Science Slang, Jargon, and New Words from Double-Tongued Dictionary

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Anthropocene n. As we rapidly enter a new Earth system domain, the “Anthropocene” era, the debate about distinguishing human effects from natural variability will inevitably abate in the face of increased understanding of climate and biogeochemical cycles. [English Science] [full cite] (Mar. 22, 2006)

Anthropocene n. Considering these and many other major and still growing impacts of human activities on earth and atmosphere, and at all, including global, scales, it seems to us more than appropriate to emphasize the central role of mankind in geology and ecology by proposing to use the term “anthropocene” for the current geological epoch. [English Environment Science] [full cite] (Mar. 22, 2006)

Anthropocene n. Exactly when such an Anthropocene should be seen to replace a truncated Holocene is a matter of debate.…Some would undoubtedly advocated AD 1000, which roughly equates with the beginning of the industrial cycle of global population growth.…, while others would prefer c. AD 1500, so as to conform to what Roberts (1998) refers to as the culmination of the “taming of nature” phase and the commencement of “the modern era.” However, there is likely to be even greater support for c. AD 1750, approximately corresponding to the start of the Industrial Revolution. [English Environment Science] [full cite] (Mar. 22, 2006)

anthropodenial n. The ancients apparently never gave much thought to this practice, the opposite of anthropomorphism, and so we lack a word for it. I will call it anthropodenial: a blindness to the humanlike characteristics of other animals, or the animal-like characteristics of ourselves. [English Biology Science] [full cite] (Jul. 8, 2005)

anthropodenial n. With respect to inference, if humans share a trait, such as empathy, with some other animal, then the rejection of that possibility constitutes a type I error, or what primatologist Frans de Waal at Emory University refers to as anthropodenial. At the other end of the spectrum lies the type II error of anthropomorphism, the belief that humans share some trait with another animal when they actually do not. At the other end of the spectrum lies the type II error of anthropomorphism, the belief that humans share some trait with another animal when they actually do not. [English Animals, Insects, & Birds Science] [full cite] (Oct. 15, 2006)

anthropogenic forcing n. Everyone’s talking about global warming. Or, actually, climate change. Or…uh…anthropogenic forcing?…Basically, this phrase—which is mainly used by climate researchers—can be loosely interpreted as “human-made doom.” [English Environment Science] [full cite] (Jun. 24, 2005)

artificial sun n. A 1:8 miniature model of the world’s first Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) will be on display at the China Chongqing Investment and Global Sourcing Fair. Also known as an “artificial sun,” the device was developed independently by China.The “artificial sun” is a superconducting non-circular section nuclear fusion experiment device, and this is the first time that a mode of it has been exhibited in western China. [English Science] [full cite] (Apr. 19, 2007)

astrobioethics n. Say hello to astrobioethics, a branch of ethics involving the implications of life science in space. [English Biology Science Factitious New or Nonce] [full cite] (Aug. 5, 2008)

auroral chorus n. Those sounds are now commonly known as atmospheric or natural radio, auroral chorus and VLF ("very low frequency” phenomena). [English Science] [full cite] (Apr. 21, 2006)

auroral chorus n. The sounds are as mysterious as the lights themselves. Some are downright eerie, like Halloween ghost-sound-effects tapes. Others are almost familiar and comforting, similar, in fact, to the chirps of crickets or frogs. The lights also produce sounds suggesting the calls of tropical birds, whales or dolphins, which have become popular meditative-music fodder in recent years. The lull of the auroral chorus, however, is often broken up with distinctly sci-fi sounds known as whistlers—magnificent bursts of radio energy that begin in the high-frequency range and slide down to a low pitch. [English Music Science] [full cite] (Apr. 24, 2006)

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