meridian, imaginary north–south line on the Earth’s surface that connects both geographic poles; it is used to indicate longitude. The 40th meridian, for example, has a longitude of 40° E or 40° W. See latitude and longitude. The prime meridian is zero degrees longitude and divides Earth into the

Meridian, city, seat of Lauderdale county, eastern Mississippi, U.S., lying 93 miles (150 km) east of Jackson. In 1854 the site was chosen as the junction of the Vicksburg and Montgomery and the Mobile and Ohio railway lines about 20 miles (30 km) from the Alabama border. The name was chosen by a

African American literature: Alice Walker: …/ Be an outcast”; and Meridian (1976), a novelistic redefinition of African American motherhood. In 1982 Walker’s most famous novel, The Color Purple, an epistolary novel that depicted rape, incest, bisexuality, and lesbian love among African Americans, won the Pulitzer Prize and the

traditional Chinese medicine: The role of qi and meridians: An essential aspect of TCM is an understanding of the body’s qi (life force; literally, “vital breath”), which flows through invisible meridians (channels) of the body. This energy network connects organs, tissues, veins, nerves, cells, atoms

telescope: Astronomical transit instruments: …of transit instruments—for example, the transit circle telescope, the vertical circle telescope, and the horizontal meridian circle telescope. The transit circle determines the right ascension of celestial objects, while the vertical circle measures only their declinations. Transit circles and horizontal meridian circles measure both right ascension and declination at the…

Forbidden City: …more notable landmarks are the Wu (Meridian) Gate, the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian), and the Imperial Garden (Yuhuayuan). The Wu Gate is the imposing formal southern entrance to the Forbidden City. Its auxiliary wings, which flank the entryway, are outstretched like the forepaws of a guardian lion or sphinx.…

telescope: Astronomical transit instruments: The observer’s meridian is a great circle on the celestial sphere that passes through the north and south points of the horizon as well as through the zenith of the observer. Restricting the telescope to motion only in the meridian provides an added degree of stability, but…

Mars: Spacecraft exploration: …January 24, Opportunity landed in Meridiani Planum (2° S 6° W), on the opposite side of the planet. The six-wheeled rovers, each equipped with cameras and a suite of instruments that included a microscopic imager and a rock-grinding tool, analyzed the rocks, soil, and dust around their landing sites, which…

Transylvanian Alps, mountainous region of south-central Romania. It consists of that section of the Carpathian Mountain arc from the Prahova River valley (east) to the gap in which flow the Timiş and Cerna rivers. Average elevation in the Transylvanian Alps is 4,920–5,740 feet (1,500–1,750 metres).

Lycian language: Later studies by linguists Piero Meriggi (1936) and Holger Pedersen (1945) proved that Lycian is an Indo-European language closely related to Hittite and Luwian. In another series of studies (1958–67), Emmanuel Laroche showed that Lycian shares several specific innovations with Luwian. A trilingual text (Lycian-Greek-Aramaic)

Prosper Mérimée was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and master of the short story whose works—Romantic in theme but Classical and controlled in style—were a renewal of Classicism in a Romantic age. Of a cultured, middle-class Norman background, Mérimée first studied law but was more

Mirim Lagoon, shallow Atlantic tidewater lagoon on the border between Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul state) and Uruguay. It is approximately 118 miles (190 km) long and 30 miles across at its widest point, covering an area of 1,542 square miles (3,994 square km). A low marshy bar, 10 to 35 miles wide

Merina, a Malagasy people primarily inhabiting the central plateau of Madagascar. They are the most populous ethnolinguistic group on the island. The early Merina, whose origins are uncertain, entered the central plateau of Madagascar in the 15th century and soon established a small kingdom there.

Austronesian languages: Major languages: …of the Philippines, and the Merina dialect of Malagasy, which is spoken in the highlands around the capital of Antananarivo, forms the basis for standard Malagasy. Hindu-Buddhist polities, based on Indian concepts of the state, arose in parts of the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra during the first few centuries of…

pharmaceutical industry: Isolation of insulin: …Oskar Minkowski and German physician Joseph von Mering showed that removing the pancreas from a dog caused the animal to exhibit a disorder quite similar to human diabetes mellitus (elevated blood glucose and metabolic changes). After this discovery, a number of scientists in various parts of the world attempted to…

meringue, mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar that is used in confections and desserts. The invention of meringue in 1720 is attributed to a Swiss pastry cook named Gasparini. Meringues are eaten as small “kisses” or as cases and toppings for fruits, ice cream, puddings, and the like.

Merino, breed of fine-wool sheep originating in Spain; it was known as early as the 12th century and may have been a Moorish importation. It was particularly well adapted to semiarid climates and to nomadic pasturing. The breed has become prominent in many countries worldwide. Merinos vary

Merino, breed of fine-wool sheep originating in Spain; it was known as early as the 12th century and may have been a Moorish importation. It was particularly well adapted to semiarid climates and to nomadic pasturing. The breed has become prominent in many countries worldwide. Merinos vary

Peru: The short presidencies of Martín Vizcarra (2018–20), Manuel Merino (2020), and Francisco Sagasti (2020–21) and the COVID-19 pandemic: …by the speaker of Congress, Manuel Merino. Enraged by Vizcarra’s ouster, thousands of Peruvians—especially young adults who had approved of his anti-corruption efforts—took to the streets in demonstrations that were met with a violent crackdown by law enforcement. Many demonstrators were injured, and two were killed, prompting about half of…

gerbil: One Mongolian species (Meriones unguiculatus) is a gentle and hardy animal that has become a popular pet.

Merioneth, historic county of northwestern Wales, on Cardigan Bay north of the Dovey estuary. It extends from the coast along the Eden and Whion valleys into Snowdonia and the Berwyn mountains. Most of Merioneth lies within the present county of Gwynedd, but the northern portion of Merioneth is

Caravaggio was a leading Italian painter of the late 16th and early 17th centuries who became famous for the intense and unsettling realism of his large-scale religious works. While most other Italian artists of his time slavishly followed the elegant balletic conventions of late Mannerist

meristem, region of cells capable of division and growth in plants. Meristems are classified by their location in the plant as apical (located at root and shoot tips), lateral (in the vascular and cork cambia), and intercalary (at internodes, or stem regions between the places at which leaves

government economic policy: Merit goods: The concept of merit goods assists governments in deciding which public or other goods should be supplied. Merit goods are commodities that the public sector provides free or cheaply because the government wishes to encourage their consumption. Goods such as subsidized housing or…

Women in Science: Women scientists in the ancient world and Middle Ages: Merit Ptah, who lived sometime around 2700–2500 bce, is described on her tomb as “the chief physician.” In ancient Greece, which came into existence sometime around the 8th century bce, pondering the nature of reality and of health and disease became primarily male endeavours. But…

public administration: Prussia: The merit system of appointment covered all types of posts, and the general principle laid down was that “special laws and instructions determine the appointing authority to different civil service rank, their qualifications, and the preliminary examinations required from different branches and different ranks.” Entry to…

public administration: The United States: …of Personnel Management and the Merit Systems Protection Board. Principal policy-making posts remain outside the jurisdiction of these two bodies, being filled instead by presidential nomination.

Legion of Merit, the only U.S. military decoration that has distinct ranks, and the first U.S. medal to be awarded to citizens of other nations. It is awarded for outstanding service, fidelity, and loyalty in either combat or noncombat positions. Whereas U.S. military personnel qualify only for the

Medal for Merit, U.S. civilian decoration established in 1942 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to award civilians of the United States and its allies for exceptionally meritorious service or courageous acts in the furtherance of the war effort. No military personnel are eligible. Final authority

Pour le Mérite, distinguished Prussian order established by Frederick II the Great in 1740, which had a military class and a class for scientific and artistic achievement. This order superseded the Ordre de la Générosité (French: “Order of Generosity”) that was founded by Frederick I of Prussia in

Order of Merit (O.M.), British honorary institution founded by Edward VII in 1902 to reward those who provided especially eminent service in the armed forces or particularly distinguished themselves in science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. The order is limited to only 24 members,

Order of the Rising Sun, Japanese order founded in 1875 by Emperor Meiji and awarded for exceptional civil or military merit. The order, which has a women’s counterpart called the Order of the Sacred Crown, was originally the Order of Merit. It consists of eight classes, and the badge awarded

indulgence: …good works were in the Treasury of Merit, over which the pope had control.

insurance: Rate making: …method and the individual, or merit-rating, method. Sometimes a combination of the two methods is used.

Anatolia: The Hittite empire to c. 1180 bce: Alternatively, she may have been Meritaton, daughter of Akhenaton and widow of his successor Smenkhkare. Shortly afterward Suppiluliumas himself died of a pestilence. His eldest son and successor, Arnuwandas II, also died, and the throne descended to the young and inexperienced Mursilis II.

Witu Islands: …square miles [67 square km]), Unea (Merite; 11 square miles [28 square km]), and Mundua (2 square miles [5 square km]), as well as five smaller islands. Unea is the highest of the islands, rising to 1,939 feet (591 metres). Generally forested, the islands produce some copra and cocoa and…

São João de Meriti, city and northwestern suburb of Rio de Janeiro city, Rio de Janeiro estado (state), eastern Brazil. São João de Meriti, founded in 1647, was given city status in 1931. It lies near the headwaters of the São João de Meriti River, at 233 feet (71 metres) above sea level, 14 miles

Duque de Caxias, city, Rio de Janeiro estado (state), southeastern Brazil. It is a suburb of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Until 1931 it was known as Meriti Station, and from 1931 to 1943 it was Caxias. It became the seat of the district of Caxias in 1931 and seat of the municipality of Duque de

feminism: The ancient world: …Il merito delle donne (1600; The Worth of Women), a feminist broadside by another Venetian author, Moderata Fonte, was published posthumously. Defenders of the status quo painted women as superficial and inherently immoral, while the emerging feminists produced long lists of women of courage and accomplishment and proclaimed that women…

meritocracy, political, social, or economic system in which individuals are assigned to positions of power, influence, or reward solely on the basis of their abilities and achievements and not on the basis of their social, cultural, or economic background or irrelevant personal characteristics.

Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on June 19, 1986, ruled unanimously (9–0) that sexual harassment that results in a hostile work environment is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans sex discrimination by employers. The Court

Dame Gladys Cooper was a popular British actress-manager who started her 66-year theatrical career as a Gaiety Girl and ended it as a widely respected mistress of her craft. She accepted her first role in a touring production of Bluebell in Fairyland at the age of 16 (1905). After her London debut

Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer was an American journalist who achieved great popular success as an advice columnist and with sentimentalized coverage of sensational crime stories. Elizabeth Meriwether received little formal schooling before her marriage in 1888 to George O. Gilmer. A short time later

Catwoman: …campy 1960s television series and Lee Meriwether in its 1966 movie spin-off. Michelle Pfeiffer donned the catsuit in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns (1992), while Halle Berry played the title character in the box office bomb Catwoman (2004).

Marj ʿUyūn, town, southern Lebanon, lying on a fertile plain east of Al-Līṭānī River, at an elevation of 2,500 feet (760 metres) above sea level. Marj ʿUyūn is an agricultural market centre serving a tobacco-, cereal-, grape-, and orange-growing region. The nearby town of Ḥāṣbayyā contains the

Marj ʿUyūn, town, southern Lebanon, lying on a fertile plain east of Al-Līṭānī River, at an elevation of 2,500 feet (760 metres) above sea level. Marj ʿUyūn is an agricultural market centre serving a tobacco-, cereal-, grape-, and orange-growing region. The nearby town of Ḥāṣbayyā contains the

Marca, port city, southern Somalia, on the Indian Ocean, about 45 miles (70 km) southwest of Mogadishu, the national capital and main port. The town, which was founded by Arab or Persian traders, was in existence by the 10th century. The first Somalis to settle near there arrived in the 13th

Merkava, the throne, or “chariot,” of God as described by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1); it became an object of visionary contemplation for early Jewish mystics. Merkava mysticism began to flourish in Palestine during the 1st century ad, but from the 7th to the 11th century its centre was in

Merkava, the throne, or “chariot,” of God as described by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1); it became an object of visionary contemplation for early Jewish mystics. Merkava mysticism began to flourish in Palestine during the 1st century ad, but from the 7th to the 11th century its centre was in

tank: Configuration: …an unconventional configuration was the Merkava, which had its engine compartment at the front and the ammunition at the rear of the hull, where it was least likely to be hit by enemy fire. The Merkava also had a turret with a low frontal area, which reduced the target it…

Mizraḥi, (Hebrew: “Spiritual Centre”), religious movement within the World Zionist Organization and formerly a political party within Zionism and in Israel. It was founded in 1902 by Rabbi Yitzḥaq Yaʿaqov Reines of Lida, Russia, to promote Jewish religious education within the framework of Zionist

integument: Skin structure: …contains two other cell types: Merkel cells and Langerhans cells. Merkel cells form parts of sensory structures. Langerhans cells are dendritic but unpigmented and are found nearer the skin surface than melanocytes. After a century of question about their purpose, it is now clear that they have a vital immunologic…

senses: Mechanical senses: …light touch; the next two, Merkel endings and Ruffini endings, to touch pressure; and the last one, Pacinian corpuscles, to vibration. Pacinian corpuscles are built in a way that gives them a fast response and quick recovery. They contain a central nerve fibre surrounded by onionlike layers of connective tissue…

Angela Merkel is a German politician who served as chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. She was the first woman to hold that office and the second longest-serving chancellor in German history. Merkel’s parents, Horst and Herlind Kasner, met in Hamburg, where her father was a theology student

match: …matches were being made by G.-E. Merkel of Paris and J. Siegal of Austria, among others, by 1832, by which time the manufacture of friction matches was well established in Europe.

Babylon: The present site: …the ruins of Esagila, (4) Merkez, marking the ancient residential area east of Esagila, (5) Humra, containing rubble removed by Alexander from the ziggurat in preparation for rebuilding, and a theater he built with material from the ziggurat, and (6) Ishin Aswad, where there are two further temples. A depression…

history of Central Asia: Creation of the Mongol empire: …to the defeat of the Merkits and the Naimans, his most dangerous rivals, Genghis gained sufficient strength to assume, in 1206, the title of khan. Acting in the tradition of previous nomad empires of the region, Genghis directed his aggressive policies primarily against China, then ruled in the north by…

Fred Merkle was an American baseball player whose 16-year career (1,637 games) was overshadowed by his classic bonehead play in 1908. In a pennant-deciding game, Merkle, first baseman for the National League New York Giants, had scored a single, but failed to touch second base and ran off the field

Fred Merkle was an American baseball player whose 16-year career (1,637 games) was overshadowed by his classic bonehead play in 1908. In a pennant-deciding game, Merkle, first baseman for the National League New York Giants, had scored a single, but failed to touch second base and ran off the field

Jeff Merkley is an American politician who was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 2008 and began representing Oregon the following year. Merkley grew up in Portland, Oregon, and during high school he spent a summer studying abroad in Ghana. The first in his family to attend college, he

Jeff Merkley is an American politician who was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 2008 and began representing Oregon the following year. Merkley grew up in Portland, Oregon, and during high school he spent a summer studying abroad in Ghana. The first in his family to attend college, he

Antanas Merkys was a Lithuanian politician who was the last prime minister of Lithuania before its 1940 incorporation into the Soviet Union. Educated in the law, Merkys served in the Russian Army during World War I (1914–18). In 1919 he entered the army of the newly independent Lithuania. A member

whiting, (species Gadus, or Merlangius, merlangus), common marine food fish of the cod family, Gadidae. The whiting is found in European waters and is especially abundant in the North Sea. It is carnivorous and feeds on invertebrates and small fishes. It has three dorsal and two anal fins and a

Great Dane: Care and upkeep: Merle dogs (those born with the special gene that can produce unique patchwork dapple-spotted coats and even striking blue eyes) should never be bred to one another. The resultant “double merles” (homozygous merles) can have serious hearing and vision problems.

Jean-Henri Merle d’Aubigné was a Swiss Protestant minister, historian of the Reformation, and advocate of Evangelical (Free Church) Christianity. The son of Protestant refugees from France, Merle d’Aubigné studied theology at Geneva and was ordained in 1817. While studying in Germany during the

Maurice Merleau-Ponty was a philosopher and man of letters, the leading exponent of Phenomenology in France. Merleau-Ponty studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris and took his agrégation in philosophy in 1931. He taught in a number of lycées before World War II, during which he served as

merlin, (Falco columbarius), small falcon found at high latitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Adult males have slate-blue backs with finely streaked underparts; females and immature birds have brown backs; all have a tail with narrow white bands. During most of the year merlins inhabit open

Jodrell Bank Observatory: …of a seven-telescope array, the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN), which uses microwave links to connect the individual telescopes into a radio interferometer 217 kilometres (135 miles) in diameter.

Halifax: …1937 to take four Rolls-Royce Merlins. The result was a four-engined heavy bomber of mid-wing design with a twin tail that first flew in October 1939, entered production the following year, and began active service with Bomber Command in March 1941.

Merlin, enchanter and wise man in Arthurian legend and romance of the Middle Ages, linked with personages in ancient Celtic mythology (especially with Myrddin in Welsh tradition). He appeared in Arthurian legend as an enigmatic figure, fluctuations and inconsistencies in his character being often

Arthurian legend: …early 13th-century verse romance, the Merlin, by Robert de Boron, that had told of Arthur’s birth and childhood and his winning of the crown by drawing a magic sword (see Excalibur) from a stone. The writer of the Vulgate cycle turned this into prose, adding a pseudo-historical narrative dealing with…

Antoine-Christophe Merlin was a democratic radical during the early years of the French Revolution who became one of the leading organizers of the conservative Thermidorian reaction that followed the collapse of the radical democratic Jacobin regime of 1793–94. Merlin was the son of an attorney and

roller-skating: Development of the roller skate: …traditionally credited to a Belgian, Joseph Merlin, in the 1760s, although there are many reports of wheels attached to ice skates and shoes in the early years of that century. Early models were derived from the ice skate and typically had an “in-line” arrangement of wheels (the wheels formed a…

Philippe-Antoine, Count Merlin was one of the foremost jurists of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. As a deputy for the town of Douai in the revolutionary Constituent Assembly of 1789, he was instrumental in the passage of important legislation abolishing feudal and seignorial

Western architecture: Poland: …series of interiors designed by Dominik Merlini and Jan Chrystian Kamsetzer in 1776–85. Merlini also designed the Łazienki Palace at Ujazdów near Warsaw (1775–93) for the king, while Szymon Bogumił Zug brought Neoclassicism to ecclesiastical architecture in his Lutheran Church, Warsaw (1777–81), modeled on the Pantheon. Zug also designed Arkadia…

Merlo, cabecera (county seat) and partido (county) of Gran (Greater) Buenos Aires, eastern Argentina. It is located west of the city of Buenos Aires, in Buenos Aires provincia (province). The region of the present-day county was colonized shortly after the second and permanent founding of Buenos

battlement: …battlements), and high portions called merlons. Battlements were devised in order that warriors might be protected by the merlons and yet be able to discharge arrows or other missiles through the crenels. The battlement was an early development in military architecture; it was found in Chaldea, Egypt, and prehistoric Greece,…

polycarbonate (PC), a tough, transparent synthetic resin employed in safety glass, eyeglass lenses, and compact discs, among other applications. PC is a special type of polyester used as an engineering plastic owing to its exceptional impact resistance, tensile strength, ductility, dimensional

hake, (genus Merluccius), any of several large marine fishes of the cod family, Gadidae. They are sometimes classed as a separate family, Merlucciidae, because of skeletal differences in the skull and ribs. Hakes are elongated, largeheaded fishes with large, sharp teeth. They have two dorsal fins,

hake: >Merluccius), any of several large marine fishes of the cod family, Gadidae. They are sometimes classed as a separate family, Merlucciidae, because of skeletal differences in the skull and ribs. Hakes are elongated, largeheaded fishes with large, sharp teeth. They have two dorsal fins, the…

hake: 5 feet) long; the silver hake (M. bilinearis) of the American Atlantic; and the stockfish (M. capensis) of South Africa.

hake: …the American Atlantic; and the stockfish (M. capensis) of South Africa.

hake: …include the European and Mediterranean Merluccius merluccius, which grows to about 1.1 m (3.5 feet) long; the silver hake (M. bilinearis) of the American Atlantic; and the stockfish (M. capensis) of South Africa.

mermaid, a fabled marine creature with the head and upper body of a human being and the tail of a fish. Similar divine or semidivine beings appear in ancient mythologies (e.g., the Chaldean sea god Ea, or Oannes). In European folklore, mermaids (sometimes called sirens) and mermen were natural

Billy Bragg: …American alternative-rock band Wilco on Mermaid Avenue (1998), an album built on lyrics by folk music legend Woody Guthrie; Mermaid Avenue Vol. II was released in 2000. Another posthumous collaboration with Guthrie, Mermaid Vol. III, was released simultaneously in 2012 with a box set that bundled it with the first…

Billy Bragg: …folk music legend Woody Guthrie; Mermaid Avenue Vol. II was released in 2000. Another posthumous collaboration with Guthrie, Mermaid Vol. III, was released simultaneously in 2012 with a box set that bundled it with the first two albums, Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions. Subsequent albums included England, Half English (2002)…

malformation: Somatic characters: …with no separate feet (sirenomelus or symmelus).

Mermaid Tavern, famous London tavern that stood to the east of St. Paul’s Cathedral, with entrances in Bread Street and Friday Street. In 1612–13 it was the venue for the monthly meetings of a club of gentlemen and wits, including Ben Jonson and Francis Beaumont. Most of the members were scholars,

Bernard Miles: …actress Josephine Wilson) of the Mermaid Theatre, the first new theatre to open in the City of London since the 17th century.

Billy Bragg: Another posthumous collaboration with Guthrie, Mermaid Vol. III, was released simultaneously in 2012 with a box set that bundled it with the first two albums, Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions. Subsequent albums included England, Half English (2002) and Mr. Love & Justice (2008), which borrowed its title from a novel…

spirogyra, (genus Spirogyra), any member of a genus of some 400 species of free-floating green algae (division Chlorophyta) found in freshwater environments around the world. Named for their beautiful spiral chloroplasts, spirogyras are filamentous algae that consist of thin unbranched chains of

Acetabularia, genus of single-celled green algae (family Polyphysaceae) found in subtropical seas. The algae are among the largest single-celled organisms and also feature an unusually large nucleus. Because part of one species can be grafted onto another, Acetabularia has been used to study the

Winona Ryder: …alongside Cher in the comedy-drama Mermaids (1990), and playing Mina Harker, the lead female character in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

mermaid, a fabled marine creature with the head and upper body of a human being and the tail of a fish. Similar divine or semidivine beings appear in ancient mythologies (e.g., the Chaldean sea god Ea, or Oannes). In European folklore, mermaids (sometimes called sirens) and mermen were natural

Poul Anderson: The Merman’s Children (1979), for example, portrays the plight of a surviving species of mermen within human society, a theme found in medieval Danish balladry.

Ethel Merman was an American singer, actress, and lead performer in Broadway musicals who is remembered for her strong, clear voice. Ethel Zimmermann worked as a secretary and sang in nightclubs and vaudeville before opening in George and Ira Gershwin’s musical Girl Crazy in 1930, billed as Ethel

Gyges: …652 bc; he founded the Mermnad dynasty and made his kingdom a military power.

Merneptah was a king of Egypt (c. 1213–03 bce) of the 19th dynasty (c. 1292–c. 1191) who successfully defended Egypt against a serious invasion from Libya. The 13th son of his long-lived father, Ramses II, Merneptah was nearing 60 years of age at his accession about 1213. Toward the end of his

Merenre, fourth king of the 6th dynasty (c. 2325–c. 2150 bce) in ancient Egypt, who extended the authority of one official over all Upper Egypt and encouraged intensive exploration and trade in Nubia. Merenre may have served briefly as coregent with Pepi I (his father) before succeeding to the

animal development: Cleavage: …case cleavage is partial, or meroblastic. Only a part of the egg material then is subdivided into cells, the rest remaining as a mass that serves as nourishment for the developing embryo.