Scientists Say
A weekly word defined, in a sentence and in context.
- Physics
Scientists Say: Infrared
Infrared light belongs to a part of the spectrum that people can’t see. But this kind of light can be used to “see” the heat signatures of objects.
- Brain
Scientists Say: Ventral striatum
The ventral striatum is an area of the brain that plays an important role in mood, learning and addiction. It has a lot of dopamine, a chemical messenger.
- Earth
Scientists Say: Upwelling
This is a process in which a substance rises and spreads out over something else. Upwelling happens in the ocean, inside the Earth and even in a planet’s atmosphere.
- Animals
Scientists Say: Krill
Krill are small crustaceans in the ocean. They are an important food source for other larger animals, and their tiny swimming motions can mix nutrients in the sea.
- Genetics
Scientists Say: Intron
These are sections of DNA that are trimmed out before the DNA is copied RNA and translated into protein. But they still have important jobs to do.
- Space
Scientists Say: Nebula
Nebulae are huge dust clouds in space. Some come from dying stars. Others are places where stars are born.
- Health & Medicine
Scientists Say: Melatonin
Levels of this hormone rise at night when we are asleep and drop during the day. This helps to control when we sleep and wake up.
- Animals
Scientists Say: Kakapo
This is a flightless parrot that lives in New Zealand. Unfortunately, there are only 154 of them left.
- Earth
Scientists Say: Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy is a branch of geology that looks at how rock layers are organized to understand how the world has changed over time.
- Tech
Scientists Say: Engineering
Want to build a bridge, clean dirty water, make a new drug or build a machine? You’re going to need an engineer — someone who uses science and math to solve practical problems.
- Health & Medicine
Scientists Say: Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a word used to describe any sounds higher than a person can hear. It’s also a technique used to see inside the body.
- Environment
Scientists Say: Runoff
Water that flows through soil and into rivers, lakes and oceans becomes runoff. That runoff can carry part of the land — including its pollution — to the sea.
