Scientists Say

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

  1. Animals

    Scientists Say: Organelle

    An organelle is a part of a cell with a particular function. Like organs. But for cells.

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  2. Physics

    Scientists Say: Piezoelectric

    Piezoelectric materials produce an electric voltage when they are bent or squished. This can let us harvest electricity from movement.

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  3. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Body Mass Index

    This is someone’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters. But it’s not a measure of someone’s health.

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  4. Chemistry

    Scientists Say: Molecule

    A molecule is a group of atoms linked with chemical bonds. It’s the smallest particle of a substance that has all of its chemical properties.

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  5. Scientists Say: Respiration

    Breathe in and out, that’s respiration. Have a cell break down sugars for energy, and that’s respiration too.

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  6. Math

    Scientists Say: Algebra

    Algebra is a type of mathematics that studies symbols and how they can be shifted around.

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  7. Animals

    Scientists Say: Lachryphagy

    Some insects land on the eyeballs of larger animals. They are seeking out the salt and proteins in the animal’s tears.

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  8. Animals

    Scientists Say: Medullary bone

    Medullary bone is a layer that forms inside bird and dinosaur bones. It’s a source of the calcium in eggshells.

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  9. Physics

    Scientists Say: Velocity

    Velocity is more than speed. It is both speed and the direction in which an object is traveling.

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  10. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Apoptosis

    When it’s time for cells to die, they need to do it carefully, so they don’t harm other cells.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    Scientists Say: Puberty

    Puberty is a time when hormones surge and people develop the ability to have children. But it’s so much more than that.

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  12. Genetics

    Scientists Say: Evolution

    Evolution is how species change over time. Individuals in the group vary, and some will pass on their genes. Over time, the whole species changes.

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