Sapphire is an American author of fiction and poetry that features unsparing though often empowering depictions of the vicissitudes of African American and bisexual life. Lofton, whose father was a U.S. Army sergeant and whose mother was a member of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), spent portions of

sapphire, transparent to translucent, natural or synthetic variety of corundum (q.v.; aluminum oxide, Al2O3) that has been highly prized as a gemstone since about 800 bc. Its colour is due mainly to the presence of small amounts of iron and titanium and normally ranges from a very pale blue to deep

horse sugar: paniculata, also known as sapphire berry, is a shrub or small tree native to eastern Asia but cultivated in other regions. It bears white, fragrant flowers in clusters 5–7.5 cm (2–3 inches) long. The fleshy, bright blue fruit is about 1 cm (0.4 inch) in diameter. S. tinctoria, also…

Jessica Mauboy: …Nue Dae (2009), and in The Sapphires (2012) she played Julie, one of four Australian Aboriginal young women who form a musical group and perform for American troops during the Vietnam War. The film was based on the true story of an all-female Australian band of the same name. Mauboy…

prosody: Quantitative metres: …German are found in “Sapphische Ode,” by the 19th-century poet Hans Schmidt, which was beautifully set to music by Johannes Brahms (Opus 94, No. 4):

lesbianism, the tendency and orientation of a human female to be emotionally and usually sexually attracted to other females, or the state of being so attracted. As it was first used in the late 16th century, the word Lesbian was the capitalized adjectival term referring to the Greek island of

Franz Grillparzer: …was the swiftly written tragedy Sappho (1818). Here the tragic fate of Sappho, who is depicted as heterosexual, is attributed to her unhappy love for an ordinary man and to her inability to reconcile life and art, clearly an enduring problem for Grillparzer. Work on the trilogy Das Goldene Vlies…

Sappho was a Greek lyric poet greatly admired in all ages for the beauty of her writing style. She ranks with Archilochus and Alcaeus, among Greek poets, for her ability to impress readers with a lively sense of her personality. Her language contains elements from Aeolic vernacular speech and

Bliss Carman: …had met at Harvard; and Sappho (1904), improvisations based on the Greek fragments of Sappho. He also wrote several prose works on nature, art, and the human personality.

valley: Sapping: Sapping is a process of hillslope or scarp recession by the undermining of an overlying resistant material in the form of weathering or water flow occurring in an underlying less-resistant material. A variation of this process, spring sapping, occurs where groundwater outflow undermines slopes…

Sapporo, capital, Hokkaido dō (territory), Japan, on the Ishikari-gawa (Ishikari River). Laid out in 1871, with wide, tree-lined boulevards intersecting each other at right angles, the city was made the prefectural capital in 1886. It owed its early development to the colonization bureau of the

Sapporo 1972 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in Sapporo, Japan, that took place Feb. 3–13, 1972. The Sapporo Games were the 11th occurrence of the Winter Olympic Games. After two unsuccessful attempts to secure the Olympics, Sapporo was finally awarded the 1972 Winter Games, and the

William Smith Clark: …organize Sapporo Agricultural School, later Hokkaido University, in Japan. He also stimulated the development of a Christian movement in Japan.

African cypress: The Berg cypress, or sapree-wood (W. nodiflora), is a shrub that grows to about 2 to 4 metres (6.5 to 13 feet) high. Mulanje cedar can reach 45 metres (148 feet) in height; it was once the most valuable timber tree of the genus, though it…

Italy: The role of Piedmont: …incite insurrection, known as the Sapri expedition (June–July 1857), in which the Neapolitan republican and socialist Carlo Pisacane and some 300 companions lost their lives. The democrats were divided and unable to carry on the revolutionary struggle; nothing was to be expected from the restored governments. In Lombardy-Venetia, Austria carried…

Rafflesiaceae: …species), Rhizanthes (4 species), and Sapria (1 or 2 species). The taxonomy of the family has been contentious, especially given the difficulty in obtaining specimens to study. The group formerly comprised seven genera, based on morphological similarities, but molecular evidence led to a dramatic reorganization by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group…

saprotroph, organism that feeds on nonliving organic matter known as detritus at a microscopic level. The etymology of the word saprotroph comes from the Greek sapros (“rotten, putrid”) and trophē (“nourishment”). Saprotrophic organisms are considered critical to decomposition and nutrient cycling

saprotroph, organism that feeds on nonliving organic matter known as detritus at a microscopic level. The etymology of the word saprotroph comes from the Greek sapros (“rotten, putrid”) and trophē (“nourishment”). Saprotrophic organisms are considered critical to decomposition and nutrient cycling

plant disease: Pathogenesis and saprogenesis: Saprogenesis is the part of the pathogen’s life cycle when it is not in vital association with living host tissue and either continues to grow in dead host tissue or becomes dormant. During this stage, some fungi produce their sexual fruiting bodies; the apple scab…

malachite green: …used to control the fungus Saprolegnia, a water mold that kills the eggs and young fry.

water mold, (order Saprolegniales), order of about 150 species of filamentous funguslike organisms (phylum Oomycota, kingdom Chromista). Many water molds live in fresh or brackish water or wet soils. Most species are saprotrophic (i.e., they live on dead or decaying organic matter), although some

aluminum processing: Ores: shales, igneous rocks, and saprolite and sillimanite minerals. In Russia, alumina is refined from nonbauxitic ores—namely nepheline syenite and alunite. Vast bauxite developments in Australia, Guinea, and Indonesia have tended to postpone interest in secondary ores elsewhere.

sapropel, unconsolidated sedimentary deposit rich in bituminous substances. It is distinguished from peat in being rich in fatty and waxy substances and poor in cellulosic material. When consolidated into rock, sapropel becomes oil shale, bituminous shale, or boghead coal. The principal components

sapropelic coal, hydrogen-rich coal, including cannel coal and boghead coal (see torbanite), derived from sapropels (loose deposits of sedimentary rock rich in hydrocarbons) and characterized by a dull black, sometimes waxy lustre. Sapropelic coals are rich in liptinites (microscopic organic matter

saprotroph, organism that feeds on nonliving organic matter known as detritus at a microscopic level. The etymology of the word saprotroph comes from the Greek sapros (“rotten, putrid”) and trophē (“nourishment”). Saprotrophic organisms are considered critical to decomposition and nutrient cycling

saprotroph, organism that feeds on nonliving organic matter known as detritus at a microscopic level. The etymology of the word saprotroph comes from the Greek sapros (“rotten, putrid”) and trophē (“nourishment”). Saprotrophic organisms are considered critical to decomposition and nutrient cycling

saprotroph, organism that feeds on nonliving organic matter known as detritus at a microscopic level. The etymology of the word saprotroph comes from the Greek sapros (“rotten, putrid”) and trophē (“nourishment”). Saprotrophic organisms are considered critical to decomposition and nutrient cycling

animal disease: Zoonoses: The cycles of saprozoonoses (for example, histoplasmosis) may require, in addition to vertebrate hosts, specific environmental locations or reservoirs.

Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru was a jurist and statesman important in the progress of British India toward self-government. For his integrity and wisdom, he was trusted both by the British government and by Indian intellectual and political leaders. He was knighted in 1922. Educated at Agra College,

police: Police organizations in Africa: …policed by a single force—the South African Police Service (SAPS)—which conducts criminal investigation, intelligence, and forensics at the national level and is also deployed in the provinces of the country. Whether operating at the national or provincial levels, SAPS is under the command of a single national commissioner. These generalizations…

sapsucker, either of two species of North American woodpeckers of the family Picidae (order Piciformes), noted for drilling holes in neat close rows through the bark of trees to obtain sap and insects. They also catch insects in midair. The yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), about 20 cm

Saptamatrika, in Hinduism, a group of seven mother-goddesses, each of whom is the shakti, or female counterpart, of a god. They are Brahmani (wife of Brahma), Maheshvari (wife of Shiva), Kaumari (wife of Kumara), Vaishnavi (wife of Vishnu), Varahi (wife of Varaha, or the boar, an avatar

chronology: Eras based on astronomical speculation: …pole was the Saptarṣi, or Laukika, era (3076 bc), formerly used in Kashmir and the Punjab. The alleged movement of this constellation has been used in Purāṇa compilations and even by astronomers for indicating the centuries.

Sapulpa, city, seat (1907) of Creek county, northeastern Oklahoma, U.S. In 1886 the Frisco Railroad reached the site that the railroad men called Sapulpa, the name of a Creek Indian family that settled in the area about 1850. A railroad terminus, it developed as a cattle-shipping point. The oil and

rocket and missile system: The first ICBMs: …(later given the NATO designation SS-6 Sapwood) as well as the first man-made satellite, Sputnik. This prompted the “missile gap” debate in the United States and resulted in higher priorities for the U.S. Thor and Jupiter IRBMs. Although originally scheduled for deployment in the early 1960s, these programs were accelerated,…

sapwood, outer, living layers of the secondary wood of trees, which engage in transport of water and minerals to the crown of the tree. The cells therefore contain more water and lack the deposits of darkly staining chemical substances commonly found in heartwood. Sapwood is thus paler and softer

Arabic literature: The novel: …examples, but Aḥmad Fāris al-Shidyāq’s Al-Sāq ʿalā al-sāq fī mā huwa al-Fāryāq (1855; title translatable as “One Leg over Another [or The Pigeon on the Tree Branch], Concerning al-Fāryāq [Fāris al-Shidyāq]”), which contains a set of maqāmāt, looks to the future in its use of the autobiographical travel narrative (and…

Ṣaqālibah, in medieval Muslim Spain, Slavs, or people from the Black Sea coast north of Constantinople. Later, by extension, the term came to designate all foreign slaves in the military. The custom in 10th-century Spain was to buy Slavs captured by the Germans on their expeditions into eastern

sakia, mechanical device used to raise water from wells or pits. A sakia consists of buckets fastened to a vertical wheel or to a rope belt about the wheel, which is itself attached by a shaft to a horizontal wheel turned by horses, oxen, or asses. Sakias made of metal, wood, and stone are found

Atlas Mountains: Resources: …Mount Djerissa, and lead from Sāqiyat Sīdī Yūsuf. These raw materials are often processed in the coastal towns. The iron ore from Ouenza, for example, supplies the iron-smelting industry of Annaba.

Ṣaqqārah, part of the necropolis of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis, 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Cairo and west of the modern Arab village of Ṣaqqārah. The site extends along the edge of the desert plateau for about 5 miles (8 km), bordering Abū Ṣīr to the north and Dahshūr to the south. In

Ṣaqqārah, part of the necropolis of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis, 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Cairo and west of the modern Arab village of Ṣaqqārah. The site extends along the edge of the desert plateau for about 5 miles (8 km), bordering Abū Ṣīr to the north and Dahshūr to the south. In

Sacsayhuamán, large Inca fortress overlooking Cuzco, Peru, from a hilltop 755 feet (230 m) above the city. It was built in the 15th century during the reign of Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. If Cuzco was laid out by the Inca in the shape of a puma, Sacsayhuamán represents the puma’s head. Built with

protease inhibitor: …of protease inhibitors include ritonavir, saquinavir, and indinavir.

South African Republic (SAR), 19th-century Boer state formed by Voortrekkers (Boer migrants from the British Cape Colony) in what is now northern South Africa. Its internationally recognized existence began with the Sand River Convention in 1852, when the British withdrew from the Southern African

radar: Radar imaging: …resolution, is the basis for synthetic aperture radar (SAR). SAR produces an image of a scene that is similar, but not identical, to an optical photograph. One should not expect the image seen by radar “eyes” to be the same as that observed by optical eyes. Each provides different information.…

pharmaceutical industry: Structure-activity relationship: The term structure-activity relationship (SAR) is now used to describe the process used by Ehrlich to develop arsphenamine, the first successful treatment for syphilis. In essence, Ehrlich synthesized a series of structurally related chemical compounds and tested each one to determine its pharmacological…

Shiva Dayal Saheb: …one in verse, both titled Sar Bacan (“Essential Utterances”). Shiva Dayal Saheb’s ashes are entombed in a sacred garden (Dayal Bagh) near Agra, which is still a principal headquarters of the sect.

CryoSat: Its primary instrument is the SAR Interferometric Radar Altimeter (SIRAL), which is designed to measure changes of less than 1 cm (0.4 inch) per year in the height of ice. (SAR stands for Synthetic Aperture Radar, a technique that uses short radar bursts to make an image.) By measuring ice…

ancient Iran: Art and literature: …away, in the valley at Sar Mashhad, a representation of Bahrām II shows that king in the process of slaying two lions. At Dārābgerd, about 180 miles (290 km) southwest of Shīrāz, Shāpūr I is shown triumphing over three Roman emperors—Gordian III, Philip the Arabian, and Valerian. At Naqsh-e Bahrām,…

Šar Mountains, mountain range in western North Macedonia and southern Kosovo, one of the most rugged and impassable in the Balkans, extending northeast–southwest for about 47 miles (75 km). A southern continuation along the Albanian frontier, which includes the Korab, Bistra, Jablanica, and

Šar Mountains, mountain range in western North Macedonia and southern Kosovo, one of the most rugged and impassable in the Balkans, extending northeast–southwest for about 47 miles (75 km). A southern continuation along the Albanian frontier, which includes the Korab, Bistra, Jablanica, and

Sara, cluster of peoples living on the fringe of the southern Sudan, especially in the northwestern regions of the Central African Republic and the south-central area surrounding Sarh, south of Lake Chad in Chad. They include the Gula, Kara, Kreish, Nduka, Ngama, and Sara proper. The Sara peoples

Sara Buri, town, central Thailand, northeast of Bangkok. Sara Buri (locally called Pak Phrieo) is on the south bank of the Pa Sak River. Its economy is based on textile, metalworking, food-manufacturing, clothing, and woodworking industries. The Phra Buddha Bat shrine in the town contains a

Sara Lee Corporation: …2001 Sara Lee launched the Sara Lee Bakery Group, a company that manufactures and distributes fresh-baked goods. Sara Lee has plants operating in more than 40 countries worldwide.

Sara Lee Corporation, major American producer of frozen baked goods, fresh and processed meats, coffee, hosiery and knitwear, and household and shoe-care products. It is headquartered in Downers Grove, Ill. The company was incorporated in 1941 as the South Street Company and went through several

Carl Jonas Love Almqvist: Det går an (1838; Sara Videbeck, 1919) is a brilliant, realistic story pleading for the emancipation of love and marriage. The work foreshadows Strindberg’s method of raising problems for debate. He was also a musician and set some of his short lyrics to music.

Sarasota, city, seat (1921) of Sarasota county, west-central Florida, U.S. It lies along Sarasota Bay (an arm of the Gulf of Mexico), about 60 miles (95 km) south of Tampa. Sarasota, variously spelled Sara Zota, Sarazota, and Sarasote, appeared on maps in the 1700s, but the origin of the place-name

Chad: Languages: …following 12 groupings: (1) the Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi group, representing languages spoken by about one million people in southern and central Chad, (2) the Mundang-Tuburi-Mbum languages, which are spoken by several hundred thousand people in southwestern Chad, (3) the Chado-Hamitic group, which is related to the Hausa spoken in Nigeria, (4) the…

Heriz carpet: …specific village names, such as Sarāb (or Serapi), which has light, rather bright colour schemes; Gorevan, in darker colours; Bakshāyesh; and Mehrabān. Heriz carpets are symmetrically knotted on a cotton foundation. From time to time there has been experimentation in the production of silk rugs—again influenced by the Tabrīz rug…

Ingmar Bergman: Life: …movies, notably the critically acclaimed Saraband (2003), which featured the main characters from Scenes from a Marriage, and the movie received a theatrical release. In addition, he wrote several novels, including Söndagsbarn (1993; Sunday’s Children) and Enskilda samtal (1996; Private Confessions), that were made into films. His memoir, Laterna magica…

Seraband rug, handwoven floor covering made in the Ser-e Band locality, southwest of Arāk in west-central Iran. These 19th- and early 20th-century rugs, noted for their sturdiness and unobtrusive charm, have a characteristic pattern (known commercially as the mīr design) of small, complex leaf

sarabande, originally, a dance considered disreputable in 16th-century Spain, and, later, a slow, stately dance that was popular in France. Possibly of Mexican origin or perhaps evolved from a Spanish dance with Arab influence that was modified in the New World, it was apparently danced by a double

Mallika Sarabhai is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer, actress, writer, and social activist known for her promotion of the arts as a vehicle for social change. The daughter of renowned physicist Vikram Sarabhai and dancer and choreographer Mrinalini Sarabhai, she was brought up in a

Vikram Sarabhai was an Indian physicist and industrialist who initiated space research and helped develop nuclear power in India. Sarabhai was born into a family of industrialists. He attended Gujarat College, Ahmadabad, but later shifted to the University of Cambridge, England, where he took his

Vikram Sarabhai was an Indian physicist and industrialist who initiated space research and helped develop nuclear power in India. Sarabhai was born into a family of industrialists. He attended Gujarat College, Ahmadabad, but later shifted to the University of Cambridge, England, where he took his

Sara Buri, town, central Thailand, northeast of Bangkok. Sara Buri (locally called Pak Phrieo) is on the south bank of the Pa Sak River. Its economy is based on textile, metalworking, food-manufacturing, clothing, and woodworking industries. The Phra Buddha Bat shrine in the town contains a

Italy: The Giolitti era, 1900–14: …governments led by Pelloux’s successors, Giuseppe Saracco, Giuseppe Zanardelli, and Giovanni Giolitti, the last of whom was the most frequent holder of the office of prime minister between 1903 and 1914. Giolitti sought to defuse popular discontent by social reforms, the gradual extension of the right to vote, and public…

Saracen, in the Middle Ages, any person—Arab, Turk, or other—who professed the religion of Islām. Earlier in the Roman world, there had been references to Saracens (Greek: Sarakenoi) by late classical authors in the first three centuries ad, the term being then applied to an Arab tribe living in

Gene Sarazen was a prominent American professional golfer of the 1920s and ’30s. His double eagle—i.e., his score of three strokes under par—on the par-five 15th hole in the last round of the 1935 Masters Tournament is one of the most famous shots in the history of the game. Born to impoverished

Gene Sarazen was a prominent American professional golfer of the 1920s and ’30s. His double eagle—i.e., his score of three strokes under par—on the par-five 15th hole in the last round of the 1935 Masters Tournament is one of the most famous shots in the history of the game. Born to impoverished

Gene Sarazen was a prominent American professional golfer of the 1920s and ’30s. His double eagle—i.e., his score of three strokes under par—on the par-five 15th hole in the last round of the 1935 Masters Tournament is one of the most famous shots in the history of the game. Born to impoverished

South Asian arts: Masked drama: E.R. Sarachchandra, a scholar of traditional Sri Lankan theatre, was responsible for a major breakthrough in revitalizing and adapting for the modern stage traditional dramatic forms such as the kolam. New playwrights also helped revitalize Sri Lankan theatre, among the most significant of whom was…

Şükrü Saracoğlu was a statesman who served as prime minister of the Turkish republic from 1942 to 1946. Having studied economics and political science in Geneva, Saracoğlu returned to Turkey in 1918 following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I (1914–18). He joined the movement of

Sarada Devi was a Hindu religious teacher and the wife of the Hindu saint Ramakrishna. The Sri Sarada Math, a monastic organization for women, was founded in 1954 in homage to Sarada Devi. Saradamani, popularly known as Sarada Devi, was born into a Brahmin family and was the eldest of Ramachandra

Sarada script, writing system used for the Kashmiri language by the educated Hindu minority in Kashmir and the surrounding valleys. It is taught in the Hindu schools there but is not used in printing books. Originating in the 8th century ad, Sarada descended from the Gupta script of North India,

Sarada script, writing system used for the Kashmiri language by the educated Hindu minority in Kashmir and the surrounding valleys. It is taught in the Hindu schools there but is not used in printing books. Originating in the 8th century ad, Sarada descended from the Gupta script of North India,

Sarada Devi was a Hindu religious teacher and the wife of the Hindu saint Ramakrishna. The Sri Sarada Math, a monastic organization for women, was founded in 1954 in homage to Sarada Devi. Saradamani, popularly known as Sarada Devi, was born into a Brahmin family and was the eldest of Ramachandra

Hinduism: Shakta Tantras: …which discusses ritual; and the Sharadatilaka (“Beauty Mark of the Goddess Sharada”) of Lakshmanadeshika (11th century), which focuses almost exclusively on magic. The goddess cults eventually centered around Durga, the consort of Shiva, in her fiercer aspect.

Mamata Banerjee: Corruption scandals: Among these was the Saradha scam, a Ponzi scheme run by an entity called the Saradha Group; the scam emerged in 2013 and several TMC legislators were questioned in the investigation that followed. In 2024 Banerjee was widely criticized for the alleged cover-up of the sexual assault and murder…

Mbongeni Ngema: …are a movie adaptation of Sarafina! (1992), choir direction for the animated feature The Lion King (1994), and the play The House of Shaka (2005).

Mbongeni Ngema: …international triumph with the musical Sarafina! (1987). The title character is a black teenager who at first wants to become a superstar. Instead, inspired by a teacher, she becomes a revolutionary in the 1976 student uprisings in Soweto. Ngema and Hugh Masekela wrote the score, which features mbaqanga, the fusion…

Giuseppe Saragat was a statesman and founder of the Socialist Party of Italian Workers (PSLI), who held many ministerial posts from 1944 to 1964, when he became president of the Italian Republic (1964–71). A University of Turin graduate in economics and commerce, Saragat joined the Socialist Party

Zaragoza, city, capital of Zaragoza provincia (province), in central Aragon comunidad autónoma (autonomous community), northeastern Spain. It lies on the south bank of the Ebro River (there bridged). Toward the end of the 1st century bce, the Celtiberian town of Salduba at the site was taken by the

Zaragoza, provincia (province) in the comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) of Aragon, northeastern Spain. Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, it formed the old kingdom of Aragon. It extends north and south of the middle course of the Ebro River; it reaches the foot of the

history of Europe: Discovery of the New World: The Treaties of Tordesillas and Saragossa in 1494 and 1529 defined the limits of westward Spanish exploration and the eastern ventures of Portugal. The two states acting as the vanguard of the expansion of Europe had thus divided the newly discovered sea lanes of the world between them.

Sarah, in the Old Testament, wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. Sarah was childless until she was 90 years old. God promised Abraham that she would be “a mother of nations” (Genesis 17:16) and that she would conceive and bear a son, but Sarah did not believe. Isaac, born to Sarah and Abraham in

animal learning: Insight and reasoning: …chimpanzee, a mature female called Sarah, was tested by David Premack and his colleagues on a series of analogical reasoning tasks. Sarah previously had been extensively trained in solving matching-to-sample discriminations, to the point where she could use two plastic tokens, one meaning same, which she would place between any…

Tobit: …Tobit’s story is that of Sarah, daughter of Tobit’s closest relative, whose seven successive husbands were each killed by a demon on their wedding night. When Tobit and Sarah pray to God for deliverance, God sends the angel Raphael to act as intercessor. Tobit regains his sight, and Sarah marries…

Dorothy Arzner: Films of the 1930s and ’40s: She began the decade with Sarah and Son (1930), a drama that featured Ruth Chatterton as a young wife who is abandoned by her abusive husband after he sells their young son to a wealthy couple; she goes on to become an opera star and, with the help of an…

Macquarie Harbour: This settlement, centring on Sarah (Settlement) Island, lasted until 1833, when the difficulty of supply forced its abandonment. Deserted for more than 40 years, the harbour later saw activity with gold mining in the King valley and timber cutting in the Gordon. Sarah Island and the outlying Isle of…

Sarah Lawrence College, Private liberal arts college in Bronxville, N.Y. It was founded as a women’s college in 1926 and named for the wife of its founding donor, William V. Lawrence. It became coeducational in 1968. Contemporary programs emphasize creative and performing arts as components of a

Richard Donner: Early work: …began directing made-for-television films, including Sarah T.—Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic (1975), which starred Linda Blair in the title role.

Kate Grenville: Sarah Thornhill (2011), a sequel to The Secret River, follows the youngest child of William. The fictional memoir A Room Made of Leaves (2020) chronicles the life of Elizabeth Macarthur, who was married to John Macarthur, founder the Australian wool industry in the 1800s. Grenville…

Sarah, Duchess of York is the former wife (1986–96) of Prince Andrew, Duke of York. After they divorced in 1996, Sarah became a prolific author, television personality, entrepreneur, and public figure. A descendant of British royalty, Ferguson was the second daughter of parents who divorced when

Silurian Period: Effects of Late Ordovician glaciation: …sheet in Saudi Arabia, the Jabal Sarah paleovalley was deeply cut into by glacial outwash streams eroding through Ordovician shales to a depth of 275 metres (900 feet). Ordovician-Silurian paleovalleys in the Middle East show much more topographic relief than their counterparts in Laurentia and Baltica away from the ice…

Sarah, in the Old Testament, wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. Sarah was childless until she was 90 years old. God promised Abraham that she would be “a mother of nations” (Genesis 17:16) and that she would conceive and bear a son, but Sarah did not believe. Isaac, born to Sarah and Abraham in

Russia: Tatar rule: …Golden Horde, the khans of Sarai, who tended to reflect the interests of the Volga tribes, were challenged by the tribal princes of the west, whose control of the Danube, Bug, and Dnieper routes and of the access to Crimea gave them considerable political and economic power. As early as…

India: Neolithic agriculture in the Indus valley and Baluchistan: For example, at Sarai Khola (near the ruins of Taxila in the Pakistan Punjab) the earliest occupation dates from the end of the 4th millennium and clearly represents a tradition quite distinct from that of contemporary Sind or Balochistan, with ground stone axes and plain burnished red-brown pottery.…

Saraikela, town, northern Jharkhand state, northeastern India. It lies on the Kharkai River about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Jamshedpur. Saraikela was the capital of a former princely state that was founded by Bikram Singh of the Porahat Raj family in the 17th century. It was a sanad (patent, or