The Barber of Seville: …Rossini (libretto in Italian by Cesare Sterbini) that was first performed under the title Almaviva o sia l’inutile precauzione (Almaviva; or, The Useless Precaution) at the Teatro Argentina in Rome on February 20, 1816. With a plot based on Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais’s 1775 play Le Barbier de Séville, Rossini’s…

Stercorariidae, bird family (order Charadriiformes) of medium- to large-sized oceanic, predatory birds. The family is composed of species of skua and jaeger

jaeger, any of three species of seabirds belonging to the genus Stercorarius of the family Stercorariidae. They are rapacious birds resembling a dark gull with a forward-set black cap and projecting central tail feathers. Jaegers are called skuas in Britain, along with the great skua, a larger bird

jaeger: Smallest is the long-tailed jaeger (S. longicaudus), 35 cm (14 inches) long. Intermediate in body size is the parasitic jaeger (S. parasiticus).

jaeger: …in body size is the parasitic jaeger (S. parasiticus).

jaeger: The largest species is the pomarine jaeger, or pomatorhine skua (Stercorarius pomarinus), 50 cm (20 inches) long. Smallest is the long-tailed jaeger (S. longicaudus), 35 cm (14 inches) long. Intermediate in body size is the parasitic jaeger (S. parasiticus).

Malvaceae: Major genera: The pantropical Sterculia (150 species) and the African Cola (125 species) were part of the former family Sterculiaceae, whose members were noted for having separate male and female flowers borne in often quite large and branched inflorescences. Those genera have sepals that are fused; there are no…

stere, metric unit of volume equal to one cubic metre, or 1,000 litres. The stere (from Greek stereos, “solid”) was originally defined by law and used in France in 1793, primarily as a measure for firewood. It is thus the metric counterpart of the cord, one standard cord (128 cubic feet of stacked

Central Greece, region of mainland Greece lying south of the provinces of Epirus (Modern Greek: Ípeiros) and Thessaly (Thessalía), and north of the gulfs of Pátrai and Corinth (Korinthiakós) and the Saronic Gulf. Because the main mountain ranges of the Greek peninsula have a definite

Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), two U.S. spacecraft that were designed to observe the Sun from separate locations in space and thus provide a stereoscopic view of solar activities. The STEREO mission was launched on Oct. 25, 2006, by a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The

stereophonic sound system, equipment for sound recording and reproduction that utilizes two or more independent channels of information. Separate microphones are used in recording and separate speakers in reproduction; they are arranged to produce a sense of recording-hall acoustics and of the

motion-picture technology: Sound reproduction: Stereo variable area (SVA), popularly known as Dolby, though in fact made by several manufacturers, employs a split optical pickup for two sets of wires for the left and right channels. Three stage speakers (left, right, and center) are mounted behind the screen, and an…

stereochemistry, Term originated c. 1878 by Viktor Meyer (1848–97) for the study of stereoisomers (see isomer). Louis Pasteur had shown in 1848 that tartaric acid has optical activity and that this depends on molecular asymmetry, and Jacobus H. van’t Hoff and Joseph-Achille Le Bel (1847–1930) had

human ear: Vestibule: …of the hairlike cilia—stiff nonmotile stereocilia and flexible motile kinocilia—that project from their apical ends. The nerve fibres are from the superior, or vestibular, division of the vestibulocochlear nerve. They pierce the basement membrane and, depending on the type of hair cell, either end on the basal end of the…

human ear: Vestibule: …of the hairlike cilia—stiff nonmotile stereocilia and flexible motile kinocilia—that project from their apical ends. The nerve fibres are from the superior, or vestibular, division of the vestibulocochlear nerve. They pierce the basement membrane and, depending on the type of hair cell, either end on the basal end of the…

Max Wolf: …the first to use the stereocomparator (a type of stereoscopic viewer), which greatly helps in the discovery and identification of variable or moving objects in celestial photographs. In 1906 he discovered Achilles, the first of the Trojan planets, two groups of asteroids that move around the Sun in Jupiter’s orbit:…

isomerism: Stereoisomers of more complex molecules: An atom is stereogenic if switching any two atoms or groups of atoms that are bound to it results in a pair of stereoisomers. So far, molecules with no or only one stereogenic atom have been discussed. Very often the situation is more complex; indeed, there can be…

human eye: Binocular vision: A stereogram contains two drawings of a three-dimensional object taken from different angles, chosen such that the pictures are right- and left-eyed views of the object. When the stereogram is placed in a stereoscope, an optical device for enabling the two separate pictures to be fused…

history of photography: Development of stereoscopic photography: Stereoscopic photographic views (stereographs) were immensely popular in the United States and Europe from about the mid-1850s through the early years of the 20th century. First described in 1832 by English physicist Sir Charles Wheatstone, stereoscopy was improved by Sir David Brewster in 1849. The production of the…

map: Map projections: …the Earth’s surface, it is stereographic; if from space, it is called orthographic.

printing: Stereotypy and stereography (late 18th century): An increasing demand for printed matter stimulated the search for greater speed and volume. The concepts of stereotypy and stereography were explored. Stereotypy, used with notable success around 1790 in Paris, consisted in making an impression on text blocks of type…

stereoisomerism, the existence of isomers (molecules that have the same numbers of the same kinds of atoms and hence the same formula but differ in chemical and physical properties) that differ in the orientation of their atoms in space. There are two kinds of stereoisomers: enantiomers and

3D printing: …in a process known as stereolithography (SLA), a thin layer of polymer liquid rather than powder is spread over the build area, and the designated part areas are consolidated by an ultraviolet laser beam. The built-up plastic part is retrieved and put through post-processing steps.

Johannes Kepler: Astronomical work of Johannes Kepler: His Stereometria Doliorum Vinariorum (“The Stereometry of Wine Barrels”) was the first book published in Linz. Kepler objected to the rule-of-thumb methods of wine merchants to estimate the liquid contents of a barrel. He also refused to be bound strictly by Archimedean methods; eventually he extended…

microscope: Stereoscopic microscopes: Binocular stereomicroscopes are a matched pair of microscopes mounted side by side with a small angle between the optical axes. The object is imaged independently to each eye, and the stereoscopic effect, which permits discrimination of relief on the object, is retained. The…

stereophonic sound system, equipment for sound recording and reproduction that utilizes two or more independent channels of information. Separate microphones are used in recording and separate speakers in reproduction; they are arranged to produce a sense of recording-hall acoustics and of the

perception: Innate versus learned perception: …research has dealt with visual depth perception in laboratory animals and human babies. One technique (the visual cliff) depends on the evident reluctance of young animals to step off the edge of what seems to be a steep cliff. The so-called visual cliff apparatus in one of its versions consists…

catalysis: Catalysis in stereoregular polymerization: The importance of the concept of adsorption of reactants on the surface of catalysts has been greatly increased by the development of stereoregular polymerization processes—that is, methods that yield polymers whose molecules have definite three-dimensional patterns. Such processes were developed independently by the…

stereoscopy: , a stereoscope); ordinarily, however, some device is used that allows each eye to see only the appropriate picture of the pair. To produce a three-dimensional effect in motion pictures (see 3-D), various systems have been employed, all involving simultaneous projection on the screen of left- and…

3-D, motion-picture process that gives a three-dimensional quality to film images. It is based on the fact that humans perceive depth by viewing with both eyes. In the 3-D process, two cameras or a twin-lensed camera are used for filming, one representing the left eye and the other the right. The

microscope: Stereoscopic microscopes: Binocular stereomicroscopes are a matched pair of microscopes mounted side by side with a small angle between the optical axes. The object is imaged independently to each eye, and the stereoscopic effect, which permits discrimination of relief on the object, is retained. The…

range finder: The stereoscopic range finder operates on much the same principle and resembles the coincidence type except that it has two eyepieces instead of one. The design of the stereoscopic instrument makes it more effective for sighting moving objects. It was widely used for land-gunnery ranging during…

stereoscopy, science and technology dealing with two-dimensional drawings or photographs that when viewed by both eyes appear to exist in three dimensions in space. A popular term for stereoscopy is 3-D. Stereoscopic pictures are produced in pairs, the members of a pair showing the same scene or

asymmetric synthesis, any chemical reaction that affects the structural symmetry in the molecules of a compound, converting the compound into unequal proportions of compounds that differ in the dissymmetry of their structures at the affected centre. Such reactions usually involve organic compounds

asymmetric synthesis: …exclusively, the reaction is called stereospecific.

stereotaxic surgery, a three-dimensional surgical technique that enables lesions deep within tissues to be located and treated using cold (as in cryosurgery), heat, or chemicals. The first device for stereotaxic surgery was described in detail in 1908 by British neuroscientist and surgeon Sir

stereotaxic surgery, a three-dimensional surgical technique that enables lesions deep within tissues to be located and treated using cold (as in cryosurgery), heat, or chemicals. The first device for stereotaxic surgery was described in detail in 1908 by British neuroscientist and surgeon Sir

stereotaxic surgery, a three-dimensional surgical technique that enables lesions deep within tissues to be located and treated using cold (as in cryosurgery), heat, or chemicals. The first device for stereotaxic surgery was described in detail in 1908 by British neuroscientist and surgeon Sir

stereotaxic surgery, a three-dimensional surgical technique that enables lesions deep within tissues to be located and treated using cold (as in cryosurgery), heat, or chemicals. The first device for stereotaxic surgery was described in detail in 1908 by British neuroscientist and surgeon Sir

stereotype, in psychology, a fixed, oversimplified, and often biased belief about a group of people. Stereotypes are typically rationally unsupported generalizations, and, once a person becomes accustomed to stereotypical thinking, he or she may not be able to see individuals for who they are.

stereotype, type of printing plate developed in the late 18th century and widely used in letterpress, newspaper, and other high-speed press runs. Stereotypes are made by locking the type columns, illustration plates, and advertising plates of a complete newspaper page in a form and molding a

stereotyped response, unlearned behavioral reaction of an organism to some environmental stimulus. It is an adaptive mechanism and may be expressed in a variety of ways. All living organisms exhibit one or more types of stereotyped response. The capacity for unlearned behaviour is genetically

stereotype, type of printing plate developed in the late 18th century and widely used in letterpress, newspaper, and other high-speed press runs. Stereotypes are made by locking the type columns, illustration plates, and advertising plates of a complete newspaper page in a form and molding a

organohalogen compound: Nucleophilic substitution: …groups is referred to as steric hindrance.

social insect: , the queen) and the steriles (workers and soldiers). Besides carrying out the basic function of reproduction, the members of the reproductive caste generally select the site for a new colony and excavate the first galleries. The workers care for the eggs and larvae, collect food for other members of…

Alan J. Pakula: Early life and work: …Pakula directed his first film, The Sterile Cuckoo. Based on a novel by John Nichols, it traced the evolution of a relationship between an eccentric coed (Liza Minnelli) and the young man from another college with whom she falls in love (Wendell Burton). Minnelli’s performance earned her an Academy Award…

sterilization, in medicine, surgical procedure for the permanent prevention of conception by removing or interrupting the anatomical pathways through which gametes—i.e., ova in the female and sperm cells in the male—travel. The oldest form of surgical sterilization, tubal ligation, remains one of

antimicrobial agent: Sterilization: Sterilization, which is any process, physical or chemical, that destroys all forms of life, is used especially to destroy microorganisms, spores, and viruses. Precisely defined, sterilization is the complete destruction of all microorganisms by a suitable chemical agent or by heat, either wet steam…

Sterkfontein, site of paleoanthropological excavations just south of Johannesburg, South Africa, known for its artifacts as well as its fossils of ancient hominins (members of the human lineage). Located in the Highveld, the site was mined throughout the 20th century for its lime deposits. In 1936

caviar: …the golden eggs of the sterlet, was formerly reserved for the table of the tsar; more recently it found its way to the tables of Soviet dignitaries and that of the shah of Iran. Lesser grades of caviar, made from broken or immature eggs, are more heavily salted and compressed.…

sterling, the standard of purity for silver. The term sterling silver denotes any silver alloy in which pure silver makes up at least 92.5 percent of the content. One theory is that the word sterling comes from the name Easterlings—coiners from east German states brought to England during the reign

pound sterling, the basic monetary unit of Great Britain, divided (since 1971) decimally into 100 new pence. The term is derived from the fact that, about 775, silver coins known as “sterlings” were issued in the Saxon kingdoms, 240 of them being minted from a pound of silver, the weight of which

Sterling, city, seat (1887) of Logan county, northeastern Colorado, U.S. It lies along the South Platte River at an elevation of 3,950 feet (1,204 metres). Laid out after the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1881, it was named after a town in Illinois. Now an important railroad division

sterling area, formerly, a group of countries that kept most of their exchange reserves at the Bank of England and, in return, had access to the London capital and money market. After the devaluation of the pound sterling in September 1931, the United Kingdom and other countries that continued to

United Kingdom: Labour and the welfare state (1945–51): …country had built up “sterling credits”—debts owed to other countries that would have to be paid in foreign currencies—amounting to several billion pounds. Moreover, the economy was in disarray. Some industries, such as aircraft manufacture, were far larger than was now needed, while others, such as railways and coal…

Bruce Sterling is an American author of science fiction who in the mid-1980s emerged as a proponent of the subgenre known as cyberpunk, notably as the editor of Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology (1986). (Read Bruce Sterling’s Britannica entry on science fiction.) In 1976 Sterling graduated from

Los Angeles Clippers: …the Clippers were sold to Donald Sterling, a Los Angeles-based real estate mogul, who moved the team to his home city in 1984. The team did not fare any better in its new home, finishing with a losing record in each season from 1984–85 to 1990–91. In 1991–92 the Clippers,…

Sterlitamak, city, Bashkortostan republic, western Russia. The city lies along the Belaya River at its confluence with the Sterlya. The small settlement of Ashkadarskaya Landing became the city of Sterlitamak in 1781, but it prospered only after 1940 with the development of the Volga-Urals oil

Bruce Jay Friedman: …success with his first novel, Stern (1962). The title character is a luckless descendent of the biblical Job, unable to assimilate into mainstream American life. Virtually all of Friedman’s works are a variation on this theme; most of his characters are Jewish by birth, but they feel alienated from both…

ship construction: Fabrication and assembly: …example, the complete bow and stern. Each of these parts is built up from subassemblies or component parts, which are then welded together to form the complete bow or stern. These sections of the ship are manufactured under cover in large sheds, generally at some distance from the building berth,…

Stern, weekly general-interest magazine published in Germany. It began publication in 1948 and quickly became the leading post-World War II magazine in the country, known for its outstanding photography and its blend of light and serious material. It publishes issues-oriented reporting, celebrity

Franz Rosenzweig: ” Der Stern der Erlösung, completed in 1919, appeared in 1921. The work was ignored by the various trends in academic philosophy but highly regarded by Existentialist and, especially, younger Jewish theologians.

Stern Gang, Zionist extremist organization in Palestine, founded in 1940 by Avraham Stern (1907–42) after a split in the right-wing underground movement Irgun Zvai Leumi. Extremely anti-British, the group repeatedly attacked British personnel in Palestine and even invited aid from the Axis powers.

Stern Gang, Zionist extremist organization in Palestine, founded in 1940 by Avraham Stern (1907–42) after a split in the right-wing underground movement Irgun Zvai Leumi. Extremely anti-British, the group repeatedly attacked British personnel in Palestine and even invited aid from the Axis powers.

warship: The age of gun and sail: …in the Netherlands, of the stern rudder. This rudder, along with the deep-draft hull, the bowsprit and, in time, additional masts, transformed the long ship into the true sailing ship, which could beat into the wind as well as sail with it.

trawler: Stern trawlers are powerful vessels that are often built with ramps for hauling heavy catches up the stern onto the working deck. Powered by engines of up to 5,000 horsepower, modern trawlers drag huge nets that must be hauled by rope winches and large net…

medlar: Stern’s medlar (M. canescens) was discovered in 1990 in Arkansas, though its taxonomy has been controversial. Stern’s medlar reaches heights of 4.5–6 metres (15–20 feet). It is a deciduous tree or shrub that bears showy white flowers. The fruit is a glossy red pome and…

borderline personality disorder: …in 1938 by American psychoanalyst Adolph Stern. Stern used it to describe patients who were “on the border” of psychosis and neurosis, individuals who displayed particular symptoms under stress but then soon became relatively functional again. The term has since been used to define alternately a clinical entity, a syndrome,…

Stern Gang: …Palestine, founded in 1940 by Avraham Stern (1907–42) after a split in the right-wing underground movement Irgun Zvai Leumi.

Home Alone: …(Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), who have been targeting his neighborhood, outside. He turns on the porch lights and scares them away and, later, vows to be prepared should they return.

Marie de Flavigny, countess d’Agoult was a writer known for her role in and descriptions of Parisian society in the 1840s. She was the daughter of the émigré Comte de Flavigny. In 1827 she married Col. Charles d’Agoult, 20 years her senior. She had early shown strength of will and enthusiasm for

New Orleans Pelicans: …Angeles Clippers (after NBA commissioner David Stern controversially vetoed an earlier proposed trade of Paul to the powerhouse Los Angeles Lakers), and the Hornets were sold to Tom Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints, in 2012. Looking to cement ties with its home city, the franchise changed its name…

Stern, weekly general-interest magazine published in Germany. It began publication in 1948 and quickly became the leading post-World War II magazine in the country, known for its outstanding photography and its blend of light and serious material. It publishes issues-oriented reporting, celebrity

Lisette Model was a photographer and teacher known for her unconventional street images and ruthlessly candid portraits. Born to a Jewish Austrian-Italian father and French Catholic mother, Model was educated first in Vienna and then in Paris. Her music studies with the avant-garde composer Arnold

Elizabeth Stern was a Canadian-born American pathologist, noted for her work on the stages of a cell’s progression from a normal to a cancerous state. Stern received a medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1939 and the following year went to the United States, where she became a

Georg Solti was a Hungarian-born British conductor and pianist, one of the most highly regarded conductors of the second half of the 20th century. He was especially noted for his interpretations of Romantic orchestral and operatic works. Solti studied at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest with

Howard Stern is an American radio show host known for his controversial broadcasts. Stern was introduced to radio by his father, a sound engineer. The younger Stern, an awkward and shy child, found an outlet in the medium and began producing his own show on a tape recorder. As a student at Boston

Isaac Stern was a Russian-born American musician who was considered one of the premier violinists of the 20th century. Stern was taken by his parents to San Francisco as a one-year-old. At age 6 he began taking piano lessons, but his interest soon turned to the violin. He studied at the San

Josef von Sternberg was an Austrian-born American motion-picture director whose films are characterized by pictorial richness and photographic craftsmanship. He is especially known for his seven films with actress Marlene Dietrich. Sternberg emigrated with his family to join his father in New York

Josef von Sternberg was an Austrian-born American motion-picture director whose films are characterized by pictorial richness and photographic craftsmanship. He is especially known for his seven films with actress Marlene Dietrich. Sternberg emigrated with his family to join his father in New York

Italian literature: Social commitment and the new realism: …“A Blackshirt’s War”]) and by Mario Rigoni Stern (Il sergente nella neve [1952; The Sergeant in the Snow]). By contrast, there were humorous recollections of provincial life under fascism—for example, Mario Tobino’s Bandiera nera (1950; “Black Flag”) and Goffredo Parise’s Prete bello (1954; “The Handsome Priest”; Eng. trans.

Otto Stern was a German-born scientist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1943 for his development of the molecular beam as a tool for studying the characteristics of molecules and for his measurement of the magnetic moment of the proton. Stern’s early scientific work was theoretical

Richard G. Stern was an American author and teacher whose fiction examines the intricacies of marital difficulties and family relationships. Stern was educated at the University of North Carolina (B.A., 1947), Harvard University (M.A., 1949), and the University of Iowa (Ph.D., 1954). In 1955 he

Richard G. Stern was an American author and teacher whose fiction examines the intricacies of marital difficulties and family relationships. Stern was educated at the University of North Carolina (B.A., 1947), Harvard University (M.A., 1949), and the University of Iowa (Ph.D., 1954). In 1955 he

Robert A.M. Stern is an American postmodern architect whose buildings incorporate a variety of historical styles. Stern studied at Columbia University (B.A., 1960) in New York City and Yale University (M.A., 1965) in New Haven, Connecticut. He worked in partnership with John Hagmann from 1969 to

Robert A.M. Stern is an American postmodern architect whose buildings incorporate a variety of historical styles. Stern studied at Columbia University (B.A., 1960) in New York City and Yale University (M.A., 1965) in New Haven, Connecticut. He worked in partnership with John Hagmann from 1969 to

Stern-Gerlach experiment, demonstration of the restricted spatial orientation of atomic and subatomic particles with magnetic polarity, performed in the early 1920s by the German physicists Otto Stern and Walther Gerlach. In the experiment, a beam of neutral silver atoms was directed through a set

tern: …30 species of the genus Sterna, with forked tail, black cap or crest, and pale body. The black tern, S. nigra (sometimes Chlidonias niger), about 25 cm (10 inches) long, with a black head and underparts (white below in winter) and gray wings and back, breeds in temperate Eurasia and…

tern: The least, or little, tern (S. albifrons), under 25 cm (10 inches) long, is the smallest tern. It breeds on sandy coasts and river sandbars in temperate to tropical regions worldwide except South America. The sooty tern (S. fuscata), about 40 cm (16 inches) long, has…

charadriiform: Gulls (suborder Lari): Sooty terns (Sterna fuscata) have attracted considerable attention from biologists because on Ascension Island, in the South Atlantic, they breed every 9.6 months and on Christmas Island, in the Pacific Ocean, every six months. Elsewhere they have an annual cycle.

Arctic tern: …similar to that of the common tern (Sterna hirundo), its frequent companion.

tern: The black tern, S. nigra (sometimes Chlidonias niger), about 25 cm (10 inches) long, with a black head and underparts (white below in winter) and gray wings and back, breeds in temperate Eurasia and North America and winters in tropical Africa and South America. It is…

Arctic tern, (Sterna paradisaea), tern species that makes the longest annual migration of any bird. It breeds in the southerly reaches of the Arctic and winters in the Antarctic, making its migration a round-trip of 60,000 to 82,000 km (roughly 37,000 to 51,000 miles). Its appearance—white with a

annelid: Annotated classification: Order Sternaspida Sedentary; anterior setae short and thick; posterior end with ventral shield bearing radiating setae and anal branchiae; size, 3 cm; genera include Sternaspis. Order Oweniida Sedentary; anterior end with or without divided lobed membrane; anterior segments long; dwelling tube mucoid, coated with sand

annelid: Annotated classification: …size, 3 cm; genera include Sternaspis. Order Oweniida Sedentary; anterior end with or without divided lobed membrane; anterior segments long; dwelling tube mucoid, coated with sand or shell fragments; size, 0.2 to 10 cm; genera include Owenia. Order Terebellida

corporate governance: Criticisms of stakeholding: Elaine Sternberg, a philosopher specializing in business ethics and corporate governance, alleged that stakeholding is unworkable and destroys accountability within a firm. Sternberg argued that stakeholders are usually seen as all those who affect or are affected by a corporation. She argued that a key…

Josef von Sternberg was an Austrian-born American motion-picture director whose films are characterized by pictorial richness and photographic craftsmanship. He is especially known for his seven films with actress Marlene Dietrich. Sternberg emigrated with his family to join his father in New York

Josef von Sternberg was an Austrian-born American motion-picture director whose films are characterized by pictorial richness and photographic craftsmanship. He is especially known for his seven films with actress Marlene Dietrich. Sternberg emigrated with his family to join his father in New York

Josef von Sternberg was an Austrian-born American motion-picture director whose films are characterized by pictorial richness and photographic craftsmanship. He is especially known for his seven films with actress Marlene Dietrich. Sternberg emigrated with his family to join his father in New York

creativity: Individual qualities of creative persons: …for example, the American psychologists Robert Sternberg and Todd Lubart likened the combined traits of autonomy and problem solving to buying low and selling high in the “marketplace of ideas.” By this they meant that the creative individual identifies a unique need—perhaps a problem or opportunity that no one else…