microplastics: Reducing microplastics pollution: …the United States passed the Microbead-Free Waters Act, which prohibits the manufacture and distribution of rinse-off cosmetics products that contain plastic microbeads. Many other countries also placed bans on microbeads.

sand wasp: Microbembex monodonta is found along the seashore. Many sand wasps are black with white, yellow, or green markings. A distinguishing character is their elongated triangular labrum (upper lip), which makes them appear to have a beak. Their nests are sand burrows, many of which are…

benthos: The microbenthos, smaller than 0.1 mm, include bacteria, diatoms, ciliates, amoeba, and flagellates.

genetics: Microbial genetics: Microorganisms were generally ignored by the early geneticists because they are small in size and were thought to lack variable traits and the sexual reproduction necessary for a mixing of genes from different organisms. After it was discovered that microorganisms have many different…

poison: Poisons of biological origin: …into three major categories: (1) microbial toxins, poisons produced by bacteria, blue-green algae, dinoflagellates, golden-brown algae, etc., (2) phytotoxins, poisons produced by plants, and (3) zootoxins, poisons produced by animals. The geographic distribution of poisonous organisms varies greatly; poison-producing microorganisms tend to be

celiac disease: Causes of celiac disease: An additive known as microbial transglutaminase, which is used to help proteins adhere to one another to improve food texture, is a potential target for autoantibodies that damage the mucosal lining of the small intestine. Autoantibody production by the immune system is a hallmark of celiac disease. Moreover, the

vitamin: Microbiological assay: Microbiological assay is applicable only to the B vitamins. The rate of growth of a species of microorganism that requires a vitamin is measured in growth media that contain various known quantities of a foodstuff preparation containing unknown amounts of the vitamin. The…

microbiology, study of microorganisms, or microbes, a diverse group of generally minute simple life-forms that include bacteria, archaea, algae, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. The field is concerned with the structure, function, and classification of such organisms and with ways of both exploiting

malnutrition: Symptoms and treatment: …accompanying improvements in the gut microbiome not only promote weight gain but also help restore overall metabolic function, which can impact bone growth, immunity, and other factors.

autism: Diagnosis and treatment: …interest in this regard is microbiota transfer therapy. In clinical studies, the transfer of fecal bacteria from healthy individuals into the gastrointestinal tracts of persons with autism was associated with improvements in gastrointestinal health and behavioral symptoms in autism patients.

opossum: Classification: Microbiotheria (monito) 1 species in 1 family. Family Microbiotheriidae (monito del monte) 1 Chilean and Argentine species. Molecular and morphological evidence strongly suggests a relation to Australasian rather than American marsupials. Order

marsupial: Classification: (monito)Family Microbiotheriidae1 Chilean species. Molecular and morphological evidence strongly suggests a relation to Australasian rather than American marsupials.Superorder Ameridelphia (American opossums)75 or more species in 2 orders.Order

biological soil crust, thin layer of living material formed in the uppermost millimetres of soil where soil particles are aggregated by a community of highly specialized organisms. Biological soil crusts are found primarily in open spaces in the dry and extremely cold regions of all continents,

human evolution: Refinements in tool design: …kya comprise diverse blade and microblade tools, especially in Europe. Late Paleolithic peoples used a variety of materials for their tools and bodily ornaments, including bone, stone, wood, antler, ivory, and shell. Stone blades were long, thin, and very effective cutting tools. Often, when they became dull, someone retouched them…

fungus: Annotated classification: Order Microbotryales Pathogenic in plants (some cause smut); violet teliospores; example genera include Microbotryum and Ustilentyloma. Order Leucosporidiales Mycoparasitic; mycelia lack clamp connections; septate basidia; example genera include Leucosporidiella, Leucosporidium

fungus: Annotated classification: Class Microbotryomycetes Pathogenic in plants, some are mycoparasitic; includes some yeasts; contains 4 orders. Order Heterogastridiales Mycoparasitic; basidiocarps may be pycnidioid; example genus includes Heterogastridium. Order Microbotryales Pathogenic in

craft beer, carbonated fermented malted alcoholic beverage created by small, independent breweries that produce a limited annual volume. Production runs are often modest, usually fewer than 1,000 barrels each year per brewery. With this narrow focus comes the freedom to experiment with styles and

beer: Maturation and packaging: microbrewed ales are packaged in bottles together with yeast to make “bottle-conditioned” beer.

pirate radio: From piracy to microbroadcasting: By the 1970s, large-scale pirate operations were in decline. Not only had offshore disc jockeys migrated to the London studios of Radio 1, but the border blasters faced financial difficulties and increasingly restrictive treaties that limited their signal strength. A 1986 broadcasting agreement between…

microburst, pattern of intense winds that descends from rain clouds, hits the ground, and fans out horizontally. Microbursts are short-lived, usually lasting from about 5 to 15 minutes, and they are relatively compact, usually affecting an area of 1 to 3 km (about 0.5 to 2 miles) in diameter. They

caddisfly: General features: …family (Hydroptilidae), commonly known as microcaddis, are only 1.5 millimetres in length, with anterior wings of 2 to 5 millimetres. Caddisfly wings either are covered with hairs or have hairs on the veins. The posterior wings are often broader than the anterior wings.

canonical ensemble: A microcanonical ensemble consists of systems all of which have the same energy and is often found useful in describing isolated systems in which the total energy is a constant. Such macrocanonical and microcanonical ensembles are examples of petit ensembles, in that the total number of…

microform: …in automatic retrieval systems) or microfiche (a sheet of microfilm displaying at the top a title or code readable with the naked eye). Use of the microform permits considerable space saving. The microform usually utilizes photographic techniques; however, other methods such as video magnetic tape recording have been used. Most…

lemur: Lemur diversity: …lemurs (Cheirogaleus), along with the mouse (Microcebus), Coquerel’s (Mirza), hairy-eared (Allocebus), and fork-crowned (Phaner) lemurs, make up the family Cheirogaleidae, which in many respects are the most primitive living lemurs. Dwarf lemurs store fat in their tails and are dormant (estivate) during dry periods; they live in monogamous pairs. Mouse…

lemur: General features: 5 inches) in Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae) to nearly 70 cm (28 inches) for the indri (Indri indri). The bushy tails of lemurs can be longer than their bodies; the indri, however, has only a stub of a tail. Except for the aye-aye, lemurs have woolly…

snake: Specializations for securing food: One genus of sea snakes, Microcephalophis, has a tiny head and a long neck with the same diameter as the head, which can be inserted deeply into very narrow holes inhabited by its prey. An Asian water snake, Erpeton tentaculatus, has a sizable pair of tentacles on its snout, the…

microcephaly, congenital condition in which an infant’s head is smaller than the typical size for its age and sex. A microcephalic individual usually also has a brain of diminished size, though often normal in structure. Microcephaly is rare, generally occurring in anywhere from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in

spectroscopy: Optical detectors: …surface of the photocathode, and microchannel plates, which combine the spatial resolution of an imaging tube with the light sensitivity of a photomultiplier. A night vision device consists of a microchannel plate multiplier in which the electrons at the output are directed onto a phosphor screen and can then be…

scorpion: Annotated classification: Family Microcharmidae 7 species of Central Africa and Madagascar. Family Troglotayosicidae 2 species found only in caves of France, Spain, and Ecuador. Family Urodacidae (cave scorpions) 2 species found only in caves of France, Spain, and Ecuador.

chimera: Human microchimeras are produced when fetal stem cells or maternal cells cross the placenta (fetal-maternal microchimerism) or following blood transfusion (transfusion-associated microchimerism) or organ transplantation. The physiological significance of microchimerism is poorly understood. For example, while there is some evidence that it may be associated with…

integrated circuit (IC), an assembly of electronic components, fabricated as a single unit, in which miniaturized active devices (e.g., transistors and diodes) and passive devices (e.g., capacitors and resistors) and their interconnections are built up on a thin substrate of semiconductor material

bat: General features: …World fruit bats) and the Microchiroptera (small bats found worldwide). Among members of the Megachiroptera, flying foxes (Pteropus) have a wingspan of 1.5 metres (about 5 feet) and a weight of 1 kg (2.2 pounds). The largest insectivorous bat is probably the naked, or hairless, bat (Cheiromeles torquatus); it weighs…

integrated circuit (IC), an assembly of electronic components, fabricated as a single unit, in which miniaturized active devices (e.g., transistors and diodes) and passive devices (e.g., capacitors and resistors) and their interconnections are built up on a thin substrate of semiconductor material

microclimate, any climatic condition in a relatively small area, within a few metres or less above and below Earth’s surface and within canopies of vegetation. The term usually applies to the surfaces of terrestrial and glaciated environments, but it could also pertain to the surfaces of oceans and

Rudolf Oskar Robert Williams Geiger: …one of the founders of microclimatology, the study of the climatic conditions within a few metres of the ground surface. His observations, made above grassy fields or areas of crops and below forest canopies, elucidated the complex and subtle interactions between vegetation and the heat, radiation, and water balances of…

microcline, a common feldspar mineral, one form of potassium aluminosilicate (KAlSi3O8) that occurs in igneous rock. Green specimens are called amazonstone, which is sometimes used as a gem. Microcline forms multiple-twinned crystals and two sets of fine, tapering lamellae at right angles to each

microcline: …of the series are called microcline–microperthites and exhibit exsolution (separation) of the sodium and potassium phases into minute intergrowths of distinct crystals of the pure compounds. It has been suggested that this chemical variation might also influence the symmetry.

Micrococcus, genus of spherical bacteria in the family Micrococcaceae that is widely disseminated in nature. Micrococci are microbiologically characterized as gram-positive cocci, 0.5 to 3.5 μm (micrometres; 1 μm = 10-6 metre) in diameter. Micrococci are usually not pathogenic. They are normal

William Henry Welch: …for his discovery (1892) of Micrococcus albus and its relation to wound fever and of Clostridium welchii (Welch’s bacillus), the causative agent of gas gangrene.

Micrococcus: roseus), in soil (M. denitrificans), in marine waters (M. colpogenes), and on the skin or in skin glands or skin-gland secretions of vertebrates (M. flavus). Those species found in milk, such as M. luteus, M. varians, and M. freudenreichii, are sometimes referred to as milk micrococci and can…

Micrococcus: varians, and M. freudenreichii, are sometimes referred to as milk micrococci and can result in spoilage of milk products.

Micrococcus: …found in milk, such as M. luteus, M. varians, and M. freudenreichii, are sometimes referred to as milk micrococci and can result in spoilage of milk products.

baking: Bacteria: …less common but more spectacular Micrococcus prodigiosus, causative agent of “bleeding bread.” Neither ropy bread nor bleeding bread is particularly toxic. Enzymes secreted by B. mesentericus change the starch inside the loaf into a gummy substance stretching into strands when a piece of the bread is pulled apart. In addition…

Micrococcus: luteus, M. varians, and M. freudenreichii, are sometimes referred to as milk micrococci and can result in spoilage of milk products.

comparative law: Microcomparison: Microcomparison demands no particular preparation. The specialist in one national system is usually qualified to study those of various other countries of the same general family. His chief need is access to bibliographical material. In the United States, each state has its own statutes…

microcomputer, an electronic device with a microprocessor as its central processing unit (CPU). Microcomputer was formerly a commonly used term for personal computers, particularly any of a class of small digital computers whose CPU is contained on a single integrated semiconductor chip. Thus, a

conidium: …being called macroconidia, small ones, microconidia.

protozoan: Autogamy and modified conjugation: …normal feeding individuals, and the microconjugants resemble the swarmers, although smaller. When a microconjugant locates a macroconjugant, it enters and fuses with it. This is quite different from the temporary association between two cells that occurs during sexual reproduction in most ciliates.

microform, any process, photographic or electronic, for reproducing printed matter or other graphic material in a much-reduced size, which can then be re-enlarged by an optical apparatus for reading or reproduction. Microform systems provide durable, extremely compact, and easily accessible file

coquina: Microcoquinas are similar sedimentary rocks that are composed of finer material. Common among microcoquinas are those formed from the disks and plates of crinoids (sea lilies). A coquinite is a stronger, more-consolidated version of coquina, whereas coquinoid limestone is made up of these same shell…

bristletail, (order Archaeognatha), any of approximately 350 species of primitive wingless insects that measure from 5 to 20 mm (0.2 to 0.8 inch) in length when they are fully grown and have three slender bristlelike appendages at the tip of the abdomen. Bristletails have small compound eyes and

bristletail, (order Archaeognatha), any of approximately 350 species of primitive wingless insects that measure from 5 to 20 mm (0.2 to 0.8 inch) in length when they are fully grown and have three slender bristlelike appendages at the tip of the abdomen. Bristletails have small compound eyes and

microcosm, (from Greek mikros kosmos, “little world”), a Western philosophical term designating man as being a “little world” in which the macrocosm, or universe, is reflected. The ancient Greek idea of a world soul (e.g., in Plato) animating the universe had as a corollary the idea of the human

Claudio Magris: …winner of the Strega Prize; Microcosms)—explore many of the same topics as his essays. In 2004 Magris won the Prince of Asturias Award for Letters. His later works include Alla cieca (2005; Blindly), Lei dunque capirà (2006; “[And] Then She’ll Understand”), and Non luogo a procedere (2015; Blameless).

Gaspard Bauhin: …wrote the Theatrum anatomicum (1605; Microcosmographia, A Description of the Body of Man), considered the finest comprehensive anatomy text to that time. In this work he replaced the ambiguous practice of numbering muscles, vessels, and nerves with a system that named parts according to their most salient features.

Claudio Magris: …winner of the Strega Prize; Microcosms)—explore many of the same topics as his essays. In 2004 Magris won the Prince of Asturias Award for Letters. His later works include Alla cieca (2005; Blindly), Lei dunque capirà (2006; “[And] Then She’ll Understand”), and Non luogo a procedere (2015; Blameless).

Godfrey of Saint-Victor: …he wrote his principal work, Microcosmus. After the superior’s death (c. 1190), he returned permanently to Saint-Victor.

advanced structural ceramics: Microcracking: Another mechanism that can lead to increased fracture toughness in ceramics is microcracking, which occurs in single-phase polycrystalline ceramics whose grains are anisotropic (that is, whose mechanical properties vary with direction) or in intentionally biphasic polycrystalline microstructures. In these materials tiny microcracks open up…

microcredit, a means of extending credit, usually in the form of small loans with no collateral, to nontraditional borrowers such as the poor in rural or undeveloped areas. This approach was institutionalized in 1976 by Muhammad Yunus, an American-educated Bangladeshi economist who had observed

micrite, sedimentary rock formed of calcareous particles ranging in diameter from 0.06 to 2 mm (0.002 to 0.08 inch) that have been deposited mechanically rather than from solution. The particles, which consist of fossil materials, pebbles and granules of carbonate rock, and oölites (spherical

high-pressure phenomena: The diamond-anvil cell: …tool for the synthesis of microcrystalline diamond, which is employed in the polishing of gemstones and other hard materials.

igneous rock: Crystallinity: …are further described as either microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline, according to whether or not their individual constituents can be resolved under the microscope. The subaphanitic, or hyaline, rocks are referred to as glassy, or vitric, in terms of granularity.

microcrystalline wax, any petroleum-derived plastic material that differs from paraffin waxes in having much finer and less-distinct crystals and higher melting point and viscosity. Microcrystalline waxes are used chiefly in laminated-paper products, in coatings and linings, and in adhesives,

Microcycas, genus consisting of a single species of palmlike cycad in the family Zamiaceae, native to Cuba. The only species, corcho (Microcycas calocoma), is columnar in habit and occasionally branched. It reaches heights of 9 metres (30 feet) or more and is often mistaken for a palm. It is listed

Microcycas: The only species, corcho (Microcycas calocoma), is columnar in habit and occasionally branched. It reaches heights of 9 metres (30 feet) or more and is often mistaken for a palm. It is listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as critically endangered.

anemia: …hemophilia, and purpura), (3) simple microcytic anemia, characterized by smaller-than-normal red cells (encountered in cases of chronic inflammatory conditions and in renal disease), and (4) microcytic hypochromic anemia, characterized by a reduction in red-cell size and hemoglobin concentration (frequently associated with iron-deficiency anemia but also seen in thalassemia).

blood disease: Anemia: …with hemoglobin; this is called hypochromic microcytic anemia. In still other cases of anemia, there is no significant alteration in the size, shape, or coloration of the red cells, a condition called normocytic anemia.

perciform: Annotated classification: Family Microdesmidae (Cerdalidae) (wormfishes and dartfishes) Rare, small, eel-like; chin large, forming pointed end of snout; 10 genera with about 66 species; both coasts of tropical Americas, West Africa, tropical Pacific. Family Schindleriidae Small, transparent, neotenic fishes. Marine. 1 genus (Schindleria) with 2

Malpighiales: Ungrouped families: Microdesmis (10 species) grows almost throughout the range of the family. The branches often look like compound leaves, and the male and female flowers are small and borne on separate plants. The fruit is a drupe.

kangaroo mouse, (genus Microdipodops), either of two species of leaping bipedal rodents found only in certain deserts of the western United States. They have large ears and a large head with fur-lined external cheek pouches. The forelimbs are short, but the hind limbs and feet are long. Stiff hairs

kangaroo mouse: The dark kangaroo mouse (Microdipodops megacephalus) has buff or brownish upperparts tinted with black and has gray or whitish underparts with a black-tipped tail, whereas the upperparts and entire tail of the pale kangaroo mouse (M. pallidus) are creamy buff and the underparts are white. Kangaroo…

kangaroo mouse: …and entire tail of the pale kangaroo mouse (M. pallidus) are creamy buff and the underparts are white. Kangaroo mice weigh 10 to 17 grams (0.4 to 0.6 ounce) and have a body length of 7 to 8 cm (about 3 inches) and a tail 6 to 10 cm long.…

snow mold: …fusarium patch, is caused by Microdocium nivale (formerly Fusarium nivale). The disease appears as irregularly circular tan to reddish brown patches up to 30 cm (1 foot) in diameter that may merge to cover large areas. When wet, leaves are covered with dense whitish to pink threads (mycelium) of the…

microeconomics, branch of economics that studies the behaviour of individual consumers and firms. Unlike macroeconomics, which attempts to understand how the collective behaviour of individual agents shapes aggregate economic outcomes, microeconomics focuses on the detailed study of the agents

microelectromechanical system (MEMS), mechanical parts and electronic circuits combined to form miniature devices, typically on a semiconductor chip, with dimensions from tens of micrometres to a few hundred micrometres (millionths of a metre). Common applications for MEMS include sensors,

integrated circuit (IC), an assembly of electronic components, fabricated as a single unit, in which miniaturized active devices (e.g., transistors and diodes) and passive devices (e.g., capacitors and resistors) and their interconnections are built up on a thin substrate of semiconductor material

organized labour: Breakup of the postwar settlement: Inflation, neocorporatism, and restructuring: …technology of the Fordist period, microelectronics allowed for a variety of alternative, “flexible” ways of organizing production in response to different product strategies, local organizational structures and cultures, and available work skills. For unions to play a role in the reorganization of productive relations that was made possible (and necessary)…

microcephaly: …microcephaly occurs when the brain does not grow to the normal size in utero. Irradiation of the abdomen in pregnant women or maternal infection with cytomegalovirus, rubella (German measles), toxoplasmosis, varicella (chickenpox), or Zika virus during the first three months of pregnancy

heredity: Microevolution: There is ample evidence that the processes described above are at work in natural populations. Together, these changes are called microevolution—in other words, small-scale evolution. Even within the relatively short period of time since Darwin, it has been possible to document such processes. Allelic…

spectroscopy: Optical detectors: Microfabrication techniques developed for the integrated-circuit semiconductor industry are used to construct large arrays of individual photodiodes closely spaced together. The device, called a charge-coupled device (CCD), permits the charges that are collected by the individual diodes to be read out separately and displayed as…

microfauna, small, often microscopic animals, especially those inhabiting the soil, an organ, or other localized habitat. Single-celled protozoans, small nematodes, small unsegmented worms, and tardigrades (eight-legged arthropods) are the most common components of microfauna. Many inhabit water

wood: Ultrastructure and chemical composition: …of cell walls are the microfibrils, which appear stringlike under the electron microscope, about 10–30 nanometres (billionths of a metre) in diameter and of indeterminate length. The orientation and weaving of microfibrils varies; this makes possible the distinction of three layers (called S1, S2, and S3), with the microfibrils having…

microform: …in automatic retrieval systems) or microfiche (a sheet of microfilm displaying at the top a title or code readable with the naked eye). Use of the microform permits considerable space saving. The microform usually utilizes photographic techniques; however, other methods such as video magnetic tape recording have been used. Most…

eye worm: …of microscopic, active embryos called microfilariae, which enter the host’s blood or lymph vessels. Some of these are ingested by a deerfly as it sucks blood and, after about two weeks, complete a series of growth stages. As infective larvae, they move to the insect’s proboscis to await an opportunity…

eye worm: …of microscopic, active embryos called microfilariae, which enter the host’s blood or lymph vessels. Some of these are ingested by a deerfly as it sucks blood and, after about two weeks, complete a series of growth stages. As infective larvae, they move to the insect’s proboscis to await an opportunity…

technology of photography: Microfilming and microreproduction: Microfilming is the copying of documents, drawings, and other such matter at a reduced scale—typically 1:15 to 1:42—for compact storage. Complete microreproduction systems include methods of filing the film copies for easy retrieval and reenlargement. Various duplication methods allow microfilm records to…

water supply system: Membrane filtration: Pressure-driven membrane filtration systems include microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), and reverse osmosis (RO); they differ basically in the pressures used and pore sizes of the membranes. RO systems operate at relatively high pressures and can be used to remove dissolved inorganic compounds from water. (RO is also used for desalination,…

microcredit, a means of extending credit, usually in the form of small loans with no collateral, to nontraditional borrowers such as the poor in rural or undeveloped areas. This approach was institutionalized in 1976 by Muhammad Yunus, an American-educated Bangladeshi economist who had observed

bird flu: Detection of bird flu: Tests based on lab-on-a-chip technology that take less than an hour to complete and can accurately identify specific subtypes of bird flu are being developed. This technology consists of a small device (the “chip”) that contains on its surface a series of scaled-down laboratory analyses requiring only a…

microform, any process, photographic or electronic, for reproducing printed matter or other graphic material in a much-reduced size, which can then be re-enlarged by an optical apparatus for reading or reproduction. Microform systems provide durable, extremely compact, and easily accessible file

geology: Micropaleontology: Microfossils, which are flushed up boreholes in the drilling mud, can be analyzed to determine the depositional environment of the underlying sedimentary rocks and their age. This information enables geologists to evaluate the reservoir potential of the rock (i.e., its capacity for holding gas or…

poison: Mycotoxins: …of their size: the smaller microfungi and the larger mushrooms. The toxic microfungi are members of one of two classes: Ascomycetes, or the sac fungi, and the Deuteromycetes, or the imperfect fungi (i.e., fungi in which no sexual reproductive stages are known). The large toxic mushrooms, or toadstools, are mostly…

plant: Heterosporous life histories: …each microspore develops into a microgametophyte (male gametophyte), which ultimately produces male gametes (sperm), and each megaspore produces a megagametophyte (female gametophyte), which ultimately produces female gametes (eggs). Fusion of an egg and a sperm creates a zygote and restores the 2n ploidy level. The zygote divides mitotically to form…

microgeneration, small-scale generation of heat and power designed to suit the needs of communities, businesses, or residences. Microgeneration relies on power produced at a generation facility that is smaller than an industrial-scale power plant that serves a city or region. Power is produced

microglia, type of neuronal support cell (neuroglia) occurring in the central nervous system of invertebrates and vertebrates that functions primarily as an immune cell. Microglia were first identified by histological staining with silver carbonate between 1919 and 1921 by Spanish neuroanatomist

biology: The discovery of cells: In 1665 Hooke published his Micrographia, which was primarily a review of a series of observations that he had made while following the development and improvement of the microscope. Hooke described in detail the structure of feathers, the stinger of a bee, the radula, or “tongue,” of mollusks, and the…

microgravity, a measure of the degree to which an object in space is subjected to acceleration. In general parlance the term is used synonymously with zero gravity and weightlessness, but the prefix micro indicates accelerations equivalent to one-millionth (10−6) of the force of gravity at Earth’s

space exploration: Microgravity research: A spacecraft orbiting Earth is essentially in a continuous state of free fall. All objects associated with the spacecraft, including any crew and other contents, are accelerating—i.e., falling freely—at the same rate in Earth’s gravitational field (see Earth: Basic planetary data). As a…

habitat: Microhabitat is a term for the conditions and organisms in the immediate vicinity of a plant or animal.

falcon: …(6 inches) long in the falconets (Microhierax) to about 60 cm (24 inches) in the gyrfalcon, an Arctic species. In true falcons the female is the larger and bolder of the sexes and is preferred for the sport of falconry. Falcons have plumes called “flags” on their legs and a…