Wordplay

Science & Nature (page 2)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

A bouquet of floral origin stories

10 Fascinating Region-Specific Animals

A range of beasties from across the land

Machiavellianism and (A Whole Lot) More

Top 10 Unusually Long and Interesting Words, Vol. 1

What a Hoot!

15 bird sounds, and the birds who make them

Lost Words of Spring

There's a word for that

Scientific Words for Harsh Speech

They may bite, burn, or leave a bad taste.

Why Is a Medical Expert Called a 'Physician'?

And what about 'physicist'?

A History of ‘Plague’: Illness as Metaphor

From the Bible to COVID-19

The History of 'Disease'

It was originally a sum of its parts

A Paean on the Names of Nature's Light Displays

Artificial light just can't compete.

'Tis the (Flu) Season: The History of ‘Influenza’

The stars aligned so you could feel miserable.

Useful and Obscure Words for Autumn

Settle in and get cozy with them

A Tasty Guide to the Parts of a Fruit

Vocabulary is always in season.

Humorless Words for the Bodily Humors

From the sanguine to the downright choleric

Getting to the Heart of 'Epicenter'

The Earth-shaking truth

7 Luscious, Fruit-Based Idioms

For a touch of sweetness or acidity

A Journey to the Moon in 12 Words

Read this before attempting a moon shot

The Far-Out History of 'Galaxy'

Don't cry over spilled galaxies

Opening Up on the Names of Flower Parts

Stopping to smell (and examine) the roses

The Difference Between 'Bug,' 'Insect,' and 'Beetle'

Bugs and beetles are insects, whatever that means

A Glossary of River Words

To meander your way through

This Article on 'Light-Year' Has Nothing to Say About Buzz Lightyear

To infinity, or 5,878,000,000,000 miles

7 Phrases That Are Just So Metal

Some of these phrases have magnetism.

The Verbing Adventures of 'Weigh' and 'Weight'

They both do it, but (mostly) differently

11 "Problems" Inspired by Animal Names

Cans of worms, wild-goose chases, and more

The Authentic History of 'Junk Science'

We tested and verified its accuracy

9 Animal Names That Are Also Verbs

A primer on human behavior, derived from animals.

Know Your Metals

Vs. 'medal' vs. 'mettle' vs. 'meddle'

7 Words Based on Units of Measure

Words from the language of precision.

The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

"In point" only lives in this phrase.

The Infernal History of 'Turtle'

And you thought they were so cute.

Why We Feel 'Sapped'

It has nothing to do with trees.

How Perceptive of You: Words About Perception

There's more than meets the eye

Amber, Auburn, Crimson and Other Colorful Words for Autumn Foliage

Peep these leaves.

The Medical History of 'Remiss'

Don't worry: it's not brain surgery.

We Told You There'd Be No Math. (We Lied.)

Grab your protractor.

Helium: This Word Brought to You by a Solar Eclipse

And by the Sun, with some help from Greek.

Tech-y Terms Are Older Than You Think

People have been blogging since the 18th century.

'Climate' Change

No denying this word's history

Does This Common Computer Term Actually Reference Shoes?

These reboots were made for walking

8 Words for Storms the Weather Report Didn't Mention

Not all storms are caused by weather.

'Bated,' 'Shod,' 'Boon,' and 7 Other Fossil Words

When old words show up in modern English

7 Unfamiliar Words for Familiar Creatures

'Camelopard', 'sea devil', and more

You Won't Believe These 10 Words Come From Birds

You might believe number 11

10 Words and Phrases with Nautical Origins

Take to the sea

Medical Words For Everyday Situations

Diagnose your friends' problems

The Stories Behind 10 Flower Names

...and how hard each is to rhyme

What Does 'Equinox' Mean?

It's spring! Finally.

What makes a planet?

From the Greek word for 'wanderer'

Chaos: Meaning and History

How a Word for a Void Came to Mean a Confused Mass

One More Problem with Blizzards

We've Become Very Adept at Handling Them, but Where Did That Word Come From?
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