Zahhāk or Zahāk (pronounced [zæhɒːk]) (Persian: ضحّاک‎) is an evil figure in Persian mythology, evident in ancient Persian folklore as Azhi Dahāka (Persian: اژی دهاک‎), the name by which he also appears in the texts of the Avesta. In Middle Persian he is called Dahāg (Persian: دهاگ‎) or Bēvar Asp (Persian: بیور اسپ‎) the latter meaning "he who has 10,000 horses". In Zoroastrianism, Zahhak (going under the name Aži Dahāka) is considered the son of Angra Mainyu, the foe of Ahura Mazda. In the Shāhnāmah of Ferdowsi, Zahhāk is the son of a ruler named Merdās. == Etymology and derived words == Aži...

Several studies report a substantial decline in insect populations. Most commonly, the declines involve reductions in abundance, though in some cases entire species are going extinct. The declines are far from uniform. In some localities, there have been reports of increases in overall insect population, and some types of insects appear to be increasing in abundance across the world. A 2020 meta-analysis published in the journal Science found that globally, terrestrial insects appeared to be declining in abundance at a rate of about 9% per decade, while the abundance of freshwater insects has...

Estremadura Province (Portuguese pronunciation: [(ɨ)ʃtɾɨmɐˈðuɾɐ]) is one of the six historical provinces of Portugal. It is located along the Atlantic Ocean coast in the center of the country and includes Lisbon, the capital. The name of this province (and also the Spanish Extramadura) originates from the Spanish and Portuguese struggle with the Moors, and the Christian reclaiming of their land in the 12th century. These provinces were called Extrema Durii, which means "farthest from the Douro River."During the 19th century, Estremadura was the only province in the kingdom that did not border Spain...

Cadillac Desert (1986), is a history by American Marc Reisner about land development and water policy in the western United States. Subtitled The American West and its Disappearing Water, it explores the history of the federal agencies, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and their struggles to remake the American West in ways to satisfy national settlement goals. The book concludes that the development-driven policies, formed when settling the West was the country's main concern, have had serious long-term negative effects on the environment and water quantity. The book was...

California's Central Valley subsides when groundwater is pumped faster than underground aquifers can be recharged. The Central Valley has been sinking at differing rates since the 1920s and is estimated to have sunk up to 28 feet. During drought years, the valley is prone to accelerated subsidence. California periodically experiences droughts of varying lengths and severity. The Central Valley is an agriculturally productive region dependent on large volumes of irrigation water. This region is considered arid to semiarid and is reliant on infrastructure to deliver water. The Central Valley is prone...

Pyramid Lake is the geographic sink of the basin of the Truckee River, 40 mi (64 km) northeast of Reno, Nevada, United States. Pyramid Lake is fed by the Truckee River, which is mostly the outflow from Lake Tahoe. The Truckee River enters Pyramid Lake at its southern end. Pyramid Lake is an endorheic lake. It has no outlet, with water leaving only by evaporation, or sub-surface seepage. The lake has about 10% of the area of the Great Salt Lake, but it has about 25% more volume. The salinity is approximately 1/6 that of sea water. Although clear Lake Tahoe forms the headwaters that drain to Pyramid...