Barbie: …fact, upon sponsoring Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club program in 1955, became the first toy company to broadcast commercials to children.

Arthur Penn: Early films: His next film, the complex Mickey One (1965), offered an unconventional narrative and was characterized by some critics as ambitious and by others as pretentious. Warren Beatty, who was also the film’s producer, played a nightclub comedian undergoing delusions of persecution by the mob. Far more commercial was The Chase…

Holland-Dozier-Holland: …These Memories”), the Miracles (“Mickey’s Monkey”), and Marvin Gaye (“How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You”)—but they were most closely associated with the Four Tops (“I Can’t Help Myself [Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch]”) and the Supremes.

Blake Edwards: Later films: …Reynolds in the lead roles, Micki & Maude (1984), with Moore playing a philandering husband, and the disappointing A Fine Mess (1986) followed.

Adam Mickiewicz was one of the greatest poets of Poland and a lifelong apostle of Polish national freedom. Born into an impoverished noble family, Mickiewicz studied at the University of Wilno (now Vilnius University) between 1815 and 1819; in 1817 he joined a secret patriotic student society,

Adam Mickiewicz was one of the greatest poets of Poland and a lifelong apostle of Polish national freedom. Born into an impoverished noble family, Mickiewicz studied at the University of Wilno (now Vilnius University) between 1815 and 1819; in 1817 he joined a secret patriotic student society,

Michael Caine is an internationally successful British actor renowned for his versatility in numerous leading and character roles. He appeared in more than 100 films, and his amiable Cockney persona was usually present in each performance. The former Maurice Micklewhite took his screen name from

Mi’kmaq, the largest of the Native American (First Nations) peoples traditionally occupying what are now Canada’s eastern Maritime Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island) and parts of the present U.S. states of Maine and Massachusetts. Because their Algonquian dialect

Burundi: The First and Second republics: …control was further strengthened when Michel Micombero was appointed prime minister in July 1966. A Tutsi-Bahima from Bururi province, Micombero had played a key role in thwarting the 1965 coup and in organizing anti-Hutu riots in the countryside. Also in July 1966, Mwambutsa was deposed by his son, who began…

Micon was a Greek painter and sculptor, a contemporary and pupil of Polygnotus, who, with him, was among the first to develop the treatment of space in Greek painting. As a painter Micon is known for the mural painting on the Stoa Poikile (“Painted Portico”) on the Agora at Athens and for the

athlete’s foot: Treatment: …such as terbinafine (Lamisil) or miconazole (Micatin), which can be purchased over the counter. Prescription-strength topicals, such as clotrimazole, may also be used. Oral prescription medications such as fluconazole may be required for severe or resilient infections. If complicated with bacterial infection, antibiotics may also be necessary.

Canadian literature: The cosmopolitan culture of French Canada and Quebec: The Italo-Québécois poet and playwright Marco Micone startled the Quebec literary world when he responded to Michèle Lalonde’s “Speak White” with his own poem “Speak What” (first published in 1989), calling for a more inclusive Quebec society and suggesting that immigrants have replaced the Québécois as the new exploited class.…

Myrtales: Family distributions and abundance: …flowering plants in general is Miconia, with more than 1,900 species. Most members of the family are shrubs or small trees, but there are some large trees as well as herbaceous perennials and annuals (plants that complete an entire life cycle in one growing season), root climbers, and true epiphytes…

Acheulean industry: …Acheulean stage is sometimes called Micoquian. Industries that existed at the same time and overlapped in geographic range, but specialized in flake tools and lacked hand axes, are known as Clactonian (England) and Tayacian (western and central Europe). Acheulean industries are found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and

computer: The Altair: …French company, R2E, developed the Micral microcomputer using the 8008 processor. The Micral was the first commercial, non-kit microcomputer. Although the company sold 500 Micrals in France that year, it was little known among American hobbyists.

falcon: The forest falcon (Micrastur semitorquatus) of tropical America hunts birds and reptiles in the jungles. The laughing falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans) of the wooded lowlands of Central and South America is a noisy brown bird that eats snakes. The prairie falcon (F. mexicanus), a desert falcon, inhabits…

elf owl, (Micrathene whitneyi), tiny bird of prey of the family Strigidae (order Strigiformes) of Mexico and the southwestern United States. It is the smallest owl and is about the size of a sparrow. In the cactus deserts, elf owls are among the most common birds, but they also inhabit forested

micrite, sedimentary rock formed of calcareous particles ranging in diameter from 0.06 to 2 mm (0.002 to 0.08 inch) that have been deposited mechanically rather than from solution. The particles, which consist of fossil materials, pebbles and granules of carbonate rock, and oölites (spherical

Michael Crichton: Micro (2011), which imagines the sinister applications of miniaturization technology, derived from a partially finished manuscript that was expanded by science writer Richard Preston at the behest of Crichton’s family.

corydoras: …patch on its body; the dwarf, or pygmy, corydoras (C. hastatus), an active, 4-centimetre-long species with a black band on each side; the leopard corydoras (C. julii), a silvery catfish patterned in black with stripes, short lines, and numerous small spots; and the peppered corydoras (C. paleatus), a pale, yellowish…

teacup dog, unofficial name for any of several breeds of dogs that are bred to be less than 4 to 6 pounds (1.8–2.7 kg), often through pairing the smallest members of a litter. Such dogs are typically one of six breeds: Maltese, Chihuahua, Poodle, Pomeranian, Yorkshire Terrier, or Shih Tzu. Teacup

computer: The Altair: Instead, a company called Micro Instrumentation Telemetry Systems, which rapidly became known as MITS, made the big American splash. This company, located in a tiny office in an Albuquerque, New Mexico, shopping center, had started out selling radio transmitters for model airplanes in 1968. It expanded into the kit…

Doting on Dodder: Doting on Dodder transcript: …passes what are known as microRNAs back to the host plant. These little pieces of RNA, genetic material, are only a few nucleotides long, but they seem to regulate the expression of host genes in a very direct way. Usually when a plant is injured, a mechanism similar to blood…

biogenic landform: …constitute what may be termed micro topography. Some of these are produced by individual creatures or groups of such creatures. Examples include the cylindrical mud towers that stand 40–50 centimetres high atop crayfish burrows in the southern part of the United States; badger and bear den burrows; elephant waterholes on…

coastal landforms: Tides: Three categories have been established: micro-tidal (less than two metres), meso-tidal (two to four metres), and macro-tidal (more than four metres). Micro-tidal coasts constitute the largest percentage of the world’s coasts, but the other two categories also are widespread.

arachnid: Annotated classification: Order Palpigradi (micro whip scorpions) 70 mainly tropical species. Size 0.8–2.6 mm; carapace subdivided into 3 parts; eyes absent; 3-jointed leglike pedipalps; long, thin, and multisegmented “tail” (telson); no book lungs or tracheae. Order Ricinulei (ricinuleids) 30 primarily tropical species. Size 8–10

asteroid: Spacecraft exploration: …rover, it carried three: the MINERVA-II1 rovers 1A and 1B and MINERVA-II2 rover 2. It also had a small lander, MASCOT (Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout), which had been developed by the German and French space programs. Hayabusa2 arrived at Ryugu on June 27, 2018. Rovers 1A and 1B landed on…

critical race theory: The social construction of race and the normality of racism: …take the form of “microaggressions,” which are verbal or behavioral slights, generally subtle and often unintentional or unconscious, that communicate a stereotype or negative attitude toward a person of colour and thus indicate an implicit bias based on race. (Microaggressions may also be directed at members of other oppressed…

diabetic nephropathy: The third stage, microalbuminuria, is characterized by elevations in blood pressure and urinary excretion of albumin and stable or decreasing glomerular filtration rate. Microalbuminuria generally appears 5 to 15 years following diabetes diagnosis. Stage four is known as overt albuminuria and is characterized by elevated urinary excretion of…

steel: Microalloyed steels: An important development immediately after World War II was the improvement of steel compositions for plates and sections that could readily be welded. The driving force for this work was the failure of plates on the Liberty ships mass-produced during the war by…

exposure meter: A microammeter measured this current and was calibrated to indicate the intensity of the light. Exposure was then set by adjusting dials to control aperture opening and shutter speed, taking into consideration the specific sensitivity of the film.

genomics: Gene identification by microarray genomic analysis: Genomics has greatly simplified the process of finding the complete subset of genes that is relevant to some specific temporal or developmental event of an organism. For example, microarray technology allows a sample of the DNA of a clone of each gene…

human genetic disease: Genetic testing: …most appropriate technology may be microarray hybridization analysis, which can test for tens to hundreds of thousands of different point mutations in the same sample simultaneously.

fungus: Annotated classification: Order Microascales Parasitic on plants; asci evanescent (quickly deteriorating), borne at different levels in perithecia with ostioles, or sometimes with a long necklike structure terminating in a pore; included in subclass Hypocreomycetidae; example genera include Microascus, Petriella, Halosphaeria, Lignincola, and Nimbospora. Order Boliniales

microcredit, a means of extending credit, usually in the form of small loans with no collateral, to nontraditional borrowers such as the poor in rural or undeveloped areas. This approach was institutionalized in 1976 by Muhammad Yunus, an American-educated Bangladeshi economist who had observed

dairy product: Inoculation and curdling: …is then inoculated with fermenting microorganisms and usually with rennet, which promote curdling. The fermenting microorganisms carry out the anaerobic conversion of lactose to lactic acid. The type of organisms used depends on the variety of cheese and on the production process. Rennet is an enzymatic preparation that contains a…

microplastics: Primary and secondary microplastics: Examples of primary microplastics include microbeads found in personal care products, plastic pellets (or nurdles) used in industrial manufacturing, and plastic fibres used in synthetic textiles (e.g., nylon). Primary microplastics enter the environment directly through any of various channels—for example, product use (e.g., personal care products being washed into wastewater…

microplastics: Reducing microplastics pollution: …the United States passed the Microbead-Free Waters Act, which prohibits the manufacture and distribution of rinse-off cosmetics products that contain plastic microbeads. Many other countries also placed bans on microbeads.

sand wasp: Microbembex monodonta is found along the seashore. Many sand wasps are black with white, yellow, or green markings. A distinguishing character is their elongated triangular labrum (upper lip), which makes them appear to have a beak. Their nests are sand burrows, many of which are…

benthos: The microbenthos, smaller than 0.1 mm, include bacteria, diatoms, ciliates, amoeba, and flagellates.

genetics: Microbial genetics: Microorganisms were generally ignored by the early geneticists because they are small in size and were thought to lack variable traits and the sexual reproduction necessary for a mixing of genes from different organisms. After it was discovered that microorganisms have many different…

poison: Poisons of biological origin: …into three major categories: (1) microbial toxins, poisons produced by bacteria, blue-green algae, dinoflagellates, golden-brown algae, etc., (2) phytotoxins, poisons produced by plants, and (3) zootoxins, poisons produced by animals. The geographic distribution of poisonous organisms varies greatly; poison-producing microorganisms tend to be

celiac disease: Causes of celiac disease: An additive known as microbial transglutaminase, which is used to help proteins adhere to one another to improve food texture, is a potential target for autoantibodies that damage the mucosal lining of the small intestine. Autoantibody production by the immune system is a hallmark of celiac disease. Moreover, the

vitamin: Microbiological assay: Microbiological assay is applicable only to the B vitamins. The rate of growth of a species of microorganism that requires a vitamin is measured in growth media that contain various known quantities of a foodstuff preparation containing unknown amounts of the vitamin. The…

microbiology, study of microorganisms, or microbes, a diverse group of generally minute simple life-forms that include bacteria, archaea, algae, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. The field is concerned with the structure, function, and classification of such organisms and with ways of both exploiting

malnutrition: Symptoms and treatment: …accompanying improvements in the gut microbiome not only promote weight gain but also help restore overall metabolic function, which can impact bone growth, immunity, and other factors.

autism: Diagnosis and treatment: …interest in this regard is microbiota transfer therapy. In clinical studies, the transfer of fecal bacteria from healthy individuals into the gastrointestinal tracts of persons with autism was associated with improvements in gastrointestinal health and behavioral symptoms in autism patients.

opossum: Classification: Microbiotheria (monito) 1 species in 1 family. Family Microbiotheriidae (monito del monte) 1 Chilean and Argentine species. Molecular and morphological evidence strongly suggests a relation to Australasian rather than American marsupials. Order

marsupial: Classification: (monito) Family Microbiotheriidae 1 Chilean species. Molecular and morphological evidence strongly suggests a relation to Australasian rather than American marsupials. Superorder Ameridelphia (American opossums) 75 or more species in 2 orders. Order

biological soil crust, thin layer of living material formed in the uppermost millimetres of soil where soil particles are aggregated by a community of highly specialized organisms. Biological soil crusts are found primarily in open spaces in the dry and extremely cold regions of all continents,

human evolution: Refinements in tool design: …kya comprise diverse blade and microblade tools, especially in Europe. Late Paleolithic peoples used a variety of materials for their tools and bodily ornaments, including bone, stone, wood, antler, ivory, and shell. Stone blades were long, thin, and very effective cutting tools. Often, when they became dull, someone retouched them…

fungus: Annotated classification: Order Microbotryales Pathogenic in plants (some cause smut); violet teliospores; example genera include Microbotryum and Ustilentyloma. Order Leucosporidiales Mycoparasitic; mycelia lack clamp connections; septate basidia; example genera include Leucosporidiella, Leucosporidium

fungus: Annotated classification: Class Microbotryomycetes Pathogenic in plants, some are mycoparasitic; includes some yeasts; contains 4 orders. Order Heterogastridiales Mycoparasitic; basidiocarps may be pycnidioid; example genus includes Heterogastridium. Order Microbotryales Pathogenic in

craft beer, carbonated fermented malted alcoholic beverage created by small, independent breweries that produce a limited annual volume. Production runs are often modest, usually fewer than 1,000 barrels each year per brewery. With this narrow focus comes the freedom to experiment with styles and

beer: Maturation and packaging: microbrewed ales are packaged in bottles together with yeast to make “bottle-conditioned” beer.

pirate radio: From piracy to microbroadcasting: By the 1970s, large-scale pirate operations were in decline. Not only had offshore disc jockeys migrated to the London studios of Radio 1, but the border blasters faced financial difficulties and increasingly restrictive treaties that limited their signal strength. A 1986 broadcasting agreement between…

microburst, pattern of intense winds that descends from rain clouds, hits the ground, and fans out horizontally. Microbursts are short-lived, usually lasting from about 5 to 15 minutes, and they are relatively compact, usually affecting an area of 1 to 3 km (about 0.5 to 2 miles) in diameter. They

caddisfly: General features: …family (Hydroptilidae), commonly known as microcaddis, are only 1.5 millimetres in length, with anterior wings of 2 to 5 millimetres. Caddisfly wings either are covered with hairs or have hairs on the veins. The posterior wings are often broader than the anterior wings.

canonical ensemble: A microcanonical ensemble consists of systems all of which have the same energy and is often found useful in describing isolated systems in which the total energy is a constant. Such macrocanonical and microcanonical ensembles are examples of petit ensembles, in that the total number of…

microform: …in automatic retrieval systems) or microfiche (a sheet of microfilm displaying at the top a title or code readable with the naked eye). Use of the microform permits considerable space saving. The microform usually utilizes photographic techniques; however, other methods such as video magnetic tape recording have been used. Most…

lemur: Lemur diversity: …lemurs (Cheirogaleus), along with the mouse (Microcebus), Coquerel’s (Mirza), hairy-eared (Allocebus), and fork-crowned (Phaner) lemurs, make up the family Cheirogaleidae, which in many respects are the most primitive living lemurs. Dwarf lemurs store fat in their tails and are dormant (estivate) during dry periods; they live in monogamous pairs. Mouse…

lemur: General features: 5 inches) in Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae) to nearly 70 cm (28 inches) for the indri (Indri indri). The bushy tails of lemurs can be longer than their bodies; the indri, however, has only a stub of a tail. Except for the aye-aye, lemurs have woolly…

snake: Specializations for securing food: One genus of sea snakes, Microcephalophis, has a tiny head and a long neck with the same diameter as the head, which can be inserted deeply into very narrow holes inhabited by its prey. An Asian water snake, Erpeton tentaculatus, has a sizable pair of tentacles on its snout, the…

microcephaly, congenital condition in which an infant’s head is smaller than the typical size for its age and sex. A microcephalic individual usually also has a brain of diminished size, though often normal in structure. Microcephaly is rare, generally occurring in anywhere from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in

spectroscopy: Optical detectors: …surface of the photocathode, and microchannel plates, which combine the spatial resolution of an imaging tube with the light sensitivity of a photomultiplier. A night vision device consists of a microchannel plate multiplier in which the electrons at the output are directed onto a phosphor screen and can then be…

scorpion: Annotated classification: Family Microcharmidae 7 species of Central Africa and Madagascar. Family Troglotayosicidae 2 species found only in caves of France, Spain, and Ecuador. Family Urodacidae (cave scorpions) 2 species found only in caves of France, Spain, and Ecuador.

chimera: Human microchimeras are produced when fetal stem cells or maternal cells cross the placenta (fetal-maternal microchimerism) or following blood transfusion (transfusion-associated microchimerism) or organ transplantation. The physiological significance of microchimerism is poorly understood. For example, while there is some evidence that it may be associated with…

integrated circuit (IC), an assembly of electronic components, fabricated as a single unit, in which miniaturized active devices (e.g., transistors and diodes) and passive devices (e.g., capacitors and resistors) and their interconnections are built up on a thin substrate of semiconductor material

bat: General features: …World fruit bats) and the Microchiroptera (small bats found worldwide). Among members of the Megachiroptera, flying foxes (Pteropus) have a wingspan of 1.5 metres (about 5 feet) and a weight of 1 kg (2.2 pounds). The largest insectivorous bat is probably the naked, or hairless, bat (Cheiromeles torquatus); it weighs…

integrated circuit (IC), an assembly of electronic components, fabricated as a single unit, in which miniaturized active devices (e.g., transistors and diodes) and passive devices (e.g., capacitors and resistors) and their interconnections are built up on a thin substrate of semiconductor material

microclimate, any climatic condition in a relatively small area, within a few metres or less above and below Earth’s surface and within canopies of vegetation. The term usually applies to the surfaces of terrestrial and glaciated environments, but it could also pertain to the surfaces of oceans and

Rudolf Oskar Robert Williams Geiger: …one of the founders of microclimatology, the study of the climatic conditions within a few metres of the ground surface. His observations, made above grassy fields or areas of crops and below forest canopies, elucidated the complex and subtle interactions between vegetation and the heat, radiation, and water balances of…

microcline, a common feldspar mineral, one form of potassium aluminosilicate (KAlSi3O8) that occurs in igneous rock. Green specimens are called amazonstone, which is sometimes used as a gem. Microcline forms multiple-twinned crystals and two sets of fine, tapering lamellae at right angles to each

microcline: …of the series are called microcline–microperthites and exhibit exsolution (separation) of the sodium and potassium phases into minute intergrowths of distinct crystals of the pure compounds. It has been suggested that this chemical variation might also influence the symmetry.

Micrococcus, genus of spherical bacteria in the family Micrococcaceae that is widely disseminated in nature. Micrococci are microbiologically characterized as gram-positive cocci, 0.5 to 3.5 μm (micrometres; 1 μm = 10-6 metre) in diameter. Micrococci are usually not pathogenic. They are normal

William Henry Welch: …for his discovery (1892) of Micrococcus albus and its relation to wound fever and of Clostridium welchii (Welch’s bacillus), the causative agent of gas gangrene.

Micrococcus: roseus), in soil (M. denitrificans), in marine waters (M. colpogenes), and on the skin or in skin glands or skin-gland secretions of vertebrates (M. flavus). Those species found in milk, such as M. luteus, M. varians, and M. freudenreichii, are sometimes referred to as milk micrococci and can…

Micrococcus: varians, and M. freudenreichii, are sometimes referred to as milk micrococci and can result in spoilage of milk products.

Micrococcus: …found in milk, such as M. luteus, M. varians, and M. freudenreichii, are sometimes referred to as milk micrococci and can result in spoilage of milk products.

baking: Bacteria: …less common but more spectacular Micrococcus prodigiosus, causative agent of “bleeding bread.” Neither ropy bread nor bleeding bread is particularly toxic. Enzymes secreted by B. mesentericus change the starch inside the loaf into a gummy substance stretching into strands when a piece of the bread is pulled apart. In addition…

Micrococcus: luteus, M. varians, and M. freudenreichii, are sometimes referred to as milk micrococci and can result in spoilage of milk products.

comparative law: Microcomparison: Microcomparison demands no particular preparation. The specialist in one national system is usually qualified to study those of various other countries of the same general family. His chief need is access to bibliographical material. In the United States, each state has its own statutes…

microcomputer, an electronic device with a microprocessor as its central processing unit (CPU). Microcomputer was formerly a commonly used term for personal computers, particularly any of a class of small digital computers whose CPU is contained on a single integrated semiconductor chip. Thus, a

conidium: …being called macroconidia, small ones, microconidia.

protozoan: Autogamy and modified conjugation: …normal feeding individuals, and the microconjugants resemble the swarmers, although smaller. When a microconjugant locates a macroconjugant, it enters and fuses with it. This is quite different from the temporary association between two cells that occurs during sexual reproduction in most ciliates.

microform, any process, photographic or electronic, for reproducing printed matter or other graphic material in a much-reduced size, which can then be re-enlarged by an optical apparatus for reading or reproduction. Microform systems provide durable, extremely compact, and easily accessible file

coquina: Microcoquinas are similar sedimentary rocks that are composed of finer material. Common among microcoquinas are those formed from the disks and plates of crinoids (sea lilies). A coquinite is a stronger, more-consolidated version of coquina, whereas coquinoid limestone is made up of these same shell…

bristletail, (order Archaeognatha), any of approximately 350 species of primitive wingless insects that measure from 5 to 20 mm (0.2 to 0.8 inch) in length when they are fully grown and have three slender bristlelike appendages at the tip of the abdomen. Bristletails have small compound eyes and

bristletail, (order Archaeognatha), any of approximately 350 species of primitive wingless insects that measure from 5 to 20 mm (0.2 to 0.8 inch) in length when they are fully grown and have three slender bristlelike appendages at the tip of the abdomen. Bristletails have small compound eyes and

microcosm, (from Greek mikros kosmos, “little world”), a Western philosophical term designating man as being a “little world” in which the macrocosm, or universe, is reflected. The ancient Greek idea of a world soul (e.g., in Plato) animating the universe had as a corollary the idea of the human

Claudio Magris: …winner of the Strega Prize; Microcosms)—explore many of the same topics as his essays. In 2004 Magris won the Prince of Asturias Award for Letters. His later works include Alla cieca (2005; Blindly), Lei dunque capirà (2006; “[And] Then She’ll Understand”), and Non luogo a procedere (2015; Blameless).

Gaspard Bauhin: …wrote the Theatrum anatomicum (1605; Microcosmographia, A Description of the Body of Man), considered the finest comprehensive anatomy text to that time. In this work he replaced the ambiguous practice of numbering muscles, vessels, and nerves with a system that named parts according to their most salient features.

Claudio Magris: …winner of the Strega Prize; Microcosms)—explore many of the same topics as his essays. In 2004 Magris won the Prince of Asturias Award for Letters. His later works include Alla cieca (2005; Blindly), Lei dunque capirà (2006; “[And] Then She’ll Understand”), and Non luogo a procedere (2015; Blameless).

Godfrey of Saint-Victor: …he wrote his principal work, Microcosmus. After the superior’s death (c. 1190), he returned permanently to Saint-Victor.

advanced structural ceramics: Microcracking: Another mechanism that can lead to increased fracture toughness in ceramics is microcracking, which occurs in single-phase polycrystalline ceramics whose grains are anisotropic (that is, whose mechanical properties vary with direction) or in intentionally biphasic polycrystalline microstructures. In these materials tiny microcracks open up…

microcredit, a means of extending credit, usually in the form of small loans with no collateral, to nontraditional borrowers such as the poor in rural or undeveloped areas. This approach was institutionalized in 1976 by Muhammad Yunus, an American-educated Bangladeshi economist who had observed

micrite, sedimentary rock formed of calcareous particles ranging in diameter from 0.06 to 2 mm (0.002 to 0.08 inch) that have been deposited mechanically rather than from solution. The particles, which consist of fossil materials, pebbles and granules of carbonate rock, and oölites (spherical

high-pressure phenomena: The diamond-anvil cell: …tool for the synthesis of microcrystalline diamond, which is employed in the polishing of gemstones and other hard materials.

igneous rock: Crystallinity: …are further described as either microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline, according to whether or not their individual constituents can be resolved under the microscope. The subaphanitic, or hyaline, rocks are referred to as glassy, or vitric, in terms of granularity.

microcrystalline wax, any petroleum-derived plastic material that differs from paraffin waxes in having much finer and less-distinct crystals and higher melting point and viscosity. Microcrystalline waxes are used chiefly in laminated-paper products, in coatings and linings, and in adhesives,