acidic: An adjective for materials that contain acid. Acidic materials often are capable of dissolving away some minerals such as carbonate, or preventing their formation in the first place.
alkaline: An adjective that describes a chemical that produces hydroxide ions (OH-) in a solution. These solutions are also referred to as basic — as in the opposite of acidic — and have a pH above 7.
antibiotic: A germ-killing substance, usually prescribed as a medicine (or sometimes as a feed additive to promote the growth of livestock). It does not work against viruses.
anticoagulant: A term for materials (often medicines) that slow or prevent blood-clotting in the body. Doctors may prescribe such materials for people whose blood has a tendency to clot inside blood vessels. Clots there can risk obstructing the flow of blood. In the heart, such obstructions can lead to heart attacks.
bacteria: (singular: bacterium) Single-celled organisms. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside other living organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth.
biodegradable: Adjective for something that is able to break down into simpler materials, based on the activity of microbes. This usually occurs in the presence of water, sunlight or other conditions that help nurture those organisms.
bleach: A dilute form of the liquid, sodium hypochlorite, that is used around the home to lighten and brighten fabrics, to remove stains or to kill germs. Or it can mean to lighten something permanently, such as: Being in constant sunlight bleached most of the rich coloring out of the window drapes.
coagulate: (n. coagulation and coagulant) It’s a term for the process by which blood clots. This can prevents excessive bleeding (a hemorrhage) when a blood vessel ruptures. Cells known as platelets work along with proteins in plasma (your blood’s yellowy liquid) to stop bleeding by forming a clot at the site of injury. Drugs prescribed to slow or prevent an overactive blood-clotting system are known as anticoagulants.
depression: A low spot, such as in a field or the surface of a rock.
environment: The sum of all of the things that exist around some organism or the process and the condition those things create. Environment may refer to the weather and ecosystem in which some animal lives, or, perhaps, the temperature and humidity (or even the placement of things in the vicinity of an item of interest).
gauze: A thin, open-weave fabric — usually made from cotton — used in clothing. In medicine, it can be used to dress (cover) wounds as a breathable protection so that they don’t get dirty (and potentially infected).
hydrochloric acid: A strong (potent) and corrosive acid formed when hydrogen chloride gas dissolves into water. The human gut produces a dilute solution of this to break down foods.
infection: A disease that can spread from one organism to another. It’s usually caused by some type of microbe.
inflammation: (adj. inflammatory) The body’s response to cellular injury and obesity; it often involves swelling, redness, heat and pain. It also is an underlying feature responsible for the development and aggravation of many diseases, especially heart disease and diabetes.
organic: (in chemistry) An adjective that indicates something is carbon-containing; also a term that relates to the basic chemicals that make up living organisms. (in agriculture) Farm products grown without the use of non-natural and potentially toxic chemicals, such as pesticides.
pH: A measure of a solution’s acidity or alkalinity. A pH of 7 is perfectly neutral. Acids have a pH lower than 7; the farther from 7, the stronger the acid. Alkaline solutions, called bases, have a pH higher than 7; again, the farther above 7, the stronger the base.
prototype: A first or early model of some device, system or product that still needs to be perfected.
recall: To remember.
Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair: (Regeneron ISEF) Initially launched in 1950, this competition is one of three created (and still run) by the Society for Science. Each year now, approximately 2,000 high school students from up to 70 countries, regions, and territories are awarded the opportunity to showcase their independent research at Regeneron ISEF and to compete for an average of $9 million in prizes.
shea butter: A fat found in seeds of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa). Like many natural fats, it’s used not only in foods and soaps but also in a range of other products (such as cosmetics, shampoos and candles). It also may have some anti-microbial properties.
simulation: (v. simulate) An analysis, often made using a computer, of some conditions, functions or appearance of a physical system. A computer program would do this by using mathematical operations that can describe the system and how it might change over time or in response to different anticipated situations.
Society for Science: A nonprofit organization created in 1921 and based in Washington, D.C. Since its founding, the Society has been promoting not only public engagement in scientific research but also the public understanding of science. It created and continues to run three renowned science competitions: the Regeneron Science Talent Search (begun in 1942), the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (initially launched in 1950) and the middle-school MASTERS competition (from 2010 to 2022) that morphed into the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (and launched in 2023). The Society also publishes award-winning journalism: in Science News (launched in 1922) and Science News Explores (created in 2003).
sodium bicarbonate: Also known as baking soda, this white, chemical powder occurs naturally. Its formula is NaHCO3. It also has been used as a natural product to extinguish small electrical and grease fires. When ingested, it can help settle acid stomachs. Indeed, it is the main ingredient of many antacids sold in grocery stores.
software: The mathematical instructions that direct a computer’s hardware, including its processor, to perform certain operations.
solution: A liquid in which one chemical has been dissolved into another.
sustainable: (n. sustainability) An adjective to describe the use of resources in a such a way that they will continue to be available long into the future.
symptom: A physical or mental indicator generally regarded to be characteristic of a disease. Sometimes a single symptom — especially a general one, such as fever or pain — can be a sign of any of many different types of injury or disease.
trait: A characteristic feature of something. (in genetics) A quality or characteristic that can be inherited.
turmeric: A yellowy-orange spice derived from the root of the Curcuma longa plant (an Asian relative of ginger). It’s used to impart color and flavor to foods throughout Asia, but especially curries. It’s also a natural remedy in some traditional medicines of China and India. It’s primary therapeutic ingredient is curcumin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Some research has suggested it also could be useful in treating arthritis, anxiety, muscle soreness (after exercise) and high levels of blood cholesterol.
