Neil

Neil is a masculine name of Gaelic and Irish origin. 　The name is an anglicisation of the Irish Niall which is of disputed derivation. 　The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "honour" or "champion". 　As a surname, Neil is traced back to Niall of the Nine Hostages who was an Irish king and eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill and MacNeil kindred. 　Most authorities cite the meaning of Neil in the context of a surname as meaning "champion".

Giants (anthology)

Giants is an anthology of themed fantasy and science fiction short stories on the subject of giants edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh as the fifth volume in their Isaac Asimov's Magical Worlds of Fantasy series. 　It was first published in paperback by Signet/New American Library in November 1985. 　The first British edition was issued in trade paperback by Robinson in July 1987. 　The book collects twelve novellas, novelettes and short stories by various fantasy and science fiction authors, with an introduction by Asimov.

Giants (Greek mythology)

In Greek and Roman mythology, the Giants, also called Gigantes (Greek: Γίγαντες, Gígantes, singular: Γίγας, Gígas), were a race of great strength and aggression, though not necessarily of great size. 　They were known for the Gigantomachy (or Gigantomachia), their battle with the Olympian gods. 　According to Hesiod, the Giants were the offspring of Gaia (Earth), born from the blood that fell when Uranus (Sky) was castrated by his Titan son Cronus. 　Archaic and Classical representations show Gigantes as man-sized hoplites (heavily armed ancient Greek foot soldiers) fully human in form. 　Later representations (after c. 380 BC) show Gigantes with snakes for legs. 　In later traditions, the Giants were often confused with other opponents of the Olympians, particularly the Titans, an earlier generation of large and powerful children of Gaia and Uranus. 　The vanquished Giants were said to be buried under volcanoes and to be the cause of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

Lucy

Lucy is an English feminine given name derived from the Latin masculine given name Lucius with the meaning as of light (born at dawn or daylight, maybe also shiny, or of light complexion). 　Alternative spellings are Luci, Luce, Lucie, Lucia, and Luzia. 　The English Lucy surname is taken from the Norman language that was Latin-based and derives from place names in Normandy based on Latin male personal name Lucius. 　It was transmitted to England after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century (see also De Lucy).

Advocate

An advocate is a professional in the field of law. 　Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. 　The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. 　However, in Scottish, Manx, South African, Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Scandinavian, Polish, Israeli, South Asian and South American jurisdictions, "Advocate" indicates a lawyer of superior classification. 　"Advocate" is in some languages an honorific for lawyers, such as "Adv. Sir Alberico Gentili". 　"Advocate" also has the everyday meaning of speaking out to help someone else, such as patient advocacy or the support expected from an elected politician; this article does not cover those senses.

Rebuilt

Rebuilt is the second and final studio album by the American girl group Girlicious. 　The album was released on November 22, 2010, by Universal Music Canada. 　The album draws from the dance-pop genre while infusing hints of R&B. 　Production initially started in 2009, after former member Tiffanie Anderson parted citing personal differences between the girls. 　The album has sparked four singles and one promotional single; The first being, "Over You" which was released on January 5, 2010. 　The song reached number fifty-two on the Canadian Hot 100. 　"Maniac" was released on April 6, 2010 as the album's second single. 　The song peaked lower than its previous single reaching number seventy-four. 　"Drank" was released on July 20, 2010 to Canada and to the United States as a promotional song for "Rebuilt" as well as being included on Jersey Shore's album soundtrack. 　The album's third single entitled "2 In The Morning" reached a peak of thirty-five giving the group their highest-charting single since "Stupid Shit". 　"Hate Love" was released on February 21, 2011 to Canadian radio stations as the group's fourth and final single from the album. 　Rebuilt was the only album released following the departure of group member Tiffanie Anderson, and was the last album released with group members Chrystina Sayers, Nichole Cordova, and Natalie Mejia, and the last to be released by the group itself.

Suburb

A suburb, more broadly suburban area, is an area within a metropolitan area that is primarily a residential area, though may also include commercial and mixed-use areas. 　A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate political entity. 　The name describes an area which is not as densely populated as an inner city, yet more densely populated than a rural area in the countryside. 　In many metropolitan areas, suburbs exist as separate residential communities within commuting distance of a city (cf "bedroom suburb".) Suburbs can have their own political or legal jurisdiction, especially in the United States, but this is not always the case, especially in the United Kingdom, where most suburbs are located within the administrative boundaries of cities. 　In most English-speaking countries, suburban areas are defined in contrast to central or inner city areas, but in Australian English and South African English, suburb has become largely synonymous with what is called a "neighborhood" in other countries, and the term encompasses inner city areas. 　In some areas, such as India, China, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and parts of the United States, new suburbs are routinely annexed by adjacent cities due to urban sprawl. 　In others, such as Morocco, France, and much of the United States, many suburbs remain separate municipalities or are governed locally as part of a larger metropolitan area such as a county, district or borough. 　In the United States, regions beyond the suburbs are known as "exurban areas" or exurbs; exurbs have less population density than suburbs, but still more than rural areas. 　Suburbs and exurbs are linked to the nearby larger metropolitan area economically, particularly by commuters. 　Suburbs first emerged on a large scale in the 19th and 20th centuries as a result of improved rail and road transport, which led to an increase in commuting. 　In general, they are less densely populated than inner city neighborhoods within the same metropolitan area, and most residents routinely commute to city centers or business districts via private vehicles or public transits; however, there are many exceptions, including industrial suburbs, planned communities, and satellite cities. 　Suburbs tend to proliferate around cities that have an abundance of adjacent flat land.

Globe

A globe is a spherical model of Earth, of some other celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. 　Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but unlike maps, they do not distort the surface that they portray except to scale it down. 　A model globe of Earth is called a terrestrial globe. 　A model globe of the celestial sphere is called a celestial globe. 　A globe shows details of its subject. 　A terrestrial globe shows landmasses and water bodies. 　It might show nations and major cities and the network of latitude and longitude lines. 　Some have raised relief to show mountains and other large landforms. 　A celestial globe shows notable stars, and may also show positions of other prominent astronomical objects. 　Typically, it will also divide the celestial sphere into constellations. 　The word globe comes from the Latin word globus, meaning "sphere". 　Globes have a long history. 　The first known mention of a globe is from Strabo, describing the Globe of Crates from about 150 BC. 　The oldest surviving terrestrial globe is the Erdapfel, made by Martin Behaim in 1492. 　The oldest surviving celestial globe sits atop the Farnese Atlas, carved in the 2nd century Roman Empire.

Amplitude

The amplitude of a periodic variable is a measure of its change in a single period (such as time or spatial period). 　The amplitude of a non-periodic signal is its magnitude compared with a reference value. 　There are various definitions of amplitude (see below), which are all functions of the magnitude of the differences between the variable's extreme values. 　In older texts, the phase of a periodic function is sometimes called the amplitude.

Dictionary

A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged alphabetically (or by radical and stroke for ideographic languages), which may include information on definitions, usage, etymologies, pronunciations, translation, etc. 　It is a lexicographical reference that shows inter-relationships among the data. 　A broad distinction is made between general and specialized dictionaries. 　Specialized dictionaries include words in specialist fields, rather than a complete range of words in the language. 　Lexical items that describe concepts in specific fields are usually called terms instead of words, although there is no consensus whether lexicology and terminology are two different fields of study. 　In theory, general dictionaries are supposed[citation needed] to be semasiological, mapping word to definition, while specialized dictionaries are supposed to be onomasiological, first identifying concepts and then establishing the terms used to designate them. 　In practice, the two approaches are used for both types. 　There are other types of dictionaries that do not fit neatly into the above distinction, for instance bilingual (translation) dictionaries, dictionaries of synonyms (thesauri), and rhyming dictionaries. 　The word dictionary (unqualified) is usually understood to refer to a general purpose monolingual dictionary. 　There is also a contrast between prescriptive or descriptive dictionaries; the former reflect what is seen as correct use of the language while the latter reflect recorded actual use. 　Stylistic indications (e.g. "informal" or "vulgar") in many modern dictionaries are also considered by some to be less than objectively descriptive. 　The first recorded dictionaries date back to Sumerian times around 2300 BCE, in the form of bilingual dictionaries, and the oldest surviving monolingual dictionaries are Chinese dictionaries c. 　3rd century BCE. 　The first purely English alphabetical dictionary was A Table Alphabeticall, written in 1604, and monolingual dictionaries in other languages also began appearing in Europe at around this time. 　The systematic study of dictionaries as objects of scientific interest arose as a 20th-century enterprise, called lexicography, and largely initiated by Ladislav Zgusta. 　The birth of the new discipline was not without controversy, with the practical dictionary-makers being sometimes accused by others of having an "astonishing" lack of method and critical-self reflection.

Resignation

Resignation is the formal act of leaving or quitting one's office or position. 　A resignation can occur when a person holding a position gained by election or appointment steps down, but leaving a position upon the expiration of a term, or choosing not to seek an additional term, is not considered resignation. 　When an employee chooses to leave a position, it is considered a resignation, as opposed to involuntary termination. 　Whether an employee resigned or was terminated is sometimes a topic of dispute, because in many situations, a terminated employee is eligible for severance pay and/or unemployment benefits, whereas one who voluntarily resigns may not be eligible. 　Abdication is the equivalent of resignation for a reigning monarch, pope, or holder of another similar position.

Eldest

Eldest is the second novel in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini and the sequel to Eragon. 　It was first published in hardcover on August 23, 2005, and was released in paperback in September 2006. 　Eldest has been released in an audiobook format, and as an ebook. 　Like Eragon, Eldest became a New York Times bestseller. 　A deluxe edition of Eldest was released on September 26, 2006, including new information and art by both the illustrator and the author. 　Other editions of Eldest are translated into different languages. 　Eldest begins following several important events in Eragon. 　The story is the continued adventures of Eragon and his dragon Saphira, centering on their journey to the realm of the Elves in order to further Eragon's training as a Dragon Rider. 　Other plots in the story focus on Roran, Eragon's cousin, who leads the inhabitants of Carvahall to Surda to join the Varden, and Nasuada as she takes on her father's role as leader of the Varden. 　Reviews pointed out the similarities between Eldest and other works such as The Lord of the Rings, while praising the themes of the book, such as friendship and honor. 　Several of these reviews commented on the style and genre of Eldest, while others considered the possibility of a film adaptation similar to the first film.

Decree

A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state such as the president of a republic, or a monarch (a royal decree), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). 　It has the force of law. 　The particular term used for this concept may vary from country to country. 　The executive orders made by the President of the United States, for example, are decrees (although a decree is not exactly an order).

Hawaii

Hawaii (/həˈwaɪi/ (listen) hə-WY-ee; Hawaiian: Hawaiʻi [həˈvɐjʔi] or [həˈwɐjʔi]) is a state in the Western United States, about 2,000 miles (3,200 km) from the U.S. mainland in the Pacific Ocean. 　It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state in the tropics. 　Hawaii comprises nearly the entire Hawaiian archipelago, 137 volcanic islands spanning 1,500 miles (2,400 km) that are physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania. 　The state's ocean coastline is consequently the fourth-longest in the U.S., at about 750 miles (1,210 km). 　The eight main islands, from northwest to southeast, are Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and Hawaiʻi—the last of these, after which the state is named, is often called the "Big Island" or "Hawaii Island" to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago. 　The uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands make up most of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the United States' largest protected area and the fourth-largest in the world. 　Of the 50 U.S. states, Hawaii is the eighth-smallest in land area and the 11th-least populous, but with 1.4 million residents ranks 13th in population density. 　Two-thirds of the population lives on O'ahu, home to the state's capital and largest city, Honolulu. 　Hawaii is among the country's most diverse states, owing to its central location in the Pacific and over two centuries of migration. 　As one of only six majority-minority states, it has the country's only Asian American plurality, its largest Buddhist community, and the largest proportion of multiracial people. 　Consequently, it is a unique melting pot of North American and East Asian cultures, in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian heritage. 　Settled by Polynesians some time between 1000 and 1200 CE, Hawaii was home to numerous independent chiefdoms. 　In 1778, British explorer James Cook was the first known non-Polynesian to arrive at the archipelago; early British influence is reflected in the state flag, which bears a Union Jack. 　An influx of European and American explorers, traders, and whalers soon arrived, leading to the decimation of the once isolated Indigenous community by introducing diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, tuberculosis, smallpox, measles, leprosy, and typhoid fever, reducing the native Hawaiian population from between 300,000 and one million to less than 40,000 by 1890. 　Hawaii became a unified, internationally recognized kingdom in 1810, remaining independent until American and European businessmen overthrew the monarchy in 1893; this led to annexation by the U.S. in 1898. 　As a strategically valuable U.S. territory, Hawaii was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941, which brought it global and historical significance, and contributed to America's decisive entry into World War II. 　Hawaii is the most recent state to join the union, on August 21, 1959. 　In 1993, the U.S. government formally apologized for its role in the overthrow of Hawaii's government, which spurred the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. 　Historically dominated by a plantation economy, Hawaii remains a major agricultural exporter due to its fertile soil and uniquely tropical climate in the U.S. Its economy has gradually diversified since the mid-20th century, with tourism and military defense becoming the two largest sectors. 　The state attracts tourists, surfers, and scientists with its diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches, oceanic surroundings, active volcanoes, and clear skies on the Big Island. 　Hawaii hosts the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the world's largest naval command, as well as 75,000 employees of the Defense Department. 　Although its relative isolation results in one of the highest costs of living in the United States, Hawaii is the third-wealthiest state.

Manuscript

A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. 　More recently, the term has come to be understood to further include any written, typed, or word-processed copy of an author's work, as distinguished from the rendition as a printed version of the same. 　Before the arrival of printing, all documents and books were manuscripts. 　Manuscripts are not defined by their contents, which may combine writing with mathematical calculations, maps, music notation, explanatory figures, or illustrations.

Milan

Milan (/mɪˈlæn/ mil-AN, US also /mɪˈlɑːn/ mil-AHN, Lombard: [miˈlãː] (listen); Italian: Milano [miˈlaːno] (listen)) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. 　The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city has 3.26 million inhabitants. 　Its continuously built-up urban area (whose outer suburbs extend well beyond the boundaries of the administrative metropolitan city and even stretch into the nearby country of Switzerland) is the fourth largest in the EU with 5.27 million inhabitants. 　According to national sources, the population within the wider Milan metropolitan area (also known as Greater Milan), is estimated between 8.2 million and 12.5 million making it by far the largest metropolitan area in Italy and one of the largest in the EU. 　Milan is considered a leading alpha global city, with strengths in the fields of art, chemicals, commerce, design, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media (communication), services, research and tourism. 　Its business district hosts Italy's stock exchange (Italian: Borsa Italiana), and the headquarters of national and international banks and companies. 　In terms of GDP, Milan is the wealthiest city in Italy, has the third-largest economy among EU cities after Paris and Madrid, and is the wealthiest among EU non-capital cities. 　Milan is viewed along with Turin as the southernmost part of the Blue Banana urban development corridor (also known as the "European Megalopolis"), and one of the Four Motors for Europe. 　The city's role as a major political centre dates back to the late antiquity, when it served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire, while from the 12th century until the 16th century, Milan was one of the largest European cities, and a major trade and commercial centre, consequently becoming the capital of the Duchy of Milan, which was one of the greatest political, artistic and fashion forces in the Renaissance. 　Despite losing much of its political and cultural importance in the early modern period, the city regained its status as a major economic and political centre, being considered today as the industrial and financial capital of Italy. 　The city has been recognized as one of the world's four fashion capitals (the others being London, New York, and Paris) thanks to several international events and fairs, including Milan Fashion Week and the Milan Furniture Fair, which are among the world's biggest in terms of revenue, visitors and growth. 　It hosted the Universal Exposition in 1906 and 2015. 　The city hosts numerous cultural institutions, academies and universities, with 11% of the national total of enrolled students. 　Milan received 10 million visitors in 2018, with the largest numbers of foreign visitors coming from China, United States, France and Germany. 　The tourists are attracted by Milan's museums and art galleries that include some of the most important collections in the world, including major works by Leonardo da Vinci. 　The city is served by many luxury hotels and is the fifth-most starred in the world by Michelin Guide. 　Milan is also home to two of Europe's most successful football teams, A.C. Milan and Inter Milan, and one of Europe's main basketball teams, Olimpia Milano. 　Milan will host the Winter Olympic and Paralympic games for the first time in 2026, together with Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Alberta

Alberta (/ælˈbɜːrtə/ al-BUR-tə) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. 　It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. 　Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories (NWT) to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south. 　It is one of the only two landlocked provinces in Canada (Saskatchewan being the other). 　The eastern part of the province is occupied by the Great Plains, while the western part borders the Rocky Mountains. 　The province has a predominantly continental climate but experiences quick temperature changes due to air aridity. 　Seasonal temperature swings are less pronounced in western Alberta due to occasional Chinook winds. 　Alberta is the fourth largest province by area at 661,848 square kilometres (255,541 square miles), and the fourth most populous, being home to 4,262,635 people. 　Alberta's capital is Edmonton, while Calgary is its largest city. 　The two are Alberta's largest census metropolitan areas. 　More than half of Albertans live in either Edmonton or Calgary, which contributes to continuing the rivalry between the two cities. 　English is the official language of the province. 　In 2016, 76.0% of Albertans were anglophone, 1.8% were francophone and 22.2% were allophone. 　Alberta's economy is based on hydrocarbons, petrochemical industries, livestock and agriculture. 　The oil and gas industry has been a pillar of Alberta's economy since 1947, when substantial oil deposits were discovered at Leduc No. 1 well. 　It has also become a part of the province's identity. 　Since Alberta is the province most rich in hydrocarbons, it provides 70% of the oil and natural gas exploited on Canadian soil. 　In 2018, Alberta's output was CA$338.2 billion, 15.27% of Canada's GDP. 　In the past, Alberta's political landscape hosted parties like the centre-left Liberals and the agrarian United Farmers of Alberta. 　Today, Alberta is generally perceived as a conservative province. 　The right-wing Social Credit Party held office continually from 1935 to 1971 before the centre-right Progressive Conservatives held office continually from 1971 to 2015, the latter being the longest unbroken run in government at the provincial or federal level in Canadian history. 　Before becoming part of Canada, Alberta was home to several First Nations like Plains Indians and Woodland Cree. 　It was also a territory used by fur traders of the rival companies Hudson's Bay Company and North West Company. 　The Dominion of Canada bought the lands that would become Alberta as part of the NWT in 1870. 　From the late 1800s to early 1900s, many immigrants arrived to prevent the prairies from being annexed by the US. 　Growing wheat and cattle ranching also became very profitable. 　In 1905, the Alberta Act was passed, creating the province of Alberta. 　Massive oil reserves were discovered in 1947. 　The exploitation of oil sands began in 1967. 　Alberta is renowned for its natural beauty, richness in fossils and for housing important nature reserves. 　Alberta is home to six UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites: the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Wood Buffalo National Park and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park. 　Other popular sites include Banff National Park, Elk Island National Park, Jasper National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, and Drumheller.

Tau (mythology)

Tau is the name of an evil spirit in Guaraní mythology. 　Although Tau is not quite synonymous with the Devil in Christian beliefs, for example, he was sometimes referred to as The Evil Spirit and as such may have been a personification of evil itself. 　Tau was created along with his opposite, Angatupyry, by the supreme god of the Guaraní creation myth, Tupã, and was left with humanity on Earth.

Tau

Tau /ˈtɔː, ˈtaʊ/ (uppercase Τ, lowercase τ, or τ {\displaystyle {\boldsymbol {\tau }}} ; Greek: ταυ [taf]) is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless dental or alveolar plosive IPA: [t]. 　In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 300. 　The name in English is pronounced /taʊ/ or /tɔː/, but in Greek it is [taf]. 　This is because the pronunciation of the combination of Greek letters αυ can have the pronunciation of either [ai], [av] or [af], depending on what follows and if a diaeresis is present on the second vowel (see Greek orthography). 　Tau was derived from the Phoenician letter taw (𐤕). 　Letters that arose from tau include Roman T and Cyrillic Te (Т, т). 　The letter occupies the Unicode slots U+03C4 (lowercase) and U+03A4 (uppercase). 　In HTML, they can be produced with named entities (τ and Τ), decimal references (τ and Τ), or hexadecimal references (τ and Τ).

Marble

Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. 　Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. 　In geology, the term marble refers to metamorphosed limestone, but its use in stonemasonry more broadly encompasses unmetamorphosed limestone. 　Marble is commonly used for sculpture and as a building material.

Excuse

In jurisprudence, an excuse is a defense to criminal charges that is distinct from an exculpation. 　Justification and excuse are different defenses in a criminal case (See Justification and excuse). 　Exculpation is a related concept which reduces or extinguishes a person's culpability, such as a their liability to pay compensation to the victim of a tort in the civil law. 　The excuse provides a mitigating factor for a group of persons sharing a common characteristic. 　Justification, as in justifiable homicide, vindicates or shows the justice. 　Thus, society approves of the purpose or motives underpinning some actions or the consequences flowing from them (see Robinson[clarification needed]), and distinguishes those where the behavior cannot be approved but some excuse may be found in the characteristics of the defendant, e.g. that the accused was a serving police officer or suffering from a mental illness. 　Thus, a justification describes the quality of the act, whereas an excuse relates to the status or capacity (or lack of it) in the accused. 　These factors can affect the resulting judgment which may be an acquittal, or in the case of a conviction may mitigate sentencing. 　An excuse may also be something that a person or persons use to explain any criticism or comments based on the outcome of any specific event.

Ralph

Look up Ralph or ralph in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. 　Ralph (pronounced /rælf/ RALF or /reɪf/ RAYF) is a male given name of English origin, derived from the Old English Rædwulf and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse Raðulfr (rað "counsel" and ulfr "wolf"). 　The most common forms are: Ralph, the common variant form in English, which takes either of the given pronunciations. 　Rafe, variant form which is less common; this spelling is always pronounced /reɪf/, as are all other English spellings without "l". 　Raife, a very rare variant. 　Raif, a very rare variant. 　Ralf, the traditional variant form in Dutch, German, Swedish, and Polish. 　Ralfs, the traditional variant form in Latvian. 　Raoul, the traditional variant form in French. 　Raúl, the traditional variant form in Spanish. 　Raul, the traditional variant form in Portuguese and Italian. 　Raül, the traditional variant form in Catalan. 　Rádhulbh, the traditional variant form in Irish.

Lightning

Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an average of one gigajoule of energy. 　This discharge may produce a wide range of electromagnetic radiation, from heat created by the rapid movement of electrons, to brilliant flashes of visible light in the form of black-body radiation. 　Lightning causes thunder, a sound from the shock wave which develops as gases in the vicinity of the discharge experience a sudden increase in pressure. 　Lightning occurs commonly during thunderstorms as well as other types of energetic weather systems, but volcanic lightning can also occur during volcanic eruptions. 　The three main kinds of lightning are distinguished by where they occur: either inside a single thundercloud (intra-cloud), between two clouds (cloud-to-cloud), or between a cloud and the ground (cloud-to-ground). 　Many other observational variants are recognized, including "heat lightning", which can be seen from a great distance but not heard; dry lightning, which can cause forest fires; and ball lightning, which is rarely observed scientifically. 　Humans have deified lightning for millennia. 　Idiomatic expressions derived from lightning, such as the English expression "bolt from the blue", are common across languages. 　At all times people have been fascinated by the sight and difference of lightning. 　The fear of lightning is called astraphobia. 　The first known photograph of lightning is from 1847, by Thomas Martin Easterly. 　The first surviving photograph is from 1882, by William Nicholson Jennings, a photographer who spent half his life capturing pictures of lightning and proving its diversity.

Goddess

A goddess is a female deity. 　In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. 　This includes themes of spinning, weaving, beauty, love, sexuality, motherhood, domesticity, creativity, and fertility (exemplified by the ancient mother goddess cult). 　Many major goddesses are also associated with magic, war, strategy, hunting, farming, wisdom, fate, earth, sky, power, laws, justice, and more. 　Some themes, such as discord or disease, which are considered negative within their cultural contexts also are found associated with some goddesses. 　There are as many differently described and understood goddesses as there are male, shapeshifting, or neuter gods. 　In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. 　For example, Shaktism, the worship of the female force that animates the world, is one of the three major sects of Hinduism. 　Polytheist religions, including Polytheistic reconstructionists, honor multiple goddesses and gods, and usually view them as discrete, separate beings. 　These deities may be part of a pantheon, or different regions may have tutelary deities.