Scientists Say

A weekly word defined, in a sentence and in context.

  1. Animals

    Scientists Say: Plankter

    Plankton is the word used to describe a collection of these tiny free-floating organisms. This is what you call just one.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  2. Fossils

    Scientists Say: Coprolite

    Every living thing and signs of its existence — right down to their wastes — can fossilize under the right conditions. When poop fossilizes, it gets a special name.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  3. Ecosystems

    Scientists say: Biomagnify

    Chemicals in the environment can build up in an animal’s tissues. Predators who feed on these animals can accumulate more and more of the pollutants, a process known as biomagnification.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  4. Health & Medicine

    Scientists say: Inflammation

    When cells are injured, they send out distress signals. The rescuing cells cause more blood to flow to the area, producing inflammation.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  5. Animals

    Scientists say: Hibernaculum

    This week’s word is hibernaculum, the word scientists use to describe the place where an animal goes to hibernate.

    By Bethany Brookshire