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Portal

'''Portal''' may refer to:

Arts and entertainment

Video games

In video games, the term "portal" often refers to mechanics that enable spatial traversal or interdimensional travel, evolving from basic gateways in early titles to sophisticated puzzle elements in modern designs. One of the earliest examples is Portal (1986), a text-based interactive novel developed by Activision for platforms including the Amiga, Apple II, and Commodore 64, where players explore a post-human Earth using an AI narrator and database queries to uncover a science fiction story involving mathematical anomalies and abandoned civilization.^[1] Written by author Rob Swigart and produced by Brad Fregger, it blends adventure gameplay with narrative choice, emphasizing exploration over action.^[2] The 2007 release of Portal by Valve Corporation marked a pivotal advancement in portal mechanics, introducing a first-person puzzle-platformer where players wield the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, or "portal gun," to create linked inter-dimensional openings on designated surfaces, allowing momentum-conserving travel and object manipulation within physics-based environments.^[3] Built on Valve's Source engine, the game features 19 test chambers set in the Aperture Science Laboratories, narrated by the antagonistic AI GLaDOS, and received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative puzzles that leverage Newtonian physics, such as flinging objects or the player through portals to solve challenges.^[4] By 2011, the title had sold over four million copies through retail channels alone, excluding digital sales on Steam.^[5] As of 2024, the Portal series has sold over 30 million copies on Steam alone.^[6] underscoring its commercial and influential impact.^[6] Its sequel, Portal 2 (2011), expanded these mechanics with cooperative multiplayer, an extended single-player campaign delving deeper into GLaDOS's backstory and introducing new characters like the AI Wheatley, and advanced puzzle elements including momentum-based flings for traversal and three types of propulsion gels—repulsion gel for bouncing, propulsion gel for high-speed sliding, and conversion gel for enabling portal placement on otherwise non-conductive surfaces.^[7] The game's 22 test chambers in the single-player campaign and 49 test chambers across 8 courses in co-op mode emphasize creative problem-solving through gel interactions and portal momentum, such as using speed from propulsion gel to gain height via repulsion surfaces.^[8] Portal 2 garnered multiple Game of the Year awards, including from the British Academy Games Awards and Spike Video Game Awards, praised for its narrative depth, humor, and mechanical innovation.^[9] Fan-created works like Portal: Prelude (2008), a mod for the original Portal developed by a team led by Philip Co and released on SourceForge before a 2023 RTX remaster on Steam, serve as prequels set in Aperture's early history, featuring 20 new chambers with expanded mechanics like advanced momentum puzzles and full voice acting, extending the canon without official Valve involvement.^[10] Meanwhile, games such as Antichamber (2013) by Alexander Bruce explore portal-like spatial manipulation through non-Euclidean geometry, where doors and corridors act as perceptual portals that defy conventional physics, challenging players' understanding of space via optical illusions and impossible architectures rather than literal teleportation.^[11] Over time, portal mechanics have progressed from rudimentary narrative devices in text adventures like Portal (1986) to integral gameplay systems enabling complex environmental interactions, influencing titles beyond the Portal series by prioritizing player agency in altering spatial relationships for puzzle resolution.^[12]

Music

Portal is an Australian extreme metal band formed in 1994 in Brisbane, Queensland, renowned for its experimental death metal style that fuses elements of black metal, grindcore, dark ambient, and technical death metal to create disorienting, atmospheric soundscapes.^[13] The band's abstract horror themes draw from occultism and vintage mythos, often evoking a sense of cosmic dread through chaotic riffs, guttural vocals, and unconventional song structures. Key albums include Vexovoid (2013), which features tracks like "The Back Wards" and "Curtain" that exemplify their suffocating intensity and relentless pacing, and Hagbulbia (2021), a companion release to Avow that amplifies their conjurative, premonitory density with pummeling rhythms and ethereal interludes.^[14]^[15] Portal's influence lies in pushing extreme metal's boundaries, inspiring a cult following for its unorthodox approach that prioritizes sonic terror over accessibility.^[16] Numerous songs titled "Portal" appear across genres, often symbolizing thresholds to alternate realities or inner turmoil. In metal, Origin's "Portal" from the 2006 album Echoes of Decimation delivers blistering technical death metal with lyrics depicting a chaotic gateway to oblivion, emphasizing the band's hyper-speed precision and brutality.^[17] Similarly, Pentagram (Chile)'s "The Portal" (2024) from Eternal Life of Madness explores occult gateways in thrash-infused black metal, serving as the album's lead single with frenzied riffs and ritualistic intensity.^[18] Outside metal, Lights' "Portal" (2014) from the indie pop album Little Machines uses shimmering synths to evoke emotional transitions, while Melanie Martinez's PORTALS (2023) album weaves the concept throughout its alternative pop tracks, framing death and rebirth as metaphorical doorways in a cyclical human experience.^[19]^[20] Albums and EPs incorporating "portal" motifs highlight the term's versatility in music. Portamento's The Portal (2011) blends electronic and experimental rock into a psychedelic journey, with the title track functioning as a sonic threshold amid tracks like "White Dwarf" and "Biosphere."^[21] In progressive and psychedelic realms, the motif recurs as a lyrical device for gateways to other realms, such as in Bal-Sagoth's symphonic black metal, where songs like "Summoning the Guardians of the Astral Gate" (1996) from Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule use portal imagery to narrate epic sci-fi voyages through cosmic voids.^[22] The use of "portal" in music emerged prominently in metal genres post-2000s, intertwined with sci-fi themes that amplified extreme music's exploratory ethos. Bands like Portal channeled retro-futuristic horror, blending Lovecraftian dread with ambient sci-fi to forge immersive worlds, as seen in their evolution from early demos to albums like Ion (2018), which distills vintage mythos into dense, otherworldly compositions.^[16] This trend reflects broader metal history, where sci-fi portals symbolize transcendence or peril in progressive rock-metal hybrids, prioritizing conceptual depth over conventional narratives. The Portal video game soundtrack's end-credits song "Still Alive" by Jonathan Coulton (2007) briefly nods to this motif in popular culture, portraying survival through a deceptive gateway.^[23]

Film, television, and literature

In film, portals often function as gateways to alternate dimensions or horrors, serving as central plot devices. The 2010 low-budget horror film The Portal, directed by Serge Rodnunsky, follows investigators tracking a bizarre hemorrhagic illness to a mysterious black painting that reveals itself as a portal to another dimension, unleashing terrifying entities.^[24] In blockbuster cinema, portals enable multiverse exploration; for instance, the 2016 Marvel film Doctor Strange features inter-dimensional portals that allow the protagonist to navigate mystical realms and battle threats from other realities.^[25] Adaptations of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, including the 2007 film The Golden Compass and the HBO/BBC television series (2019–2022), depict "windows" as shimmering portals between parallel worlds, facilitating travel across a multiverse threatened by authoritarian forces.^[26] Television series frequently employ portals for episodic travel and overarching narratives. Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007), a military science fiction show, centers on a secret team using ancient Stargates—devices that generate wormholes as instantaneous portals to distant planets— to defend Earth from extraterrestrial dangers. Similarly, The Librarians (2014–2018) incorporates magical doorways, such as the "Back Door" in its annex library, which acts as a teleportation portal to any location worldwide, aiding the protagonists in retrieving artifacts and thwarting supernatural threats.^[27] In literature, the portal fantasy genre traces its origins to 19th-century works where everyday objects transition characters to wondrous realms. Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) exemplifies this through the rabbit hole, a portal that plunges Alice into a surreal, illogical underworld, symbolizing a child's confrontation with absurdity and growth. C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series, beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950), uses a wardrobe as a portal to the enchanted land of Narnia, where children embark on quests amid talking animals and mythical battles, blending Christian allegory with adventure.^[28] Modern examples include Sally Gardner's I, Coriander (2005), a historical fantasy set in 17th-century England, where the protagonist discovers portals to a fairy realm that intertwine with her real-world persecution during the English Civil War. Comics portray portals through characters and artifacts that enable teleportation or dimensional shifts. In Marvel Comics, Gateway, an Indigenous Australian mutant introduced in Uncanny X-Men #229 (1988), wields a bullroarer to create swirling portals for instantaneous travel across space and time, often aiding the X-Men while drawing on Aboriginal spiritual lore.^[29] X-Men lore frequently features portals, such as those generated by Magik's Soulsword or Nightcrawler's bamfing teleportation, which facilitate team maneuvers against mutant-hunting foes in a world of prejudice and superhuman conflict. Thematically, portals in film, television, and literature symbolize liminality—the ambiguous threshold between known and unknown worlds—evolving from folklore thresholds like fairy rings to sci-fi wormholes that challenge perceptions of reality.^[30] This motif underscores transitions, as seen in portal fantasies where crossing evokes wonder or dread, blurring boundaries between the mundane and the otherworldly.^[31] Similar mechanics appear in interactive media like the Portal video game series, but narrative works emphasize psychological and symbolic depth over mechanics.

Computing and technology

Information gateways

A web portal is a specially designed website that functions as a centralized entry point, aggregating content, services, and search capabilities from diverse sources to provide users with a unified and often personalized experience.^[32]^[33] Early examples include Yahoo!, launched in January 1994 as a web directory and navigational portal, and MSN, introduced by Microsoft in 1995 as a multifaceted gateway to news, email, and internet services.^[34]^[35] Web portals are categorized into several types based on their scope and audience. Horizontal portals target broad, general audiences with diverse content and tools, such as Yahoo!'s comprehensive directory of news, finance, and entertainment, or Google's former iGoogle service, which allowed users to customize feeds from multiple sources.^[36] In contrast, vertical portals, also known as vortals, focus on specific industries or interests, delivering tailored information and services; for instance, WebMD serves as a health-focused portal aggregating medical articles, symptom checkers, and expert advice.^[36] Enterprise portals function as internal gateways within organizations, enabling employees to access integrated tools, data repositories, and collaboration features through a single interface, evolving from basic intranets in the mid-to-late 1990s when vendors began offering prepackaged solutions for streamlined deployment.^[37] Captive portals, meanwhile, are authentication mechanisms commonly used in public Wi-Fi networks, presenting users with a login or terms-of-service page before granting broader internet access, often incorporating security protocols like user credentials or payment verification to control entry.^[38] The concept of web portals gained prominence during the dot-com boom of the 1990s, when services like America Online (AOL) peaked in popularity by offering dial-up access bundled with proprietary portals that served as users' primary internet gateways, reaching over 25 million subscribers by late 2000.^[39]^[40] AOL discontinued its dial-up service on September 30, 2025, after more than 30 years.^[41] This era saw portals as essential hubs for discovery amid the web's rapid expansion, but their dominance waned in the post-2000s period as advanced search engines like Google provided more direct and efficient access to information, reducing reliance on curated directories.^[42] Portals experienced a resurgence in adapted forms through mobile applications, where integrated platforms like app ecosystems aggregate services similarly to traditional portals, enhancing accessibility on smartphones.^[43] Central to the functionality of web portals are key concepts such as personalization, which tailors content and layouts to individual user preferences via profiles and algorithms; RSS feeds, enabling automated syndication of updates from multiple sources into a single feed for efficient content aggregation; and API integration, allowing seamless connectivity with external services to pull in real-time data like weather or stock updates.^[36]^[44] These elements enhance user engagement by creating dynamic, interconnected experiences, much like the portal mechanics in video games that serve as fictional gateways between worlds.^[45]

Software and hardware applications

In computing, portal software refers to specialized user interfaces and frameworks designed to integrate and manage various applications and data sources within non-web environments. One prominent example is Liferay Portal, an open-source Java-based framework launched in 2004 that enables developers to build customizable enterprise portals for content management and collaboration, supporting features like user authentication, workflow automation, and modular UI components.^[46] This software has been widely adopted in enterprise settings for creating tailored interfaces that aggregate disparate systems without relying on traditional web browsers. API portals represent another key application, functioning as developer-focused gateways that provide secure access to application programming interfaces (APIs) for documentation, testing, and integration. For instance, Google Cloud's Apigee platform includes developer portals that allow API consumers to explore endpoints, generate test requests, and monitor usage through interactive consoles and SDKs, streamlining service adoption in cloud ecosystems. These portals emphasize API discoverability and governance, often incorporating analytics to track developer interactions and ensure compliance with usage policies. Hardware portals in computing encompass physical connection hubs that facilitate data transfer and peripheral expansion, such as USB docking stations. These devices act as centralized interfaces, allowing a single USB connection to expand into multiple ports for monitors, keyboards, and storage, thereby enhancing productivity in mobile and desktop setups.^[47] Unlike simple USB hubs, docking stations often include power delivery and video output capabilities, making them essential for transforming laptops into full workstations. In virtualization environments, portals serve as administrative interfaces for managing virtual machines (VMs). VMware's vCenter Server provides a centralized portal for VM lifecycle operations, including provisioning, monitoring, and resource allocation across hypervisor clusters, enabling IT teams to oversee hybrid infrastructures efficiently.^[48] Emerging applications in the Internet of Things (IoT) utilize portals as device gateways, bridging local sensors and actuators to cloud services for data aggregation and remote control; for example, IoT gateways process edge data before transmission, reducing latency and bandwidth demands.^[49] Development trends since the early 2010s have driven a migration toward cloud-based portals, integrating advanced security protocols like OAuth for delegated authorization and single sign-on capabilities, which enhance scalability and interoperability in distributed systems.^[50] These evolutions build on earlier web portal concepts but prioritize API-driven, containerized architectures for modern computing needs.

Geography

Populated places in the United States

Several populated places in the United States bear the name "Portal," often derived from the concept of a gateway or entry point to frontier regions, borders, or natural features, with economies historically tied to agriculture, ranching, mining, or resource extraction.^[51]^[52] Portal, Arizona is an unincorporated community in Cochise County, in southeastern Arizona near the Mexican border and the Chiricahua Mountains. Established in the early 1900s as a ranching and homesteading settlement, it developed around mining and homesteading activities in the rugged terrain of the Chiricahua Mountains.^[53]^[54] The community serves as a gateway to the Chiricahua National Monument, renowned for its unique rock formations, hiking trails, and biodiversity, including over 300 species of birds that attract ornithologists and ecotourists. With a small resident population estimated at fewer than 100 as of recent local reports, Portal maintains a quiet, rural character focused on outdoor recreation and environmental conservation.^[52] Portal, Georgia is a city in Bulloch County, in eastern Georgia, approximately 15 miles northwest of Statesboro. Founded in the late 19th century as a headquarters for lumber operations and a stop on the Savannah, Statesboro, and Northern Railway, it evolved into an agricultural center supporting the production of peanuts, tobacco, and timber-related industries like turpentine distillation.^[55]^[56] The 2020 U.S. Census recorded a population of 638, reflecting modest growth in this rural area with a median age of about 35 and a focus on farming and small businesses; as of 2023, the population is estimated at 653.^[57]^[58] Annually, the city hosts the Catface Turpentine Festival, which celebrates its heritage in the naval stores industry through parades, music, crafts, and demonstrations of traditional turpentine processing techniques.^[59]^[60] Portal, North Dakota is a small city in Burke County, in northwestern North Dakota along the U.S.-Canada border. Established in 1893 as a Soo Line Railroad station and platted in 1899, it was incorporated as a village in 1905 and as a city in 1914, serving as a key crossing point for trade and travel between the two countries.^[51] The town's history became closely linked to the Bakken oil boom of the 2010s, when hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling unlocked vast shale reserves in the region, boosting local employment, infrastructure, and population through energy-related activities.^[61]^[62] The 2020 U.S. Census reported a population of 126; as of 2023, it is estimated at 136, underscoring its status as a quiet border community reliant on farming, oil, and cross-border commerce.^[63]^[64]

Populated places elsewhere

Several places named "Portal" exist outside the United States, often reflecting their roles as gateways near borders, passes, or trade routes. For example, Portal is a municipality in the state of Paraná, Brazil, with a population of approximately 2,800 as of 2022, serving as a rural agricultural community in southern Brazil. In Portugal, Portal is a civil parish in the municipality of Viana do Castelo, with around 1,200 residents as of 2021, historically linked to maritime trade routes.) Contemporary issues in these areas frequently include migration pressures and resource-related conflicts.

Organizations

Businesses and companies

Several companies operating under the name "Portal" have emerged in the technology and media sectors, often leveraging the term to evoke concepts of digital gateways and access. These entities typically focus on software solutions, hardware components, and content delivery, reflecting broader industry shifts toward integrated digital platforms. Notable examples include semiconductor firms, billing software providers, and IT service specialists, many of which have undergone acquisitions amid market consolidation. PortalPlayer, Inc., founded in 1999 in San Jose, California, specialized in semiconductors, firmware, and software for portable media players. The company developed key chipsets, such as the PortalPlayer 5002, which powered early digital audio players including Apple's iPod.^[65]^[66] In 2007, NVIDIA Corporation acquired PortalPlayer for approximately $357 million to expand its presence in mobile and multimedia markets.^[67]^[68] Portal Software, Inc., founded in 1985 as Portal Communications Co. and renamed Portal Information Network in 1994, and headquartered in Cupertino, California, provided billing and revenue management software primarily for telecommunications and media companies. It launched its flagship Infranet platform in 1996, which enabled complex usage-based billing for services like internet access and content delivery.^[69] The company was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2006 for about $220 million, integrating its solutions into Oracle's enterprise software portfolio to support digital transformation in customer management.^[70]^[71] PORTAL Technologies Corporation, an SBA-certified small business founded in 1991 and based in Rockville, Maryland, delivers enterprise IT services including systems integration, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure for federal and commercial clients. The firm emphasizes secure, scalable solutions for complex environments, such as data management and cybersecurity portals. No major acquisition has been reported, but it continues to operate in the enterprise software space amid ongoing digital modernization demands.^[72]^[73] In the media sector, Portal A Interactive, founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with offices in Los Angeles, produces branded video content and original entertainment for social platforms, partnering with brands like YouTube and Netflix to create viral campaigns. The company has grown by bypassing traditional ad agencies, focusing on direct-to-platform distribution.^[74] These companies highlight a trend in the tech and media industries where "Portal" branding signifies entry points to digital ecosystems, from hardware interfaces to software hubs. However, many have faced challenges from post-2020 market consolidation, including acquisitions by larger players like NVIDIA and Oracle, driven by the need for integrated AI and cloud capabilities. For instance, the unified communications firm Portal Voice and Data, based in the UK but with global reach, was acquired by Wavenet in 2020 to bolster cloud telephony services.^[75]^[76]

Non-profits and associations

Portal to the Public is a U.S.-based non-profit program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) from 2007 through 2012, designed to connect scientists directly with public audiences through interactive events and programs hosted by museums, science centers, and other informal learning organizations.^[77] The initiative builds sustainable support systems for public engagement, training scientists in communication skills and partnering with institutions to create hands-on experiences that demystify current research topics.^[78] Its impact on STEM education is significant, as it has reached millions through over 100 partner sites across the country, enhancing public understanding of science and inspiring interest in STEM careers among diverse communities.^[79] The European Portal for Action on Health Inequalities, launched in 2011 by EuroHealthNet on behalf of the European Union's Equity Action Programme, operates as a key health policy network promoting cross-border cooperation to tackle socio-economic disparities in health outcomes.^[80] This online platform provides comprehensive resources, including data visualizations, policy analyses, promising practices, and research summaries from EU member states, enabling policymakers, practitioners, and advocates to share knowledge and implement equity-focused interventions.^[81] By facilitating collaboration among national health authorities and civil society, it has supported initiatives like the European Commission's efforts to reduce health gaps, contributing to more equitable health systems across the region since its inception in the early 2010s.^[82] An example of an international ethics-focused group is the Resources for Research Ethics Education Portal, which serves as a global hub for materials on responsible conduct in research, emphasizing ethical principles such as transparency and accessibility through open access initiatives.^[83] Maintained by a consortium including U.S. institutions like the University of California San Diego, it offers case studies, essays, and teaching tools on topics like data sharing and publication ethics, promoting open access to foster integrity and prevent misconduct in scientific endeavors worldwide.^[84] These non-profits commonly act as digital informational hubs for advocacy, leveraging online platforms to amplify their missions and achieve broader global reach in an increasingly connected era.^[80]

Science and medicine

Anatomy and physiology

The hepatic portal system is a specialized venous network that directs nutrient-rich, deoxygenated blood from the gastrointestinal tract, spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder directly to the liver, bypassing the systemic circulation and enabling first-pass metabolism for detoxification and nutrient processing. This unique double circulation, where blood passes through two capillary beds (intestinal and hepatic sinusoids) before returning to the heart, provides evolutionary advantages by allowing efficient hepatic processing of absorbed substances, such as glucose regulation and toxin clearance, prior to their entry into the general bloodstream. The system ensures that approximately 75% of the liver's blood supply comes from this portal venous flow, complementing the oxygenated blood from the hepatic artery.^[85] The portal vein, the principal vessel of this system, is the largest vein in the portal venous system and measures approximately 8-10 mm in diameter in healthy adults. It forms posterior to the neck of the pancreas by the union of the superior mesenteric vein (draining the small intestine and proximal colon) and the splenic vein (draining the spleen, stomach, and pancreas), with additional tributaries including the inferior mesenteric, gastric, and cystic veins. This vein carries nutrient-laden blood from the abdominal viscera to the liver, entering through the porta hepatis within the hepatoduodenal ligament, where it branches into right and left divisions that supply the hepatic sinusoids for metabolic processing. The portal vein lacks valves, facilitating bidirectional flow regulation via sphincters, and contributes to the liver's dual blood supply, with its flow volume adapting to physiological demands like postprandial increases.^[85]^[86] In liver histology, the portal triad (or portal tract) represents the functional unit at the periphery of hepatic lobules, consisting of a branch of the portal vein, a branch of the hepatic artery, and an interlobular bile duct, all embedded in connective tissue. These structures deliver mixed venous-arterial blood to the sinusoids and collect bile for excretion, supporting the liver's roles in filtration, storage, and secretion. The triad's organization ensures coordinated nutrient delivery and waste removal across the lobule, with the portal venule providing the bulk of volume and the arteriole oxygenation.^[87] Embryologically, the portal vein develops from the vitelline veins, which initially drain the yolk sac to the sinus venosus in the 4-week embryo. Anastomoses form around the developing duodenum and liver, with selective involution and persistence of segments creating the extrahepatic and intrahepatic portal vasculature; foregut rotation further shapes its course behind the duodenum. By birth, the portal vein becomes the sole afferent vessel after collapse of the umbilical vein and ductus venosus, establishing the mature system. Aberrant development can lead to congenital anomalies like portosystemic shunts.^[88] Portal hypertension arises from elevated pressure in the portal venous system, defined as a hepatic venous pressure gradient exceeding 10 mmHg, often due to intrahepatic causes like cirrhosis, which increases resistance through fibrosis and nodule formation. Common symptoms include esophageal varices from collateral vessel dilation, ascites from fluid leakage, splenomegaly, and potentially life-threatening bleeding; prehepatic causes like portal vein thrombosis and posthepatic obstructions such as Budd-Chiari syndrome also contribute. Treatments target the underlying etiology and pressure reduction, including non-selective beta-blockers to decrease portal inflow and the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure, which creates an intrahepatic tract between the portal and hepatic veins using a stent to decompress the system and prevent complications like variceal hemorrhage. Liver transplantation offers definitive resolution in advanced cirrhosis-related cases.^[89]^[90]

Physics and engineering

In architecture, a portal refers to a grand doorway or entrance, often elaborately framed and serving both functional and symbolic purposes in classical and medieval structures. Originating from ancient Egyptian temple pylons and Babylonian city gates, portals evolved into monumental elements that emphasized transition and importance, as seen in Roman triumphal arches which commemorated military victories with arched passageways spanning roads.^[91] In Gothic cathedrals like Notre-Dame de Paris, portals feature intricate sculptural tympana and jamb figures, symbolizing theological narratives and inviting worshippers into sacred spaces.^[92] In structural engineering, a portal frame is a rigid structural system consisting of columns and horizontal or pitched rafters connected by moment-resisting joints, designed to support loads in low-rise buildings with large open interiors, such as industrial sheds and warehouses. These frames distribute vertical and lateral loads through bending moments at the connections, enabling spans up to 60 meters without intermediate supports. Developed during World War II to provide economical enclosures using materials like steel and reinforced concrete, portal frames gained widespread adoption in the 1960s for their efficiency in post-war reconstruction and industrial expansion.^[93]^[94] Engineering applications of portal designs extend to heavy machinery and vehicles. Portal cranes, also known as gantry cranes with a portal frame structure, are used in ports and shipyards for lifting cargo, with capacities ranging from 10 to 500 tons depending on the model, facilitating efficient loading and unloading of ships.^[95] In automotive engineering, portal axles incorporate gear reduction hubs at the wheels to increase ground clearance and torque for off-road vehicles, a design pioneered in military applications like the Unimog and Humvee to navigate rough terrain without compromising drivetrain height.^[96] In particle physics, the term "portal" typically refers to mechanisms connecting the Standard Model to a dark or hidden sector, such as in Higgs portal models where dark matter candidates interact via the Higgs boson.^[97] In the context of general relativity, "portal" is rarely used in formal literature to describe wormholes—hypothetical shortcuts through spacetime known as Einstein-Rosen bridges, with occasional instances like "portal wormhole" appearing in specific papers but standard terminology favoring Einstein-Rosen bridges or dihedral wormholes—though the term is popular in media and science fiction portrayals.^[98]^[99] Proposed in a 1935 paper by Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen, these bridges connect distant regions of spacetime but are inherently unstable and require exotic matter to remain open, with no experimental evidence confirming their existence despite discussions in quantum gravity theories.^[100]^[101]

References

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Portal on Steam
Rating 5.0 (77,195) · 14-day returnsJun 27, 2025 · Portal is a new single player game from Valve. Set in the mysterious Aperture Science Laboratories, Portal has been called one of the most innovative new games.
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Portal - Valve Developer Community
May 28, 2025 · Portal (2007) is a first-person puzzle video game. Taking place in the mysterious Aperture laboratories and set in the same universe as Half-Life.Portal series · Portal 2 · Portal with RTX · Portal: Revolution
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Chell - Valve Developer Community
Jul 26, 2023 · In Portal, Chell is dressed in an orange jumpsuit and wears an Advanced Knee Replacement (also referred to as heel springs). It is revealed by ...
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GLaDOS - Valve Developer Community
Jul 14, 2024 · GLaDOS (which stands for Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System), is the speaker and controller behind the Aperture Science Enrichment Center.
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Portal Reviews - Metacritic
Rating 90% (27) It's Excellent. It's a very good and short little game that has very unique and very well executed game design. This game is worth your time, and very enjoyable ...
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Portal Takes Game Of The Year At 2008 Choice Awards
Valve's Portal has picked up three awards at the 8th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, including Innovation, Game Design and Game of the Year, ...
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Portal (1986) - MobyGames
Portal is a computer novel where you explore an empty Earth, using databases to uncover a sci-fi story told by an AI.
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Remembering 'Portal,' Activision's Interactive Novel - VICE
Feb 15, 2016 · Portal: an Interactive Novel was exactly what the title suggests. Published in 1986, it wasn't a game as we think of one today, but a story the user helped ...
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Portal 2 has sold over 4M copies - Game Developer
Shipped in 2007, the original Portal game has moved more than 4 million units, not including copies sold on Valve's Steam service.
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Portal 2 on Steam
$$9.99 Rating 5.0 (163,887) · 14-day returnsComplete two-person co-op: Multiplayer game featuring its own dedicated story, characters, and gameplay. Advanced physics: Allows for the creation of a whole ...
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Gel (Portal 2) - Valve Developer Community
Jul 18, 2025 · Gel or Paint is a puzzle element of Portal 2. It flows out of droppers in blobs, or in packets of blobs as bombs, and covers most surfaces or objects it ...<|separator|>
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Awards - Official Portal 2 Website
Game of the Year Associated Press · #2, Games of the Year c-net · #1, The 25 Best Video Games of 2011. Complex Magazine · #1 Video Game of 2011. The Daily Mirror.
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Portal: Prelude RTX on Steam
Rating 3.0 (1,646) · 14-day returnsJul 18, 2023 · Portal: Prelude RTX is a stunning fully ray-traced remaster of the iconic prequel mod for Portal, featuring NVIDIA DLSS 3 and RTX IO.
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https://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/vexovoid
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Game Origins: Portal | GameGrin
Oct 9, 2017 · The portal mechanic originates from a team of students from DigiPen and their final year project, Narbacular Drop.
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Portal - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives
Dec 16, 2002 · Portal. Country of origin: Australia; Location: Brisbane, Queensland; Status: Active; Formed in: 1994. Genre: Experimental Death Metal; Themes ...
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Vexovoid | PORTAL | Profound Lore Records
Free deliveryVexovoid by PORTAL, released 19 February 2013 1. Kilter 2. The Back Wards 3. Curtain 4. Plasm 5. Awryeon 6. Orbmorphia 7. Oblotten.Missing: Hag
[18]
Hagbulbia | PORTAL | Profound Lore Records
music · merch · community. Album artwork for ... Each pummeling by Avow is interspersed with a suffocating, premonitory density of Hagbulbian conjuration.
[19]
Interview: Portal (Aus) - Invisible Oranges
Nov 18, 2009 · In the same way that old science fiction is retro yet futuristic, Portal's death metal seemingly spans decades. The oddball Aussies have ...
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ORIGIN - "Portal" (Official Music Video) - YouTube
May 17, 2007 · ORIGIN - "Portal" official music video taken from the album ... Sixteen years later and this is still one of the most technical and brutal songs ...Missing: titled | Show results with:titled
[21]
PENTAGRAM (CHILE) release lyric video for 'The Portal'
Mar 1, 2024 · “The Portal” is the first single off the new album “Eternal Life of Madness”, which is due out on Listenable Records on April 26, 2024.
[22]
Lights – Portal Lyrics - Genius
Portal Lyrics: In the throes of the ruby red river that flows / Through this darkening concrete / Devouring ghosts that float by / I'm with them / Up in the ...
[23]
PORTALS (Deluxe) - Album by Melanie Martinez - Apple Music
Mar 31, 2023 · “DEATH” “One day, I sat in the portal room alone and started singing melodies. I heard a spirit with a completely different tone than mine ...<|separator|>
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The Portal | Portamento - Cronomi Records
The Portal by Portamento, released 01 September 2011 1. White Dwarf 2. 48 Hours 3. The Portal 4. Monkshroom 5. Injected Spawn 6. Biosphere 7. Vitamin E 8.
[25]
Bal-Sagoth – Summoning The Guardians Of The Astral Gate Lyrics
Summoning The Guardians Of The Astral Gate Lyrics: It is written in the ancient legends... that high amidst the moon-swathed / Peaks of the great Mountain ...
[26]
Portal: The Skinny - Jonathan Coulton
Oct 15, 2007 · The game is called Portal and it is awesome. The song is called “Still Alive” and it plays as part of the end credits when you finish the game.<|separator|>
[27]
The Portal (2010) - IMDb
Rating 3.4/10 (509) The Portal: Directed by Serge Rodnunsky. With Jenna Colby, Michael Muhney, Michael Madsen, Stacy Keach. Investigators pursuing a bizarre hemorrhagic illness ...4 of 5 · Mary-Margaret Humes as Mary · User reviews · Full cast & crew
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Let's Call a Moratorium on Inter-Dimensional Portals in Movies ...
Nov 7, 2016 · Doctor Strange is the third movie this year to feature an inter-dimensional portal through which emerge hordes of widget-like enemies.
[29]
His Dark Materials (TV Series 2019–2022) - IMDb
Rating 7.7/10 (92,382) ... windows between worlds. As Lyra learns the truth about her parents and her prophesied destiny, the two young people are caught up in a war against celestial ...Full cast & crew · His Dark Materials · Season 3 Official Trailer · Episode listMissing: portals | Show results with:portals
[30]
The Librarians (TV Series 2014–2018) - IMDb
Rating 7.3/10 (27,061) The Librarians: Created by John Rogers. With Rebecca Romijn, Christian Kane, Lindy Booth, John Kim. A group of librarians set off on adventures in an effort ...Episode list · Full cast & crew · The Librarians · Parents guideMissing: portal | Show results with:portal
[31]
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Picture Book Edition ...
Four adventurous siblings step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter—but never Christmas—cursed by the power of ...
[32]
Gateway Powers, Enemies, History | Marvel
Gateway began voluntarily using his teleportational powers to transport the X-Men from place to place, with the telepathic X-Man named Psylocke using her mental ...
[33]
Portals in Science Fiction & Fantasy | Kirkus Reviews
Nov 20, 2013 · In fantasy novels, portals tend to be ways for characters to pass from their world (usually our own) to a fantastical secondary world.
[34]
Inventing Portal Fantasies - jstor
For him, the place to acquire visionary power was right at the liminal space between the ordinary world and a more colorful and lively Elsewhere. In. Hoffmann's ...
[35]
Introduction to Portals - CMS
Definition: A portal is a gateway that provides a given user community with access to an organization's information, services, and data through a consolidated ...
[36]
Portal Definition - What is a web portal? - TechTerms.com
Sep 29, 2016 · Internal portals are designed to provide services within an organization, while external portals serve as a starting point for browsing the web.
[37]
The Complete History of Search Engines | SEO Mechanic
Jan 9, 2023 · The first search engine was Archie (1990), followed by JumpStation (1993), Yahoo! (1994), and Google (1998). Google has been a standard for ...
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Yahoo, AOL and a Look Back at Other 90s Internet Stars
Apr 4, 2017 · Remember CompuServe and Netscape? Now that Yahoo and AOL have all but disappeared, here's a look back at the ISPs that defined our 90s life.
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What is a Web Portal? A Comprehensive Guide - Net Solutions
Jan 24, 2025 · Types of Web Portals. There are two main classifications for web portals: vertical and horizontal. Vertical Web Portal. A vertical web portal ...
[40]
[PDF] The Evolving Value of the Portal | Liferay
Origin of Portals: Systems of Record. When the first web portals started to appear, back in the mid- to late-1990s, organizations used them to display ...
[41]
RFC 8952: Captive Portal Architecture
A captive portal is a network limiting access until requirements are met, often using a web browser. RFC 8952 describes an architecture for implementing it.Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
[42]
The Web History Part-One: From Netscape to Google and Beyond ...
Nov 24, 2024 · As AOL took over the Internet in the first wave of the mid-90s ... web portals like AOL or Yahoo just sent undifferentiated traffic to websites.
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The Decline of the Web and Rise of Apps - MobileCast Media
Nov 17, 2014 · The disorganization of the web created opportunities for advertisers, as people tried to find information and perhaps became distracted. With ...
[44]
API Integration in Web Development: Best Practices - Netguru
Feb 12, 2025 · API integration is a powerful tool that connects different software applications, enabling seamless data exchange and interaction.
[45]
Are Portals back in fashion? - Deep Analysis
Jul 2, 2019 · The enterprise portal has had a long (by tech standards) history. First coming to prominence in the late '90s with the idea of pulling all ...Missing: 1990s | Show results with:1990s
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About Us | Our Story - Liferay DXP
From the moment of our founding in 2004 as an open-source software company, we've taken the unique needs of customers as the driving force behind our ...Missing: framework | Show results with:framework
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https://www.kensington.com/news/docking-connectivity-blog/hubs-vs-docks-explained/
[48]
vCenter Server - VMware
VMware understands the importance of the tools that IT administrators use on a day-to-day basis to manage and oversee their data center operations.
[49]
Key Functions of an IoT Gateway - Supermicro
An Internet of Things (IoT) Gateway serves as a critical bridge between IoT devices or sensors and the Internet or cloud.
[50]
What is Single-Sign On (SSO) and how does it work? - Scalefusion
By the 2010s, protocols like OAuth and OpenID Connect brought secure, cloud-based SSO to hybrid and remote work environments. Today, containerized and AI ...Missing: shift post-
[51]
History — Portal, North Dakota
This page describes the rich history of Portal, North Dakota, from its founding in the 1890s as an important train stop for trains heading to Canada to it's ...
[52]
Portal - PHOENIX magazine
Nov 1, 2015 · A magical little town – not even a town; it's technically an “unincorporated community” with about 300 registered voters, for population context – tucked in ...Missing: demographics | Show results with:demographics
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Off the Grid and Into the Wild: Exploring Rodeo, NM and Portal, AZ ...
Jun 10, 2025 · Founded in the early 1900s as a railroad town along the El Paso and ... It's the first place I visited in Portal, and I found it difficult to ...
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Portal | Tierra Antigua Realty
Portal's roots trace back to early 20th-century homesteaders who found promise in this rugged, awe-inspiring land. Over time, Portal evolved into a haven for ...Missing: 1900s | Show results with:1900s
[55]
Bulloch History with Roger Allen: Portal starts as HQ for lumber ...
Portal, located about 15 miles northwest of Statesboro, was the headquarters of the E.E. Foy Lumber Railroad's northern Bulloch County operations and the site ...Missing: 1887 | Show results with:1887
[56]
Portal GA | Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown
Oct 5, 2015 · This is one of four identical structures which once faced Railroad Street. It's the only one that remains and served as the office and pharmacy ...<|separator|>
[57]
[PDF] 2020 Census Count by Georgia City Name
This document lists 2020 census counts for Georgia cities. For example, Abbeville had 2,685 people, Acworth had 22,440, and Albany had 69,647.
[58]
Turpentine Festival - Portal Heritage
The Turpentine Festival is an annual festival celebrating the heritage of Portal, GA. October 4, 2025. We look forward to seeing you all this year at the ...
[59]
[PDF] The Catface Country Turpentine Festival - Forest History Society
Aug 31, 2020 · But only Portal, Georgia, holds a celebration of the product itself, with the Catface Country. Turpentine Festival. The turpentine distillery in ...<|separator|>
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Burke County, North Dakota | Building Communities, Inc.
Burke County is in the Bakken Oil Field—and the Bakken means new people, new jobs, pressures on roads and infrastructure, and yet a fresh opportunity ...
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Bakken Oil Boom, North Dakota, USA | EROS
The Bakken oil boom, starting around 2008, made North Dakota the second leading oil producer, focused on the Bakken formation, and was boosted by fracking.
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[XLS] SUB-IP-EST2023-POP-38 - Census.gov
Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in North Dakota: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 ... Portal city, North Dakota, 123, 123, 121 ...
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NVIDIA to Acquire PortalPlayer - Design And Reuse
It has signed a definitive agreement to acquire San Jose, CA-based PortalPlayer, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLAY), a leading supplier of semiconductors, firmware, and ...Missing: 2001-2009 | Show results with:2001-2009
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https://datausa.io/profile/geo/portal-nd
[65]
Nvidia Acquires PortalPlayer For $357 Million - InformationWeek
NVIDIA Corporation reported Monday that it is acquiring PortalPlayer Inc., in a move to beef up its development of personal media players (PMPs.)Missing: 2001-2009 | Show results with:2001-2009
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Nvidia to buy PortalPlayer in mobile push - Reuters
Jan 19, 2007 · SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Nvidia Corp. said on Monday it will buy audio chip maker PortalPlayer Inc. for about $357 million as the ...
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Portal Software, Inc. -- Company History
1994: The company changes its name to Portal Information Network. 1996: Portal ships its first version of Infranet software and shuts down its Internet service.
[68]
Oracle Acquires Portal Software For $220 Million | InformationWeek
Oracle Corp. continued its acquisition spree Wednesday, announcing it will acquire billing management supplier Portal Software Inc. for about $220 million ...Missing: portals 2020s
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https://www.company-histories.com/Portal-Software-Inc-Company-History.html
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PORTAL Technologies Corporation - Our Story
Feb 27, 2025 · PORTAL is an SBA-certified small business providing enterprise services since 1991, with a history of success in diverse markets.Contact Us · Our Story · Services · Capabilities
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PORTAL Technologies Corp - Company Profile and News
PORTAL Technologies Corp provides IT services. The Company offers development, integration, strategy, management, computing, infrastructure, interface ...
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Portal a Found Success in Bypassing the Traditional Ad Agency Model
Jan 7, 2020 · Portal A was among the first agencies to figure out how to turn cool videos into a business, but now it faces plenty of competition.
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Wavenet Expands with Portal Voice and Data Purchase - UC Today
Mar 24, 2020 · The company recently announced the acquisition of Portal Voice and Data, for an undisclosed price. This new purchases come soon after a successful acquisition ...Missing: 2020s | Show results with:2020s
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Wavenet Acquires Portal Voice and Data | Mergr M&A Deal Summary
On February 17, 2020, Wavenet acquired communications company Portal Voice and Data. Acquisition Highlights. This is Wavenet's 2nd transaction in the ...Missing: 2020s | Show results with:2020s
[75]
Welcome to the Portal to the Public Network
The Portal to the Public approach helps informal learning organizations connect public audiences with current science in their own communities.
[76]
Portal to the Public - informalscience.org
Portal to the Public: Expanding the National Network (PoPNet) is an NSF-funded broad implementation project (DRL-1224129) led by Pacific Science Center ...
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ARIS Enduring Achievement Award 2020: Portal to the Public
Portal to the Public helps engagement practitioners develop high-impact, sustainable support systems for scientists who are committed to the notion that ...
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https://informalscience.org/portal-public/
[79]
What is being done to tackle Health Inequalities in the EU?
Dec 19, 2018 · To visit the Health Inequalities Portal, go to www.health-inequalities.eu. The European Portal for Action on Health Inequalities was developed ...
[80]
[PDF] Addressing health inequalities in the European Union
Feb 1, 2020 · 181 An output of the joint action is the European portal for action on health inequalities, developed by. EuroHealthNet (more on this in Section ...
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Portal - Resources for Research Ethics Education
Portal · General Resources for Teaching Research Ethics · Specialized Resources for Teaching Research Ethics · Online Courses in Research Ethics / RCR · Research ...
[82]
Resources for Research Ethics Education
This site provides resources for teachers, including introductory material, brief essays on research ethics, and discussion tools like case studies.<|control11|><|separator|>
[83]
Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Portal Venous System (Hepatic ...
Aug 8, 2023 · The portal vein receives drainage from the gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, stomach, and small and large intestines.
[84]
Mean Normal Portal Vein Diameter Using Sonography among ...
The normal portal vein diameter (PVD) can vary normally between 7 to 15 mm while normal portal venous pressure lies between 5 and 10 mmHg (14 cm of H2O) (12).
[85]
Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Liver - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
The portal vein is formed from the superior mesenteric and splenic veins posterior to the neck of the pancreas. It is joined by the proper hepatic artery, a ...
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Portal vein | Radiology Reference Article - Radiopaedia.org
Aug 26, 2025 · Development. The embryonic vitelline veins drain from the yolk sac to the sinus venosus. The two vitelline veins develop anastomosing cross ...Portal vein thrombosis · Preduodenal portal vein · Portal hypertension
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Portal Hypertension - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - NIH
Jul 7, 2025 · This pressure differential enables blood to flow through the liver into the systemic circulation. The veins do not have valves.
[88]
TIPS Procedure (Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt)
Jul 27, 2025 · The procedure involves placing a shunt between veins in your liver to relieve pressure on your portal vein. TIPS stands for transjugular ...
[89]
Portal | architecture - Britannica
In architecture: Symbols of function. Portals, from the time of ancient Egyptian temple pylons and Babylonian city gates, became monuments in themselves, used ...
[90]
Portal - Ancient and medieval architecture
Portal. Decorative architectural frame of the entrance doors, also internal doors, in the churches, castles, town halls, richer tenements. The decorations ...
[91]
Portal frames - SteelConstruction.info
Portal frames are generally low-rise structures, comprising columns and horizontal or pitched rafters, connected by moment-resisting connections.
[92]
(PDF) PORTAL FRAMES PORTAL FRAMES 1.0 INTRODUCTION
The basic structural form of portal frames was developed during the Second World War, driven by the need to achieve the low-cost building envelope.
[93]
What is a Portal Crane? - Weihua Heavy Machinery
Mar 24, 2025 · Portal cranes typically have a capacity ranging from 10 to 500 tons. Their robust structure and design allow to handle extremely heavy loads, ...
[94]
Portals To Another Dimension: How Gear Reduction Hubs Are ...
Feb 4, 2022 · A portal hub can be applied to either a solid axle or IFS, and in either case creates an offset between the axle shaft and the hub mounting surface through the ...
[95]
[PDF] The Particle Problem in the General Theory of Relativity
EINSTEIN AND N. ROSEN, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. (Received May 8, 1935) of. The writers investigate the possibility of an atomistic theory of ...
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https://www.drivingline.com/articles/portals-to-another-dimension-how-gear-reduction-hubs-are-revolutionizing-off-road-racing/
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Dark Matter through the Higgs portal
Review of scenarios in which dark matter particles interact through couplings with the Higgs sector of the Standard Model.
[98]
Portal Wormholes
Paper discussing portal wormholes in the context of general relativity.
[99]
Portal Wormholes in Higher Dimensions
Exploration of portal wormholes using the term in theoretical physics literature.