Science Dictionary

Midnight Sun, a name given the sun when it can be seen at midnight during the Arctic or Antarctic summer.

Nebular Hypothesis, an explanation of how the solar system was formed, proposed by Pierre Simon de Laplace in 1796.

Nova, (plural: Novae), a star that rapidly increases in brightness and then fades again.

Perihelion and Aphelion, The perihelion is the point on the orbit of a planet or comet that is closest to the sun.

Perturbation, in astronomy, is a disturbance in the orbit or motion of a heavenly body.

Planetarium, is an educational device for showing the locations and movements of the planets and other objects in the universe.

Planetesimal hypothesis is a theory of the origin of the solar system. It was proposed by Forrest R.

Twilight is the light diffused over the sky from sunset to darkness and from darkness to sunrise.

Van Allen Radiation Belts, two zones encircling the earth in which there are relatively large numbers of high-energy (fast-moving) charged particles.

The man immortalized on the left was behind the three laws of motion and the universal law of gravitation. He was also competitive, temperamental and fascinated with alchemy. How well do you know Newton?

By Jacob Silverman

We take much for granted about our universe, like it's getting bigger. What if the universe stopped expanding and started collapsing inward with a giant crunch?

By William Harris

Whether you invented a revolutionary pair of skivvies or a way to turn cow manure into vanilla flavoring, we have an award for you. The Ig Nobels are proving that science isn't all seriousness and superstring theory.

By Robert Lamb

Bessey, Charles Edwin (1845-1915), an American botanist and administrator, developed world-class botanical programs in the United States.

Just, Ernest Everett (1883-1941) was an internationally known American biologist, zoologist, and physiologist who made major contributions to the field of biology through his pioneering research into fertilization, experimental parthenogenesis, and cell physiology.

Rowley, Janet (1925-) is an American geneticist, a scientist who investigates the structure, function, and transmission of genes.

Margulis, Lynn Alexander (1938-), an American biologist, helped advance the study of the origins of cells.

Meyerhof, Otto Fritz (1884-1951), a German-born American biochemist, shared the 1922 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for his research into oxygen consumption by muscles, and the relationship of oxygen consumption and the metabolism of lactic acid (a chemical produced in the body by muscular activity) and carbohydrates within the muscle.

Berg, Paul (1926-), an American biochemist and molecular biologist, has been at the forefront of genetic engineering, both as an inventor of a pioneering procedure and as an advocate concerned about the risks of genetic research.

Hubbard, Ruth (1924-) is an Austrian-born American biologist and biochemist whose contributions to the study of the biochemistry and photochemistry of vision in vertebrates and invertebrates have greatly advanced the understanding of the field.

Benzer, Seymour (1921-), an American geneticist, is one of the founders of modern behavioral geneties.

Nebulae are collections of dust and gases scattered across the galaxy. They're the sites where stars are born and what's left behind after they die.

By William Harris

The big bang theory is well-known, but there are many misconceptions about it. Like what? Let's start with this one: There was no bang.

By Jonathan Strickland

Modern science allows us to break atoms down into tiny components. But can scientists use their mighty machines to recreate the foundation of the universe?

By Jonathan Strickland

Some scientists believe that space is infinite. But is it? If it isn't, what form does space take? Is it a dodecahedron or a triple torus?

By Jonathan Strickland

Space collisions are the universe's car wrecks. Only in outer space, it's stars, asteroids and even galaxies doing the smashing.

By John Fuller