatidae 2 extant genera (Omma and Tetraphalerus), containing 6 species. Suborder Myxophaga Wing with base of Rs vein absent; prothorax usually with distinct notopleural suture. Family Hydroscaphidae (
- ommatidia (anatomy)
insect: Eyes: …differs in brightness, all the ommatidia that form the retina receive a crude mosaic of the field of view. Unlike the image in a camera or in human eyes, the mosaic image in the compound eye is not inverted but erect. The fineness of the mosaic and, therefore, the degree…
- ommatidium (anatomy)
insect: Eyes: …differs in brightness, all the ommatidia that form the retina receive a crude mosaic of the field of view. Unlike the image in a camera or in human eyes, the mosaic image in the compound eye is not inverted but erect. The fineness of the mosaic and, therefore, the degree…
- Ommatophoca rossi (mammal)
Ross seal, (Ommatophoca rossi), Antarctic seal of the family Phocidae. It has a short face, very large eyes, and coarse fur that is greenish gray above with yellowish stripes on the sides and paler below. Length in both sexes is to about 2.3 metres (7.6 feet) and weight is about 150–215 kilograms
- ommatophore (mollusk anatomy)
gastropod: The head: …snails the upper tentacles, or ommatophores, are invaginable (capable of being rolled in), and the eyes are borne at the tips. In freshwater basommatophorans and most prosobranchs the eyes are located at the base of the tentacles, although in such forms as Strombus the eyes are elevated onto an accessory…
- Ommelanden (district, Netherlands)
Groningen: …surrounding districts known as the Ommelanden. Although Groningen acquired a dominant position in the region, the disputes persisted; the Ommelanden subscribed to the Union of Utrecht (1579) and the revolt against Spain, while the town of Groningen remained loyal to the Spanish king. After 1594 the two were united into…
- ommochrome (biological pigment)
ommochrome, any of a group of biological pigments (biochromes) conspicuous in the eyes of insects and crustaceans as well as in the changeable chromatophores (pigment-containing cells) in the skin of cephalopods. Although ommochromes, which are derived from the breakdown of the amino acid
- ommyō-ji (Japanese religion)
Daoism: Other Asian religions: …of yin and yang” (ommyō-ji), a caste of diviners learned in the Yijing, Chinese astrology, and occult sciences who assumed importance at court in the Heian period (8th–12th century), probably were responsible for the introduction of Daoist practices, such as the Keng-shen (Japanese Kōshin) vigil and the observance of…
- Omni-Americans: New Perspectives on Black Experience and American Culture, The (work by Murray)
Albert Murray: Murray’s first collection of essays, The Omni-Americans: New Perspectives on Black Experience and American Culture (1970), used historical fact, literature, and music to attack false perceptions of black American life. He recorded his visit to scenes of his segregated boyhood during the 1920s in his second published work, South to…
- Omnibook (American magazine)
history of publishing: Reader’s Digest magazine: …successful book digest was probably Omnibook (1938–57), each issue of which contained abridgments of several popular works of fiction and nonfiction. The digests originally carried no advertising, but after World War II they were gradually driven to it by rising costs. One of the last to capitulate was Reader’s Digest…
- Omnibus (television show)
Jonathan Winters: …the prestigious CBS cultural series Omnibus. His unique brand of humour was then showcased on The Jonathan Winters Show (1956–57 and 1967–69), a weekly TV variety series. He recorded several Grammy Award-nominated comedy albums, and he won a Grammy for his album Crank Calls (1995).
- omnibus (vehicle)
bus, any of a class of large, self-propelled, wheeled vehicles that are designed to carry passengers, generally on a fixed route. They were developed at the beginning of the 20th century to compete with streetcars by providing greater route flexibility. The bus was a natural outgrowth of the
- Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act (United States [1968])
Ramsey Clark: …dubious catchall provision of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. At the same time, he prosecuted a huge number of draft-evasion cases—more than 1,500 in 1968 alone, the most notable of which was the prosecution of Benjamin Spock for conspiracy to encourage draft evasion.
- omnibus hearts (card game)
hearts: A popular four-hand variant is omnibus hearts, in which capturing the jack of diamonds (sometimes the 10 of diamonds) counts for minus 10 points. Although four players make for an ideal game, other numbers of players are possible by removing enough cards (such as black 2s) to even out the…
- omnidirectional antenna (electronics)
telecommunications media: Radio transmission: …a broadcast radio channel, an omnidirectional antenna radiates a transmitted signal over a wide service area. In a point-to-point radio channel, a directional transmitting antenna is used to focus the wave into a narrow beam, which is directed toward a single receiver site. In either case the transmitted electromagnetic wave…
- omnidirectional radiation (physics)
spectroscopy: Applications: …of a low level of isotropic microwave radiation by the American scientists Arno A. Penzias and Robert W. Wilson. The measured spectrum is identical to the radiation distribution expected from a blackbody, a surface that can absorb all the radiation incident on it. This
- Omnipen (drug)
ampicillin, drug used in the treatment of various infections, including otitis media (middle ear infection), sinusitis, and acute bacterial cystitis. Ampicillin (or alpha-aminobenzylpenicillin) is a semisynthetic penicillin, one of the first such antibiotics developed. Similar in action to
- omnipotence (theology)
creation myth: Creation by a supreme being: …is all wise and all powerful. The world comes into being because of his wisdom, and he is able to actualize the world because of his power. (2) The deity exists alone prior to the creation of the world. There is no being or thing prior to his existence. No…
- omniscience (religion)
philosophy of religion: God and human action: …perfection and is omnipotent and omniscient. Questions have arisen not only about the exact meaning of these claims but also about their consistency with widespread beliefs about human beings, chiefly the belief that they usually act freely and responsibly and should be held accountable for their actions. If God, being…
- Omnium sollicitundium (papal bull)
Benedict XIV: …Ex quo singulari (1742) and Omnium sollicitudinum (1744), he prohibited certain traditional practices that the Jesuits had allowed converts to retain in China and India. This ban set back the winning of converts in Asia and was partially reversed in 1939, when the church allowed acts of ancestor veneration, provided…
- Omnium, Duke of (fictional character)
Duke of Omnium, fictional character in the Palliser novels by Anthony Trollope. The Duke figures most prominently in Can You Forgive Her? (1864–65), the first book of the series. A stuffy yet decent-minded man, he is politically ambitious and neglectful of his beautiful and spirited young wife,
- omnivore (biology)
omnivore, animal with wide food preferences, which can eat both plant and animal matter. Many small birds and mammals are omnivorous; deer mice and mockingbirds have diets that at different times may include a preponderance of insects or berries. Many animals generally considered carnivores are
- Omo (anthropological and archaeological site, Ethiopia)
Omo, site of paleoanthropological excavations along the southern part of the Omo River in southwestern Ethiopia; it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980. Hominin (of human lineage) fossils unearthed there between 1967 and 1974 consist of about 200 teeth, four jaws, a partial skeleton,
- Omo I (fossil hominin)
Homo sapiens: The genus Homo: …up of two skulls (Omo 1 and Omo 2), were initially dated to 130 kya. In 2022, however, the results of an argon-dating analysis, which estimated the age of a layer of tuff that overlay Omo 1, suggested that the Omo 1 remains date to at least 233 kya.…
- Omo II (fossil hominin)
Homo sapiens: The genus Homo: …two skulls (Omo 1 and Omo 2), were initially dated to 130 kya. In 2022, however, the results of an argon-dating analysis, which estimated the age of a layer of tuff that overlay Omo 1, suggested that the Omo 1 remains date to at least 233 kya. H. sapiens spread…
- Omo remains (paleontology)
Omo: Hominin (of human lineage) fossils unearthed there between 1967 and 1974 consist of about 200 teeth, four jaws, a partial skeleton, parts of two skulls, and a leg bone. The various layers have yielded remains from a broad and critical span of time in human evolution. Moreover, the geologic…
- Omo River (river, Ethiopia)
Omo River, river in southwestern Ethiopia, eastern Africa. It rises in the Ethiopian Plateau and flows southward for about 400 miles (644 km) into the northern end of Lake Rudolf; it is the lake’s only perennial affluent. The lower Omo valley is rich in wildlife and was designated a UNESCO World