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New World Encyclopedia integrates facts with values. Written by certified experts.

A child being immunized against polio.

Immunization is the process of conferring increased resistance to an infectious disease by a means other than experiencing the natural infection. Typically, this involves exposure to an agent (antigen or immunogen) that is designed to fortify the person's immune system against that agent or similar infectious agents (active immunization). Immunization also can include providing the subject with protective antibodies developed by someone else or another organism (passive immunization).

Featured Article: Physical fitness

Physical fitness has historically been required of all military forces

Physical fitness is used in the context of two meanings: General fitness (a state of health and well-being) and specific fitness (the ability to perform specific sports or occupational skills). Fitness can be further subdivided into five categories: Cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

Popular Article: Women's History Month

J. Howard Miller's "We Can Do It!" also called "Rosie the Riveter"

Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with International Women's Day on March 8, and during October in Canada, corresponding with the celebration of Persons Day on October 18. The commemoration began in 1978 as "Women's History day" and was recognized as a national week (1980) and then month (1987) in the United States, and finally spreading internationally.

Did you know?

All knowledge of Egyptian hieroglyphs was lost by the Romans and was not recovered until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 (source: Rosetta Stone)

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