Sciences
Scienze Esatte Fisiche E Naturali · 266 articles · Principal contributors · All subjects-
Acoustics (ACUSTICA)
ACOUSTICS. - As a science it deals with all the qualities of sound in itself or in relation to certain places where the sounds themselves… -
Age of Man (GENERE UMANO, ETÀ DEL)
AGE OF MAN. - The problem of the age of the h. r. remains one of the most difficult and controversial, since its solution is bound up with… -
Age of the Earth (TERRA, ETÀ DELLA)
AGE OF THE EARTH. - The methods used until a few decades ago to determine the age of the earth are revealed today as totally lacking in… -
Aging, The Biological Problem of (SENESCENZA, PROBLEMA BIOLOGICO DELLA)
AGING, The Biological Problem of. - The problem of the senescence of organisms is linked to the condition of the life cycle (v. BIOLOGICAL… -
Aguilon, François d'
AGUILON, FRANÇOIS d'. - Belgian Jesuit, b. in Brussels on 4 Jan. 1567, entered the novitiate of Tournai in 1586. Ordained priest in 1596,… -
Algué, José
ALGUÉ, JOSÉ. - Spanish Jesuit and scientist, b. at Manresa on 18 Dec. 1856, d. at Roquetas (Spain) on 27 May 1930. Having completed his… -
Altum, Bernardo
ALTUM, BERNARDO. - German zoologist, b. in Münster on 31 Dec. 1824, d. in Eberswald on 1 Feb. 1900. A specialist in ornithology; ordained a… -
Amici, Giovanni Battista
AMICI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Italian physicist, astronomer, mathematician and biologist, b. in 1786, d. in 1863. Brilliant for the… -
Ampère, André-Marie
AMPÈRE, ANDRÉ-MARIE. - French physicist, mathematician and philosopher, b. at Poleymieux near Lyon on 22 Jan. 1775, d. at Marseille on 11… -
Anatomy (ANATOMIA)
ANATOMY. - From the Greek ἀνατομή = dissection, it is the science that through dissection studies the intimate structure of living beings.… -
Antonelli, Giovanni
ANTONELLI, GIOVANNI. - Piarist scientist, b. at Candeglia, a suburb of Pistoia, on 10 January 1818, d. at Florence on 14 January 1871.… -
Anton, Gabriel
ANTON, GABRIEL. - German psychiatrist (1858-1944), professor at the University of Halle. He was the rapporteur of the famous "Declaration"… -
Apoplexy (Stroke Or Apoplectic Fit) (APOPLESSIA (ICTUS O COLPO APOPLETTICO))
APOPLEXY (Stroke Or Apoplectic Fit). - Sudden abolition of sensation, motility and external consciousness of the individual (v. COMA) due… -
Arago, Jean François Dominique
ARAGO, JEAN FRANÇOIS DOMINIQUE. - French physicist and astronomer, b. at Estagel, near Perpignan, in the Pyrenees, on 27 February 1786, d.… -
Archimedes (ARCHIMEDE)
ARCHIMEDES. - Supreme mathematician, b. at Syracuse in 287 B.C., d. in the siege of that city in 212 B.C. The writings of A., in which have… -
Arduino, Giovanni
ARDUINO, GIOVANNI. - Geologist, b. at Caprino Veronese in 1714 and d. at Venice in 1795. When paleontology was not yet a science in its own… -
Arena, Filippo
ARENA, FILIPPO. - Sicilian Jesuit, b. at Piazza Armerina on 1 May 1708, d. at Rome in 1789; having entered the religious order in 1723, he… -
Arrhenius, Svante August (ARRHENIUS, SVANTE AUGUSTO)
ARRHENIUS, SVANTE AUGUST. - Born at Wijk near Uppsala (Sweden) in 1859, died at Stockholm in 1927. In 1883 he set out the hypothesis that… -
Asimbolia
ASIMBOLIA. - From the Greek à privative and σύμβολον, symbol, representative sign; the temporary or permanent disappearance of groups of… -
Astronomical Observatories (OSSERVATORI ASTRONOMICI)
ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORIES. - I. HISTORICAL NOTES. - Leaving aside the very ancient Chinese astronomical observatories, about which our… -
Astronomy (ASTRONOMIA)
ASTRONOMY. - Among ancient peoples, astrology (v.) was the mother of astronomy. Since, according to the common opinion, the destiny of men… -
Atomic Nucleus (NUCLEO ATOMICO)
ATOMIC NUCLEUS. - The study undertaken to discover the intimate constitution of chemical atoms led to the conclusion that every atom really… -
Audiffredi, Giovanni Battista
AUDIFFREDI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Dominican astronomer and bibliographer, b. at Saorgio (Nice) on 2 February 1714, d. at Rome on 4 July… -
Baccelli, Liberato
BACCELLI, LIBERATO. - Piarist physicist, b. in Lucca on 18 Nov. 1772, d. in Modena on 21 Oct. 1835. He taught physics in Correggio and at… -
Bacteriophage (BATTERIOFAGO)
BACTERIOPHAGE. - The discovery of the b. is due to the French bacteriologist d'Hérelle, who in 1917 described in the fecal filtrate of… -
Baer, Karl Ernst
BAER, KARL ERNST. - Estonian naturalist, b. at Piep in 1792, d. at Dorpat (Tartu) in 1876. Having taken his degree in medicine at Dorpat,… -
Barletti, Carlo
BARLETTI, CARLO. - Piarist physicist, b. at Rocca Grimalda (Alessandria) on 22 May 1735, d. at Pavia on 25 February 1800. After teaching… -
Barrow, Isaac
BARROW, ISAAC. - English Protestant mathematician and theologian, b. in London in 1630, d. there on 4 May 1677. He lived abroad for many… -
Barsanti, Eugenio
BARSANTI, EUGENIO. - Scolopian physicist and mathematician, b. at Pietrasanta on 12 Oct. 1821, d. at Seraing (Belgium) on 18 Apr. 1864. He… -
Bassi, Agostino
BASSI, AGOSTINO. - A lawyer by profession and a naturalist by vocation, b. at Mairago (Lodi) in 1773, d. at Lodi in 1856. While studying… -
Bathybius Haeckelii
BATHYBIUS HAECKELII. - A gelatinous slime dredged from the bottom of the Atlantic, which T. H. Huxley named thus, identifying in it the… -
Beccaria, Giovanni Battista
BECCARIA, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Born in Mondovì in 1716, he became a Piarist at the age of 16, taught philosophy and rhetoric in Palermo and… -
Beccari, Jacopo Bartolomeo
BECCARI, JACOPO BARTOLOMEO. - Born in Bologna in 1692, died in 1766. A chemist and physiologist, he taught chemistry at the University of… -
Behring, Emil Adolf
BEHRING, EMIL ADOLF. - Born at Hausdorf on 15 March 1854 and died on 31 March 1917 at Marburg. German physician, hygienist and… -
Belgrado, Giacomo
BELGRADO, GIACOMO. - Jesuit and scientist, b. in Udine on 16 Nov. 1704, entered the novitiate on 16 Oct. 1724; he first taught letters in… -
Béraud, Laurent
BÉRAUD, LAURENT. - French Jesuit, b. at Lyon on 5 March 1702, entered the novitiate in 1717, distinguished himself in the teaching of… -
Berloty, Bonaventure
BERLOTY, BONAVENTURE. - French Jesuit and scientist, b. in Lyon on 25 March 1856, d. at Ksara on 10 Oct. 1934. He entered religious life in… -
Bertelli, Leopoldo
BERTELLI, LEOPOLDO. - Barnabite, in religion Father Timoteo, born in Bologna on 26 October 1826 and died at the "Alla Querce" college in… -
Berzelius, Jöns Jacob
BERZELIUS, JÖNS JACOB. - Swedish chemist, b. at Våversunda on 20 Aug. 1779, d. at Stockholm on 2 Aug. 1848. Through scientific industry,… -
Bina, Andrea
BINA, ANDREA. - Cassinese Benedictine of the abbey of Polirone (Mantua), b. in Milan in 1724, d. there on 8 March 1792. He taught… -
Biocenosis (BIOCENOSI)
BIOCENOSIS. - The term b., or biological association, introduced by Moebius in 1877, defines the entire complex of living beings that… -
Biochemistry (BIOCHIMICA)
BIOCHEMISTRY. - Biochemistry is that part of physiology which studies the chemical composition and the chemical-physical properties of… -
Biogenetic Law (BIOGENETICA, LEGGE)
BIOGENETIC LAW. - The original formulation given by E. Haeckel (v.) in ch. 20 of the work Generelle Morphologie der Organismen (1866), 41st… -
Biological Cycles (CICLI BIOLOGICI)
BIOLOGICAL CYCLES. - There is no fundamental difference from the concept of rhythm. Life manifests itself rhythmically (v. BIORHYTHMS):… -
Biological Differentiation (DIFFERENZIAMENTO BIOLOGICO)
BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION. - The phenomena of b. d. are diverse, but all share the common condition of a gradual evolution of specific… -
Biological Environments (AMBIENTI BIOLOGICI)
BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS. - By biological environments are meant the various habitats in which conditions sufficient to permit the life of… -
Biology (BIOLOGIA)
BIOLOGY. - From the Greek βίος "life" and λόγος "discourse, reasoning," it is the science of life in its normal and pathological… -
Biometry (Anthropometry) (BIOMETRIA (ANTROPOMETRIA))
BIOMETRY (ANTHROPOMETRY). - I. ORIGINI E DEFINIZIONE. - Biometrics was born at the historical moment when, in the life sciences in general,… -
Bioregulators (BIOREGOLATORI)
BIOREGULATORS. - The individual functions of the organism are not carried out in isolation, but are coordinated with one another so that,… -
Biorhythms (BIORITMI)
BIORHYTHMS. - By b. are meant the rhythmic activities of living beings. In reality every vital phenomenon is rhythmic: the life itself of a… -
Biosphere (BIOSFERA)
BIOSPHERE. - From the Greek βίος (= life) and σφαῖρα (= sphere). It was intended to call b. the spherical corpuscle further indivisible,… -
Biotype (BIOTIPO)
BIOTYPE. - In genetics, a b. is understood as a complex of individuals identical to one another in their endowment of hereditary… -
Biotypology (BIOTIPOLOGIA)
BIOTYPOLOGY. - Science that studies the human individual in all his vital manifestations, in order to determine, in the most complete… -
Bizio, Bartolomeo
BIZIO, BARTOLOMEO. - Chemist, b. at Vicenza on 30 Oct. 1791, d. at Venice in 1862; considered among the greatest scientists of his time by… -
Bocconi, Paolo (Silvio)
BOCCONI, PAOLO (SILVIO). - Born in Palermo on 24 April 1633, died there on 22 December 1704. He was a distinguished naturalist and an… -
Boscovich, Ruggero Giuseppe
BOSCOVICH, RUGGERO GIUSEPPE. - Born on May 18, 1711, in Ragusa: after completing his studies at the Jesuit college of that city, he entered… -
Botany (BOTANICA)
BOTANY. - Botany, or phytology, is the science of plants. There are three principal aspects under which plants are considered:… -
Boule, Pierre-Marcelin
BOULE, PIERRE-MARCELIN. - Born at Montsalvy (Coutal) in 1861 and died on 19 July 1945 at Montsalvens. French paleontologist, a pupil of… -
Brain (CERVELLO)
BRAIN. - The encephalon (from Gr. ἐγκέφαλος) constitutes the most important center of the entire nervous system and is located in the… -
Braun, Karl
BRAUN, KARL. - German Jesuit and astronomer, b. at Neustadt (Hesse) on 27 April 1831, d. at Radegund (Styria) on 1 June 1907. He was a… -
Breislak, Scipione
BREISLAK, SCIPIONE. - Scolopio geologist, b. in Rome on 16 Aug. 1750, d. in Milan on 15 Feb. 1826. He taught physics and mathematics in… -
Bresadola, Giacomo
BRESADOLA, GIACOMO. - Priest, mycologist, b. at Ortisei (Trento) on 14 Feb. 1847, d. at Trento on 9 June 1927. A priest in 1870, chaplain… -
Brown, Robert
BROWN, ROBERT. - Botanist, b. at Montrose in Scotland in 1773, d. in London in 1858, son of a Protestant bishop. He attended Rutherford's… -
Brugnatelli, Luigi Valentino
BRUGNATELLI, LUIGI VALENTINO. - Born in Pavia on 14 Feb. 1761, died there on 24 Aug. 1818, he was regarded as one of the foremost chemists… -
Burdach, Karl Friedrich
BURDACH, KARL FRIEDRICH. - Physician, anatomist and physiologist, b. in 1776, d. in 1847; professor at the University of Königsberg, a… -
Cajal, Santiago Ramón y
CAJAL, SANTIAGO RAMÓN y. - Spanish pathologist and histologist, b. at Petilla de Aragón in 1852, d. in 1934, known for the histological… -
Canovai, Stanislao
CANOVAI, STANISLAO. - Piarist physicist and mathematician, b. in Florence on 28 March 1740, d. there on 17 Nov. 1811. He learned… -
Carazzi, Davide
CARAZZI, DAVIDE. - Zoologist, embryologist, b. at Sambonifacio (Verona) on 27 Jan. 1858, d. 18 Jan. 1923 in Florence. Of interest is his… -
Carbon (CARBONIO)
CARBON. - Chemical element with atomic number 6 and atomic weight 12, one of the most important in nature as an essential component of… -
Carbonnelle, Ignace
CARBONNELLE, IGNACE. - Jesuit, b. at Tournai on 1 February 1829 and d. at Brussels on 4 March 1889. He was a devotee of the mathematical… -
Carus, Karl Gustav
CARUS, KARL GUSTAV. - German anatomist and biologist, b. in Leipzig on 3 Jan. 1789, d. in Dresden on 28 July 1869, a follower of the… -
Castracane degli Antelminelli, Francesco
CASTRACANE DEGLI ANTELMINELLI, FRANCESCO. - Priest and naturalist, b. at Fano on 19 July 1817, d. at Rome on 27 March 1899. He lived in an… -
Catalepsy (CATALISI)
CATALEPSY. - Some substances increase the speed of certain chemical reactions when they are present in the environment in which these take… -
Cavalieri, Bonaventura
CAVALIERI, BONAVENTURA. - Jesuit, born in Milan probably in 1598, died in Bologna on 30 November 1647. He was set on the path of… -
Cecchi, Filippo
CECCHI, FILIPPO. - Piarist physicist, b. at Ponte Buggianese (Pistoia) on 31 May 1822, d. at Florence on 1 May 1887. He taught physics and… -
Cellula
CELLULA. - In biology, this is the name given to the smallest vital unit, capable of autonomous life and of reproduction of the metozoa and… -
Cellular, Theory (CELLULARE, TEORIA)
CELLULAR, THEORY. - With the discovery of the cell, the idea of the cellular constitution of all animals and plants matured. However, only… -
Cerebral Softening (RAMMOLLIMENTO CEREBRALE)
CEREBRAL SOFTENING. - The concept of cerebral softening is fairly precise and defined from an anatomo-pathological point of view, much less… -
Chemistry (CHIMICA)
CHEMISTRY. - I. DEFINITIONS AND DIVISIONS. - The word c. may derive from the Egyptian or Coptic terms "km.t" or "Kèmi" having the meanings… -
Chlorophyllian Photosynthesis (FOTOSINTESI CLOROFILLIANA)
CHLOROPHYLLIAN PHOTOSYNTHESIS. - The suggestive process of foliar nutrition in plants has been clarified in its fundamental outlines ever… -
Chorology (COROLOGIA)
CHOROLOGY. - The term c. (from χάρα, land and λάγος, discourse) designates the study of the geographical distribution of living beings:… -
Chromosome (CROMOSOMA)
CHROMOSOME. - Characteristic formations that are resolved from the nuclear substances of animal and plant cells when these enter into… -
Chronotope (CRONOTOPO)
CHRONOTOPE. - This word, which modern physics has taken from Gioberti, denotes the union of space and time, conceived together as a single… -
Circulation (CIRCOLAZIONE)
CIRCULATION. - By c. is meant that complex of structures and functions suited to make a current of liquid circulate incessantly from the… -
Classification (CLASSIFICAZIONE)
CLASSIFICATION.— It is the operation by which a multitude of related objects is arranged in a hierarchical system of groupings, for the… -
Clavius, Christoph (CLAVIO, CHRISTOPH)
CLAVIUS, CHRISTOPH. - Celebrated Jesuit mathematician, b. at Bamberg in 1538, d. at Rome on 6 February 1612. Having entered the Society at… -
Climacteric Age (CLIMATERICA, ETÀ)
CLIMACTERIC, AGE. — Attribution given by the ancients to certain periods of life, recurring at fixed times (every seven or nine years);… -
Colloids (COLLOIDI)
COLLOIDS. - The colloidal state of matter is of particular interest both because it is the condition of many industrial products of very… -
Comet (COMETA)
COMET. - The typical form of a c. (from the Greek κομήτης) consists of a head or coma, which surrounds a brighter nucleus, and of a tail… -
Copernico, Niccolò
COPERNICO, NICCOLÒ. - Astronomer and canon, b. 19 February 1473 at Thorn (Toruń) in western Prussia, to Nicolaus and Barbara Watzelrode; d.… -
Corti, Bonaventura
CORTI, BONAVENTURA. - Ecclesiastic, naturalist, b. at Scandiano (Emilia) on 26 Feb. 1729, d. at Reggio Emilia on 30 Jan. 1813. He was… -
Cranium (CRANIO)
CRANIUM. - The bony head is made up of two distinct portions: the cerebral cranium, which contains the brain (v. BRAIN), and the facial… -
Crystal (CRISTALLO)
CRYSTAL. - The chemical elements and compounds, inorganic and organic, when they originate in the solid state, can assume the form of… -
Cyon, Elia Von
CYON, ELIA von. - Russian physiologist, b. at Telschi in 1843, d. at Paris in 1912. In the first phase of his scientific activity he… -
Dalton, John
DALTON, JOHN. - Chemist, b. at Eaglesfield (Cumberland) on 6 September 1766, d. at Manchester on 27 July 1844. Of a poor family, he earned… -
Dana, James Dwight
DANA, JAMES DWIGHT. - Born in Utica (New York) on 12 Feb. 1813, died in New Haven (Connecticut) on 14 Apr. 1895. Professor of geology and… -
Dareste, Camille
DARESTE, CAMILLE. - French physician and naturalist, b. in Paris in 1822, d. there in 1899. He directed the laboratory of teratology at the… -
D'Arsonval, Arsène
D'ARSONVAL, ARSÈNE. - French physician, physiologist and physicist, b. at Laporcherie (Haute Vienne) on 8 June 1851, d. there on 3 Dec.… -
Darwin, Charles Robert
DARWIN, CHARLES ROBERT. - English naturalist and theorist of biology, b. at Shrewsbury on 12 Feb. 1809, d. at Down on 19 Apr. 1882. A… -
Darwinism (DARVINISMO)
DARWINISM. - In D.'s work one must distinguish original scientific research from the speculative views that take their name from him. D.… -
Delage, Yves
DELAGE, YVES. - French zoologist and biologist, b. in Avignon on 13 May 1854, d. at Sceaux on 7 Oct. 1920, director of the zoology… -
Del Muscio, Gian Gaetano
DEL MUSCIO, GIAN GAETANO. - Piarist, mathematician, b. at Foggia on 5 February 1746, d. at Naples, archbishop of Manfredonia, on 25… -
Delpino, Federico
DELPINO, FEDERICO. - Botanist, b. at Chiavari on 7 Dec. 1833, d. at Naples on 14 May 1905. In Florence he worked in the botanical museum… -
Del Ricco, Gaetano
DEL RICCO, GAETANO. - Piarist, mathematician, b. in Florence on June 3, 1756, d. there on Feb. 4, 1818. He studied mathematics under Fr.… -
De Vico, Francesco
DE VICO, FRANCESCO. - Jesuit and astronomer, b. at Macerata on 19 May 1805. He had been at Siena a disciple of the learned Piarist… -
De Vries, Hugo
DE VRIES, HUGO. - Dutch botanist and biologist, b. at Haarlem on 16 Feb. 1848, d. at Lunteren on 20 May 1935; he was professor of botany at… -
Dohrn, Anton
DOHRN, ANTON. - Zoologist, b. in Stettin on 19 Dec. 1840, d. in Munich on 26 Sept. 1909. He attended the Universities of Bonn, Jena, Berlin… -
Driesch, Hans
DRIESCH, HANS. - Biologist and philosopher, b. at Kreuznach on 28 Oct. 1867, d. on 16 Apr. 1941. He studied at Hamburg, Freiburg, Munich… -
Du Bois, Reymond-Émile (DU BOIS, REYMOND-EMILE)
DU BOIS, REYMOND-ÉMILE. - German physiologist, b. in Berlin on 7 Nov. 1818, d. there on 26 Dec. 1896. He began his scientific activity as a… -
Duchenne, Guillaume
DUCHENNE, GUILLAUME. - French physician, known in the medical literature as D. de Boulogne, b. at Boulogne sur Mer on 17 Sept. 1806, d. at… -
Dumas, Jean-Baptiste
DUMAS, JEAN-BAPTISTE. - Born at Alais on July 14, 1800, died at Cannes on April 11, 1884. Together with Liebig he can be considered one of… -
Ehrenberg, Christian Gottfried
EHRENBERG, CHRISTIAN GOTTFRIED. - German physician and naturalist, b. at Delitzsch (Leipzig), 19 April 1795, d. at Berlin 27 June 1876. He… -
Electricity (ELETTRICITÀ)
ELECTRICITY. - About the essence of this most important subject among those that constitute our physical universe, very little is known,… -
Electrochemistry (ELETTROCHIMICA)
ELECTROCHEMISTRY. - In any chemical reaction, from the simplest to the most complex, there always takes place a variation in the spatial… -
Electrology (ELETTROLOGIA)
ELECTROLOGY. - Under this denomination is understood the systematic and, as far as possible, logical development of the science of… -
Electrotechnics (ELETTROTECNICA)
ELECTROTECHNICS. - After the discovery of electromagnetic, electrothermal and electrochemical phenomena, no one could doubt the possibility… -
Embryology (EMBRIOLOGIA)
EMBRYOLOGY. - Considered in the strict sense, embryology should deal with the development of the organism until it is contained within the… -
Emotion (EMOZIONE)
EMOTION. - I. PSYCHOLOGY. - It is the reaction to a sensation, or image, that comes to disturb our organic or psychic equilibrium, a… -
Endocrine, Glands (ENDOCRINE, GLANDOLE)
ENDOCRINE, GLANDS. - In contrast to the glands of external secretion, which elaborate ferments with biochemical activity (secreta) or… -
Energy (ENERGIA)
ENERGY. - In general it means activity, action, power, force. In its technical meaning, the concept, specifically defined by science,… -
Enzymes (ENZIMI)
ENZYMES. - The name e., which means "in yeast," from the Greek ἐν Ῥυμῇ, was proposed by Kühne in 1878. Together with vitamins and hormones,… -
Ercolani, Giovanni Battista
ERCOLANI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Physician, veterinarian and anatomist, b. in Bologna on 23 Dec. 1817, d. there on 16 Nov. 1883. The… -
Ether (ETERE)
ETHER. - A real entity, extended, but lacking the most common qualities of sensible material entities, such as weight, impenetrability,… -
Eugenics (EUGENICA)
EUGENICS. - Name used for the first time in 1833 (Eugenics) by Francis Galton, distinguished English statesman (1822-1911), to indicate… -
Evolution (EVOLUZIONE)
EVOLUTION. - Evolutionism (transformism, phylogeny, descent theory) is the scientific doctrine that affirms the natural derivation of… -
Experimental Psychology (PSICOLOGIA SPERIMENTALE)
EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. - The use of the experimental method in psychology, that is, the carrying out of observations in a systematic way,… -
Fabre, Jean-Henri (FABRE, JEAN-HENRY)
FABRE, JEAN-HENRI. - Entomologist, b. at St-Léon (Aveyron) on 22 Dec. 1823, d. at Sérignan (Vaucluse) on 1 Oct. 1915. After a period of… -
Fano, Giulio
FANO, GIULIO. - Physician and physiologist, b. in Mantua on 29 March 1856, d. there on 27 Sept. 1930. He was professor of general… -
Faraday, Michael
FARADAY, MICHAEL. - B. at Newington-Butts near London on Sept. 22, 1791, d. at Hampton Court on Aug. 25, 1867. He was one of the greatest… -
Fecundation (FECONDAZIONE)
FECUNDATION. - It is the union of the male germ cell with the female germ cell, that is, of two gametes of different sex. In most… -
Ferments and Fermentation (FERMENTI E FERMENTAZIONE)
FERMENTS AND FERMENTATION. - Ferments or enzymes are catalysts produced by living organisms that perform their work in the metabolism (v.… -
Flourens, Pierre
FLOURENS, PIERRE. - French physiologist, b. at Thezao on 15 Apr. 1794, d. at Montgeron on 6 Dec. 1867. Professor at the Collège de France… -
Fontana, Felice
FONTANA, FELICE. - Naturalist and physiologist, b. at Pomarolo (Trento) on 15 April 1730, d. at Florence on 19 March 1805. He was court… -
Forbes, Edward
FORBES, EDWARD. - English naturalist, b. at Douglas on 12 Feb. 1815, d. in London on 23 Nov. 1854. He is the pioneer of marine exploration… -
Frenasthenia, Frenasthenics (FRENASTENIA, FRENASTENICI)
FRENASTHENIA, FRENASTHENICS. - The term is due to the Italian alienist Andrea Verga and was brought back into favor by S. De Sanctis, who… -
Galilei, Galileo
GALILEI, GALILEO. - Born on 15 Feb. 1564 in Pisa to Vincenzo, a Florentine, and Giulia degli Ammannati of Pescia; in his boyhood he was… -
Galton, Francis
GALTON, FRANCIS. - Born at Duddeston on 16 February 1822 and died at Haslemere on 17 January 1911. A cousin of Darwin, a naturalist and… -
Galvani, Luigi
GALVANI, LUIGI. - Born in Bologna on Sept. 9, 1737; died there on Dec. 4, 1798. In 1763 he received a university teaching post in anatomy… -
Galvanoplasty (GALVANOPLASTICA)
GALVANOPLASTY. - A process based on the laws of electrolysis, by means of which objects are reproduced by depositing a metal onto a mold… -
Gas, Kinetic Theory of (GAS, TEORIA CINETICA DEI)
GAS, Kinetic Theory of. - I. GENERALITIES. - Since the 17th century the word g. has designated that particular state of aggregation of any… -
Gegenbaur, Karl
GEGENBAUR, KARL. - Born in Würzburg on 21 August 1826 and died in Heidelberg on 14 June 1903. A pupil of Kölliker and of Virchow, he took… -
Gene
GENE. - It is the structural and functional unit of the hereditary patrimony contained in the nucleus, that is, the smallest portion of… -
Genetics (GENETICA)
GENETICS. - Genetics is defined as the science of heredity, that is, the doctrine of the phenomena concerning the reappearance of the same… -
Geochemistry (GEOCHIMICA)
GEOCHEMISTRY. - From γῆ, "earth," and γυμνῆ, "chemistry." It is the science that studies the physical-chemical composition of the earth.… -
Geology (GEOLOGIA)
GEOLOGY. - The introduction (1603) of the term g. (from γῆ earth and λόγος discourse, treatise, history) is attributed to the great… -
Golgi, Camillo
GOLGI, CAMILLO. - Born at Corteno (Brescia) on 7 July 1844, died at Pavia on 21 Jan. 1926. A pupil of Bizzozero. He was professor of… -
Grassi, Battista
GRASSI, BATTISTA. - Born at Rovellasca on 27 May 1854, died at Rome on 4 May 1925. His research, begun in the field of parasitology,… -
Gravitation (GRAVITAZIONE)
GRAVITATION. - I. GENERALITIES. - In the study of natural phenomena, over the course of the centuries, the opportunity has repeatedly… -
Grimaldi, Francesco Maria
GRIMALDI, FRANCESCO MARIA. - Jesuit, physicist, b. in Bologna on 2 April 1613, d. there on 28 December 1663. Having entered religious life… -
Growth (ACCRESCIMENTO)
GROWTH. - It is the biological problem of the increase in volume of organisms during development. As regards mammals and man, it takes… -
Habitability of Worlds (ABITABILITÀ DEI MONDI)
HABITABILITY OF WORLDS. - 1. SECONDO LA SCIENZA. - By h. of worlds is meant a complex of conditions suited to the forms of life existing on… -
Haeckel, Ernst Heinrich (HAECKEL, ERNEST HEINRICH)
HAECKEL, ERNST HEINRICH. - Biologist, b. at Potsdam on 16 Feb. 1834, d. at Jena on 9 Aug. 1919. He studied medicine at Würzburg and natural… -
Hagen, Johannes Georg
HAGEN, JOHANNES GEORG. - Jesuit, astronomer, b. at Bregenz (Austria) on 6 March 1847, d. at Rome on 6 Sept. 1930. A professor of… -
Helmholtz, Hermann von
HELMHOLTZ, HERMANN von. - Born on 31 Aug. 1821 in Potsdam, died in Charlottenburg on 8 Sept. 1894. He earned his degree in medicine in 1842… -
Heredity (EREDITARIETÀ)
HEREDITY. - Transmission from parents to children of the characteristics proper to the species, the race, the individual. This transmission… -
Hertwig, Oscar
HERTWIG, OSCAR. - Born in Friedberg on 21 April 1849, died in Berlin on 25 October 1922. He was a pupil of Haeckel and took his degree in… -
Hertz, Heinrich Rudolph
HERTZ, HEINRICH RUDOLPH. - German physicist, b. in Hamburg on 22 Feb. 1857, d. in Bonn on 1 Jan. 1894. He studied in Munich and was a pupil… -
Human Races (RAZZE UMANE)
HUMAN RACES. - I. DEFINITION. - That group of men is called a h. r. which, having in common a particular hereditary patrimony, presents… -
Humboldt, Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von
HUMBOLDT, FRIEDRICH HEINRICH ALEXANDER von. - Naturalist and geographer, b. in Berlin on 14 Sept. 1769, d. there on 6 May 1859. The… -
Hypnotics (IPNOTICI)
HYPNOTICS. - All those agents that induce or provoke sleep by depressing the excitability of nerve cells or by bringing about transient… -
Hypnotism (IPNOTISMO)
HYPNOTISM. - From ὕπνος = sleep. This name (synonyms: animal magnetism, mesmerism) designates a state of suspension of the individual's… -
Hysteria (Morbus Sacer) (ISTERISMO (MAL CADUCO, MORBUS SACER))
HYSTERIA (MAL CADUCO, morbus sacer). - A psychoneurosis characterized by particular anomalies of the neuro-psychological equilibrium, of… -
Jacquier, François
JACQUIER, FRANÇOIS. - Philosopher, mathematician, astronomer of the Order of Minims, b. at Vitry-les-Français on 7 June 1711, d. at Rome on… -
Jordan, Alexis
JORDAN, ALEXIS. - French naturalist, self-taught, botanist, b. at Lyon in 1814, d. there in 1897. He is known for his discovery that the… -
Joule, James Prescott
JOULE, JAMES PRESCOTT. - B. at Salford near Manchester on 24 Dec. 1818, d. at Sale (Cheshire) on 11 Oct. 1889. Together with the Germans J.… -
Kircher, Athanasius
KIRCHER, ATHANASIUS. - Jesuit, scholar and polygraph, b. at Geisa (Fulda) on 2 May 1601, d. at Rome on 27 Nov. 1680. He first taught (1629)… -
Lamarckism (LAMARCKISMO)
LAMARCKISM. - Its fame rests above all on the evolutionary theory that goes by his name (Lamarckism) and that is set out in the Philosophie… -
Lana Terzi, Francesco
LANA TERZI, FRANCESCO. - Jesuit, mathematician and physicist, b. at Brescia on 10 December 1631, d. there on 22 February 1687. He taught… -
Laplace, Pierre-Simon
LAPLACE, PIERRE-SIMON. - Astronomer and mathematician, b. at Beaumont-en-Ange (Calvados) on 23 March 1749, d. at Paris on 5 March 1827. He… -
Lapparent, Albert-Auguste de
LAPPARENT, ALBERT-AUGUSTE de. - One of the most authoritative French geologists, b. at Bourges on 30 Dec. 1839, d. at Paris on 5 May 1908.… -
Lavoisier, Laurent-Antoine
LAVOISIER, LAURENT-ANTOINE. - Famous chemist, b. in Paris on 26 Aug. 1743, d. there on 8 May 1794. He was the first to explain the true… -
Lethargy (LETARGO)
LETHARGY. - It is a phenomenon characteristic of certain mammals (rodents, insectivores, bats, carnivores, etc.), consisting in the… -
Luciani, Luigi
LUCIANI, LUIGI. - Distinguished physiologist, b. at Ascoli Piceno on 23 Nov. 1840, d. at Rome on 23 June 1919. Having completed (1860) his… -
Lyell, Charles
LYELL, CHARLES. - Great geologist, b. at Kinnordy (Scotland) on 14 Nov. 1797, d. in London on 22 Feb. 1875. In 1830-33 he published the… -
Maffi, Pietro
MAFFI, PIETRO. - Cardinal, archbishop of Pisa, b. at Corteolona (Pavia) on 12 Oct. 1858, d. at Pisa on 17 March 1931. He completed his… -
Magnetism (MAGNETISMO)
MAGNETISM. - Since remote antiquity it had been observed that certain iron minerals possess the singular property that, when pieces of them… -
Malaria
MALARIA. - The generic term malaria denotes a group of infections of humans and animals caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium.… -
Manfredi, Eustachio
MANFREDI, EUSTACHIO. - Mathematician and man of letters, b. in Bologna on 20 Sept. 1674, d. there on 15 Feb. 1739. He was a public lecturer… -
Man, Origin of (UOMO, ORIGINE DELL')
MAN, ORIGIN OF. - The problem of human origins is the principal object of research in human paleontology and has been a source of… -
Marconi, Guglielmo
MARCONI, GUGLIELMO. - Scientist, b. in Bologna on April 25, 1874, d. in Rome on July 20, 1937. From his youth he showed a marked… -
Mathematics (MATEMATICA)
MATHEMATICS. - Arithmetic and geometry are the two great trunks of mathematics, from which numerous other branches have sprung forth to… -
Matter, Constitution of (MATERIA, COSTITUZIONE DELLA)
MATTER, Constitution of. - The problem of the constitution of matter is undoubtedly one of the fundamental scientific problems: indeed,… -
Mayer, Julius Robert
MAYER, JULIUS ROBERT. - Born in Heilbronn (Germany) on 25 Nov. 1814, died there on 20 March 1878. In 1840 he embarked as a ship's doctor in… -
Mechanics (MECCANICA)
MECHANICS. - Mechanics has as its object the study of the phenomena of material bodies that take place without altering either their… -
Meiosis (MEIOSI)
MEIOSIS. - Meiosis (a term introduced by Farmer and Moore, 1905) is the mechanism of reduction of the chromosomes (v. CHROMOSOME) from the… -
Mendel, Gregor
MENDEL, GREGOR. - Of the Hermits of St. Augustine, b. at Heinzendorf near Odrau (Czechoslovak Silesia) on 22 July 1822, d. at Brno on 6… -
Mengoli, Pietro
MENGOLI, PIETRO. - Mathematician, b. in Bologna in 1626, d. there on 7 June 1686. He was a disciple of B. Cavalieri. Appointed parish… -
Mercalli, Giuseppe
MERCALLI, GIUSEPPE. - Seismologist and volcanologist, b. in Milan on 21 May 1850, d. in Naples on 19 March 1914. A priest in 1871, he took… -
Mersenne, Marin
MERSENNE, MARIN. - French scientist and theologian, b. at Oizé (Sarthe) on 8 Sept. 1588, d. at Paris on 1 Sept. 1648. After completing his… -
Metabolism (METABOLISMO)
METABOLISM. - The term m. denotes the whole set of chemical transformation processes that the materials introduced from the environment… -
Meteorological Organization (ORGANIZZAZIONE METEOROLOGICA)
METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION. - Meteorology as a science owes its development to air navigation and radio, inasmuch as it becomes… -
Meteorology (METEREOLOGIA)
METEOROLOGY. - The etymology of the word indicates that originally it referred to the study, or at least the observation, of all… -
Microbiology (MICROBIOLOGIA)
MICROBIOLOGY. - Microbiology studies living beings that are extremely small, invisible to the naked eye and visible only by means of… -
Mineralogy (MINERALOGIA)
MINERALOGY. - The science of minerals. Its principal task was originally to describe and identify them; today it tends above all toward a… -
Moon (LUNA)
MOON. - Satellite of the Earth, from which it probably originated through the division of the still-fluid terrestrial mass (v. COSMOGONY).… -
Morgan, Thomas Hunt
MORGAN, THOMAS HUNT. - American biologist, b. at Lexington on 25 Sept. 1866, d. at Pasadena on 4 Dec. 1945. He graduated in natural… -
Morini, Mariano
MORINI, MARIANO. - Theologian, philosopher and physicist, b. in Parma on 19 May 1732, d. there on 21 Jan. 1801. He entered the Order of… -
Moro, Anton Lazzaro
MORO, ANTON LAZZARO. - Priest, scientist, b. at S. Vito al Tagliamento on 16 March 1687, d. there on 13 April 1764. He cultivated music and… -
Mutation (MUTAZIONE)
MUTATION. - This term is commonly used to indicate the sudden appearance of a new hereditary character, and as such the word was introduced… -
Nervous System (Of Man) (NERVOSO, SISTEMA (DELL'UOMO))
NERVOUS SYSTEM (Of Man). - I. GENERALITIES. - It is a general property of protoplasm to be excitable, that is, to perceive stimuli of…