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Tropic of Cancer

(Encyclopedia) Tropic of Cancer, parallel of latitude at 23°30′ north of the equator; it is the northern boundary of the tropics. This parallel marks the farthest point north at which the sun can be…

mombin

(Encyclopedia) mombinmombinmōmˈbēn [key], any tree of the tropical genus Spondias of the family Anacardiaceae (sumac family). The plum-shaped fruits, 1 to 2.5 in. (2.54–6.38 cm) long, are much eaten…

Tropic of Capricorn

(Encyclopedia) Tropic of Capricorn, parallel of latitude at 23°30′ south of the equator; it is the southern boundary of the tropics. This parallel marks the farthest point south at which the sun can…

bignonia

(Encyclopedia) bignoniabignoniabĭgnōˈnēə [key], common name for the family Bignoniaceae, a family of chiefly woody vines of the American tropics and also a few shrubs and trees. The trumpet creeper (…

tropical medicine

(Encyclopedia) tropical medicine, study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of certain diseases prevalent in the tropics. The warmth and humidity of the tropics and the often unsanitary conditions…

solstice

(Encyclopedia) solsticesolsticesŏlˈstĭs [key] [Lat.,=sun stands still], in astronomy, either of the two points on the ecliptic that lie midway between the equinoxes (separated from them by an angular…

snowball earth

(Encyclopedia) snowball earth, hypothesized condition in which the earth was covered completely by ice during several periods in the Proterozoic. The hypothesis was originally developed to explain…

cassava

(Encyclopedia) cassavacassavakəsäˈvə [key] or manioccassavamănˈēŏk [key], name for many species of the genus Manihot of the family Euphorbiaceae (spurge family). The roots, which resemble sweet…