Thales of Miletus \ , tha-lez...ml- , le-t3s\ (fl. 6th century bc) Greek phi¬ losopher. None of his writings survive, and no contemporary sources exist. The claim that Thales was the founder of Western philosophy rests pri¬ marily on Aristotle, who wrote that he was the first to suggest a single material substratum for the universe, namely water. Thales’ significance lies in his attempt to explain nature by the simplification of phenomena and in his search for causes within nature itself rather than in the caprices of anthropomorphic gods.
thalidomide Uho-'li-do-.mldX Drug formerly used as a sedative and to prevent morning sickness during pregnancy. Synthesized in 1954, it was introduced in almost 50 countries, including West Germany and Britain, where it became popular because it was effective and huge overdoses were not fatal. In 1961 it was found to cause congenital disorders; when it is
taken in early pregnancy, some 20% of fetuses have phocomelia (defec¬ tive development of the limbs) and other deformities; 5,000-10,000 such babies were born. It was never distributed for clinical use in the U.S. (see Helen Brooke Taussig). Thalidomide appears effective against inflamma¬ tory and autoimmune disorders, including certain late-stage AIDS symp¬ toms, and is licensed for use in such treatments in some countries.
thallus Vtha-bs\ Plant body of algae, fungi (see fungus), and similar simple, plantlike organisms. Composed of filaments or plates of cells, a thallus ranges in size from a single-celled structure to a complex treelike form. The photosynthetic and supportive cells tend to be organized lin¬ early, but a thallus lacks such differentiated specialized structures as stem, leaves, and conducting tissue. Most thallus plants are currently classified as complex protists.
Thames \'temz\ / Battle of the (Oct. 5, 1813) Decisive U.S. victory over the British in the War of 1812. After the British defeat in the Battle of Lake Erie, U.S. troops under Gen. William H. Harrison pursued retreat¬ ing British soldiers across the Ontario peninsula. The British force of 600 regulars and 1,000 Indians under Tecumseh met 3,500 U.S. troops at the Thames River near Moraviantown, Ont. The outnumbered British were quickly defeated, and Tecumseh was killed. The U.S. victory ended the Indian alliance with the British and made Harrison a national hero.
Thames, River ancient Tamesis Principal river of England. It rises in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire and winds 205 mi (330 km) eastward across south-central England into a great estuary, through which it emp¬ ties into the North Sea. It is tidal for about 65 mi (104 km). Known by the Romans and by early English chroniclers, it has been celebrated by bards throughout history. One of the world’s most important commercial waterways, it is navigable by large vessels to London.
thanatology \ l tha-n3- , ta-b-je\ Description or study of death and dying and of the psychological mechanisms of dealing with them. One influen¬ tial model proposed in 1969 by the psychiatrist Elisabeth Kiibler-Ross (b. 1926) described five basic stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance; however, not all dying persons follow a regular, clearly identifiable series of responses to their situation. Thanatology also exam¬ ines attitudes toward death, the meaning and behaviours of bereavement and grief, and other matters.
Thanatos Vtha-no-.tasX Ancient Greek personification of death. He was the son of Nyx, goddess of night, and brother to Hypnos, god of sleep. He appeared to humans to carry them off to the underworld when the time allotted to them by the Fates had expired. Thanatos was once defeated by Heracles, who wrestled him to save the life of Alcestis, and he was tricked by Sisyphus, who wanted a second chance at life.
Than? \'tha-ne\ dynasty also Al Than! ("Than? family") Ruling family of Qatar. They are from the Tamlm tribe, which migrated eastward from central Arabia to the Qatar peninsula in the mid-19th century. There have been eight leaders from 1868 to the present. The second sheikh, Qasim ibn Muhammad (1878-1913), is considered Qatar’s founder. The seventh sheikh, Khallfah ibn Hamad (r. 1972-95), was instramental in obtaining Qatar’s independence from Britain in 1971 and became the first emir. The clan comprises about two-fifths of the native Qatari population.
Thanksgiving Day U.S. holiday. It originated in the autumn of 1621 when Plymouth governor William Bradford invited neighbouring Indians to join the Pilgrims for a three-day festival of recreation and feasting in gratitude for the bounty of the season, which had been partly enabled by the Indians’ advice. Neither the standard Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie nor the family orientation of the day reflects the Plymouth event, however. Proclaimed a national holiday in 1863, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November (though it was moved back one week in 1939-41 to extend the Christ¬ mas shopping season). Canada adopted Thanksgiving as a national holi¬ day in 1879; since 1957 it has been celebrated on the second Monday in October.
Thant, U (b. Jan. 22, 1909, Pantanaw, Burma—d. Nov. 25, 1974, New York, N.Y., U.S.) Third secretary-general of the United Nations (1961— 71), the first Asian to hold the post. He entered the University of Yangon, but the death of his father forced him to discontinue his education before he was able to graduate. He taught high school before entering govern¬ ment service. Posted to the UN in 1952, he became Burma’s UN ambas¬ sador in 1957. In 1961 he became acting secretary-general after the death of Dag Hammarskjold; he became permanent secretary-general in 1962.
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1894 I Thapsus ► theatre-in-the-round
While secretary-general, he played a diplomatic role in the Cuban missile crisis, devised a plan to end the Congolese civil war (1962), and sent peacekeeping forces to Cyprus (1964).
Thapsus \'thap-s3s. Battle of (46 bc) Decisive battle in North Africa in the Roman civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey (49-46). Cae¬ sar had laid siege to the seaport of Thapsus, near present-day Teboulba, Tunisia. Pompey was supported by the legions of his father-in-law, Quin¬ tus Metellus Scipio. When Caesar could not restrain his troops, they surged forward and overwhelmed the enemy, slaughtering about 10,000. It was the final blow delivered by Caesar against the forces of Pompey.
Thar Vtar, 't3r\ Desert or Great Indian Desert Region of hot, dry desert, northwestern India and southeastern Pakistan. Its undulating sur¬ face is composed of sand dunes separated by sandy plains and low, bar¬ ren hills. Several saline lakes are found there. Covering some 77,000 sq mi (200,000 sq km), it is bordered by the Indus River plain, the Aravalli Range, the Arabian Sea, and the Punjab plain.
Thargelia \thar-'ge-le-3, thar-'je-le-9\ In Greek religion, a chief Athenian festival of Apollo, celebrated on the sixth and seventh days of Thargelion (April-May). It was named after the first fruits or the first bread from the new wheat. On the first day, one or two men acting as scapegoats were led through Athens, whipped on the genitalia, and driven across the bor¬ der. An official registration of adopted people took place on the second day.
Tharp, Twyla (b. July 1, 1941, Portland, Ind., U.S.) U.S. dancer, direc¬ tor, and choreographer. She danced with Paul Taylor’s company from 1963 to 1965, when she formed her own troupe and began to choreo¬ graph works such as Deuce Coupe (1973), Push Comes to Shove (1976), Baker’s Dozen (1979), Nine Sinatra Songs (1982), and Fait Accompli (1984). In 1988 she dis¬ banded her company and was resi¬ dent choreographer with the American Ballet Theatre (1988-91).
She has also choreographed for the Broadway theatre (including The Catherine Wheel, 1981) and several films (including Hair, 1979, and Amadeus, 1984). Tharp is notable for her humour and particularly for hav¬ ing been one of the first American choreographers to use popular music.