Knowledge of the world's languages has never been more comprehensive than it is today; yet never have so many been threatened by extinction. Defining as endangered those languages in which older speakers are failing--for whatever reason--to pass on their native speech to younger generations, this encyclopedia is the first to catalog and describe...

The conflict between good and evil can be found in every culture, mythical tradition, and religion throughout history. In many cases, the source of evil has been personified as demons or devils, and in many belief systems, both are considered to be real entities operating outside the boundaries of the physical world to torment people or lead...

Health consciousness is an area of transformational and unprecedented growth in the North American public today. More and more people are seeking alternative solutions to conventional medical practices. For many, a natural approach to healing everything from common...

Science fiction is a literary genre based on scientific speculation. Works of science fiction use the ideas and the vocabulary of all sciences to create valid narratives that explore the future effects of science on events and human beings. Science Fact and Science Fiction examines in one volume how science has propelled...

Noted evangelist J o h n Franklin was speaking at two V*9 different churches in a large city in...

Healthcare, a vital industry that touches most of us in our lives, faces major challenges in demographics, technology, and finance. Longer life expectancy and an aging population, technological advancements that keep people younger and healthier, and financial issues are a constant strain on healthcare organizations resources and management....

With new discoveries emerging on an ongoing basis, it is more important than ever to have a comprehensive reference that features the most current information available on the significant break-throughs in Egyptology. Still the only one-volume reference to a civilization that has long fascinated scholars and lay readers alike, Encyclopedia of...

The book appears just as research intensifies into metric spaces and especially, distance design for applications. These distances are particularly crucial,...

This collection of essays looks at over 200 major court cases, at both state and federal levels, from the colonial period to the present. Organized thematically, the articles range from 1,000 to 5,000 words and include recent topics such as the Microsoft antitrust case, the O.J. Simpson trials, and the Clinton impeachment. This new edition...

It seems as though every day brings a new pill or potion claiming to restore mental alertness or improve memory. While many of these claims are based on factual information, many others are not. This encyclopedia of foods and drugs that are believed to improve mental performance contains information on nearly 400 nutrients, herbs, and drugs,...

Animals have existed on Earth for many hundreds of millions of years. In that time they have evolved into a great variety of forms, exploiting nearly every habitat the planet has to offer. In the dark depths of the oceans, in the seemingly inhospitable Polar Regions, in the driest deserts, even within the bodies of other animals, there are...