Science is a game of words – All Otsego

Citizen Science by Jamie Zvirzdin

Science is a game of words

A very generous friend in Maryland gave me his entire collection of Isaac Asimov books, and I was shocked to discover how many nonfiction books Asimov wrote beyond his science fiction. My favorite so far is “Words of Science and the History Behind Them”, published in 1959.

What Asimov writes at the beginning of “Words of Science” is right: “Entering the world of mathematics and science turns into an encounter with a whole kingdom of new words: words that seem strange; words that are long and difficult to pronounce; words that the ordinary person never encounters in ordinary life. It is as if scientists protect their mysteries from the prying eyes of ordinary mortals with a shroud of threatening syllables. »

Asimov then traces 1,500 terms through history, starting with their roots: their etymologies, their origins. Because many scientific words have hidden Greek and Latin roots, learning even a few of these roots can seriously help students, professionals, and anyone frustrated by their doctor’s medical gibberish.

It doesn’t seem fair that so many English scientific words actually come from ancient and difficult languages ​​like Greek and Latin, but if you make it a game, a puzzle, a challenge, you can crack the code and access the complex and often magnificent. meaning behind foreign words. Likewise, scientists and science writers can use simple etymologies and definitions to better communicate with those who have not had the time, inclination, or privilege to play this word game.

As a science blessing for the upcoming school year, let’s review some of the common Greek and Latin prefixes that we have attached to the front of so many science words. Science is a game of words and I invite you to play it with me. I’ve organized the prefixes and examples into lists so they’re easier to remember. If you have children, ask them to quiz you!

Physics and Astronomy:

1. Iso- (Greek): same, equal
   A. Isotropy: iso (same) + tropy (direction), uniformity in all orientations; no preferred direction (There is a lot of talk about isotropy in cosmic ray research.)
   b. Isobar: iso (same) + bar (pressure), lines on a weather map showing areas of equal pressure
   vs. Isotope: iso (identical) + tope (type), atoms made up of the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons
2. Exo- (Greek): Outside, External
   A. Exoplanet: exo (outer) + planet (wandering star), a planet that orbits a star outside our solar system
   b. Exosphere: exo (outer) + sphere (ball), the outermost layer of the Earth’s atmosphere
   vs. Exothermic: exo (exterior) + thermal (heat), a reaction that releases heat
3. Inter- (Latin): between, among
   A. Interference: inter (between) + ference (obstruction), the way waves combine to strengthen or weaken each other
   b. Interstellar: inter (between) + stellar (stars), occurring or placed between stars
   vs. Intermolecular: inter (between) + molecular (molecules), between molecules
4. Intra- (Latin): inside, within
   A. Intramolecular: intra (inside) + molecular (a little mass), within a molecule
   b. Intraparticle: intra (inside) + particle (small piece), inside a particle
   vs. Intracavity: intra (inside) + cavity (hole), inside a cavity like a laser resonator

Medicine:

1. Endo- (Greek): Inside
   A. Endocrine: endo (inside) + crine (to secrete), glands that release hormones directly into the bloodstream
   b. Endoscopy: endo (inside) + scopy (look), observation of the inside of the body with a special tool
   vs. Endocardium: endo (inner) + cardium (heart), the innermost layer of tissue that lines the heart
2. Epi- (Greek): On, Finished
   A. Epidermis: epi (on) + dermis (skin), the outer layer of the skin
   b. Epinephrine: epi (on) + nephrine (kidney), a hormone released by the adrenal glands located above the kidneys
   vs. Episiotomy: epi (on) + siotomy (cut), a surgical cut in the area between the vagina and anus (See also Euphemism: eu (good) + phemism (speech), a gentler or more polite term for something something hard or unpleasant)
3. Vaso- (Latin): vessel, conduit
   A. Vasodilation: vaso (vessel) + dilation (widening), widening of blood vessels
   b. Vasoconstriction: vaso (vessel) + constriction (narrowing), narrowing of blood vessels
   vs. Vasectomy: vaso (vessel) + ectomy (removal), cutting and sealing of the vas deferens (the “carrying canal”) to stop the transport of sperm
4. Cardio- (Greek): Heart
   A. Cardiology: cardio (heart) + logy (study), the study of the heart and its functions
   b. Cardiogram: cardio (heart) + gram (record), a recording of cardiac activity
   vs. Cardiovascular: cardio (heart) + vascular (vessels), relating to the heart and blood vessels

Mathematics:

1. Hypo- (Greek): below, below
   A. Hypotenuse: hypo (under) + tenuus (stretch), the longest side of a right triangle that extends under (or opposite) the 90 degree angle.
   b. Hypothesis: hypo (sub) + thesis (claim), a starting idea to investigate further
   vs. Hypogeum: hypo (under) + geal (earth), taking place beneath the surface of the earth
2. Hyper- (Greek): Above, Above
   A. Hyperbole: hyper (above) + bola (throw), or “excessive, beyond normal”, an abnormal curve in mathematics that somehow looks like two back-to-back parentheses, like this: )(
   b. Hyperplane: hyper (above) + plane (flat surface), a flat subspace in higher dimensions
   vs. Hyperreal: hyper (above) + real (real number), a number that represents an extension of the real numbers
3. Poly- (Greek): Many
   A. Polynomial: poly (many) + nomial (terms), a mathematical expression with more than two algebraic terms (See also Algebraic: algebr (meeting) + -aic (related to), from Arabic “al-jabr” or “meeting of broken parts”)
   b. Polyhedron: poly (many) + hedron (base), a solid figure with many plane faces
   vs. Polytope: poly (many) + tope (place), a geometric figure with many faces in any dimension
4. Trans- (Latin): through
   A. Transcendental: trans (across) + centdental (to rise), numbers which are not the roots of an integer polynomial equation (“Whole” itself has a Latin etymology: in- (not) + tangere (to touch), meaning something that is untouched or undivided, just as integers like -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, etc. are numbers that can be expressed without fractions or decimals)
   b. Transformation: trans (through) + formation (shape), changing the appearance of a mathematical object
   vs. Transpose: trans (across) + pose (place), reversing the orientation of a matrix (“Matrix” also has a Latin etymology: mater (mother) + -ix (used to form nouns), “the mother substance » – the underlying substance (structure or environment in which something grows, usually a rectangular array of numbers)

Biology:

1. Cyt- (Greek): Cell
   A. Cytoplasm: cyt (cell) + plasm (form), the substance inside a cell
   b. Cytokine: cyt (cell) + kine (movement), a protein that cells use to communicate
   vs. Cytochrome: cyt (cell) + chromium (color), a colored compound in the cell
2. Zoo- (Greek): Animal
   A. Zoology: zoo (animal) + logy (study), the study of animals
   b. Zookeeper: zoo (animal) + keeper (one who cares), one who takes care of the animals in a zoo
   vs. Zooplankton: zoo (animal) + plankton (wandering), small floating animals
3. Hemat- (Greek): Blood
   A. Hematology: hemat (blood) + ology (study), the study of blood
   b. Hematoma: hemat (blood) + oma (mass), a collection of blood outside the blood vessels
   vs. Hematopoiesis: hemat (blood) + poiesis (production), the production of blood cells
4. Photo- (Greek): Light
   A. Photosynthesis: photo (light) + synthesis (assembly), the process plants use to make food using light
   b. Photoreceptor: photo (light) + receptor (receptor), a cell that receives light and sends signals
   vs. Photobiology: photo (light) + biology (study of living things), the study of the effects of light on living organisms

Chemistry:

1. Hydro- (Greek): Water
   A. Hydrocarbon: hydro (water) + carbon (a type of six-proton atom), a molecule composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms
   b. Hydrogen: hydro (water) + gen (create), an element that combines with oxygen to produce water
   vs. Hydrophilic: hydro (water) + philic (love), something that loves water
2. An- (Greek): Without
   A. Anhydrous: an (without) + hydrated (water), without water
   b. Anion: a (without) + ion (thing that goes), a negatively charged particle
   vs. Anaerobic: an (without) + aerobic (air), without air
3. Chloro- (Greek): green or chlorine
   A. Chlorophyll: chloro (green) + phyll (leaf), the green pigment of plants
   b. Chloroform: chloro (chlorine) + form (manner), heavy, colorless and unstable liquid which served as an anesthetic (An + aesthetic: “without sensation” or “lacking perception”)
   vs. Chloroplast: chloro (green) + plast (manufacturer), the cellular organelle where photosynthesis occurs (Organelle: “little tool”)
4. Meth- (Greek): Wood, linked to methane
   A. Methanol: meth (wood) + anol (type of alcohol), wood alcohol, a type of toxic alcohol
   b. Methyl: meth (wood) + yl (substitute), atoms that can replace other atoms and methane derivatives
   vs. Methane: methane (wood) + ane (type of hydrocarbon), a simple hydrocarbon that is a major component of natural gas

There are many other such prefixes, including all numbers (uni-, quad-, hexa-, mega-, etc.). I absolutely agree that this scientific language game is easier for some than others. I was lucky enough to grow up with these “additional” languages. I actually taught Latin at university, and Dyna, my demon who causes chaos in “Subatomic Writing”, has fictional Greek heritage (dyna means “power” or “power” in Greek). “force”). Even so, when I read too much scientific jargon in one go, it still overwhelms and frustrates me.

Although it can be difficult, it’s never too late to learn new science words (and for scientists to become better communicators). The brain is a powerful organ with approximately 86 billion neurons and billions of synapses (neuro (nerve) + on (unit), the basic unit of the nervous system that transmits information; syn (together) + apse (connection ), connections between neurons). Our brain is capable of remarkable feats if we give it the opportunity. If you play this word game often, you will open science wide and the universe will reveal itself before you.

“Scientific vocabulary,” writes Asimov in “Words of Science,” “is the bridge by which we enter the country, and not the wall that prevents us from doing so.”

Jamie Zvirzdin studies cosmic rays with the Telescope Array Project, teaches science writing at Johns Hopkins University, and is the author of “Subatomic Writing.”