Scientists Say
A weekly word defined, in a sentence and in context. Click here to find the alphabetized list.
- Space
Scientists Say: Quasi-satellite
Unlike a true satellite, these tagalongs orbit outside a planet’s primary sphere of gravitational control.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Chiral
Many biological molecules come in a left- and right-handed form — and biology plays favorites.
- Earth
Scientists Say: Caldera
These gigantic craters form when a volcanic eruption empties magma chambers underneath, allowing the mountain to crumble into the void.
- Space
Scientists Say: Interstellar medium
Radiant energy and primordial space dust span the vast reaches between star systems.
- Physics
Scientists Say: Lepton
Leptons are a quirky class of particles. Besides electrons, they include ghostly neutrinos and hefty muons and tauons.
- Animals
Scientists Say: Exoskeleton
This plate armor provides protection to insects, spiders and more. But that benefit comes with tradeoffs.
- Plants
Scientists Say: Circumnutation
Plants are always on the move, their tips slowly waving in search of better light — a process called circumnutation.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Vitamin
Our bodies can’t make enough of these tiny but mighty worker molecules. That’s what makes them a dietary essential.
- Physics
Scientists Say: Lift
An airplane wing’s unique shape creates air pressure differences that result in this gravity-defying force.
- Tech
Scientists Say: Agrivoltaics
This win-win technology means future farmers may produce both food and electricity.
- Brain
Scientists Say: Neuroplasticity
Neurons in the brain forge new connections and sometimes trim back old ones. This capacity for change allows us to learn new skills and recover from injury.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Nucleosynthesis
For this nuclei-forging cosmic process, the Big Bang was just a way to get started.
