Scientists Say
A weekly word defined, in a sentence and in context. Click here to find the alphabetized list.
- Tech
Scientists Say: Fiber optic cable
Whether you’re reading these words on a phone, computer or other device, you may have fiber optic cables to thank.
- Psychology
Scientists Say: Neurodivergent
This often-misunderstood word describes someone whose brain works a little differently from most.
- Physics
Scientists Say: Radio Waves
Lightning, stars, supermassive black holes and more give off radio waves.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Valence electrons
These far-out electrons do the hard work when it comes to chemical reactions.
- Space
Scientists Say: Pulsar
These rapidly spinning dead stars send beams of radio waves into space like cosmic lighthouses.
- Ecosystems
Scientists Say: Predator and Prey
Ecological relationships between predators and their prey drive the evolution of plants, animals and microbes.
- Earth
Scientists Say: Tectonic Plate
Tectonic plates are giant slabs of rock that make up Earth’s outer layer.
- Animals
Scientists Say: Coral
Over 4,000 species of fish make their home among the reefs created by these colony-dwelling marine animals.
- Math
Scientists Say: Parabola
A parabola is a U-shaped curve, where every point along that curve is the same distance from another point and a line.
- Math
Scientists Say: Ellipse
Ellipse describes the shapes of planetary orbits around their stars and explains the wacky acoustic phenomenon of “whispering chambers.”
- Physics
Scientists Say: Explosion
Explosions happen when chemical or nuclear reactions blow out a lot of heat, noise and expanding gas.
- Brain
Scientists Say: Addiction
Recovering from addiction is hard but possible. Encouragement of loved ones can improve a person’s chances of overcoming this disease.
