anatomy: (adjective: anatomical) the study of animal organs and tissues, or the characterization of a body or body part based on its structure or organization. Scientists who work in this field are known as anatomists.
ancestor: Predecessor. It could be a family ancestor such as a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent. Or it could be a species, genus, family, or other order of organisms that evolved later. For example, ancient dinosaurs are the ancestors of today’s birds. (Antonym: descendant)
anthropologist: A social scientist who studies humankind with a focus on society and culture.
argon: An element first discovered on August 13, 1894, by Scottish chemist Sir William Ramsay and British physicist John William Strutt, known as Lord Rayleigh. Argon is the first “noble” gas, meaning a gas that does not chemically react with other elements. This discovery earned Ramsey the 1904 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and Rayleigh the 1904 Nobel Prize in Physics.
ash: (in geology) small, light pieces of rock or glass ejected by a volcanic eruption. (in biology) A group of deciduous trees in the olive family that are popular for landscaping and timber.
Australopithecus: An extinct genus of hominids that lived in East Africa from about 4 million to 2 million years ago. Members of this genus were known as: Australopithecus.
colleague: A person who works with other people, colleagues, and team members.
attenuation: (For radioactive substances) A process in which a radioactive isotope (referring to a physically unstable form of an element) releases energy and subatomic particles. Over time, this shedding transforms the unstable element into a slightly different but stable element. For example, uranium-238 (a radioactive or unstable isotope) decays to radium-222, which decays to radon-222, and so on until it decays into lead-206, which is stable. No further decay will occur. The rate of decay from one isotope to another ranges from less than a second to billions of years.
evolution: (to v. evolution) the process by which species change over time. This is usually done through genetic variation and natural selection. These changes usually result in new types of organisms that are better suited to the environment than previous types. The new type is not necessarily more “advanced”, just better adapted to the specific conditions in which it was developed.
excavate:(n. excavation) To dig something out of dirt or rock (such as dinosaur bones) or to remove the inside of something and make a hole (cavity) inside it.
extinct: an adjective describing a species that has no living members.
family: A taxonomic group consisting of organisms from at least one genus.
fossil: preserved remains or traces of ancient life. There are various types of fossils, such as body fossils, trace fossils, and coprolites. The process by which fossils are formed is called fossilization.
How to walk: The pattern of foot movements of an animal as it walks from place to place.
genus: (plural: genus) a group of closely related species. For example, genus canis includes all domestic breeds of dogs and their closest wild relatives, such as wolves, coyotes, jackals, and dingoes.
geology: The study of the earth’s physical structure and materials, its history, and the processes that act on it. People who work in this field are known as geologists. Planetary geology is the science of studying the same about other planets.
graduate student: A person who is working towards an advanced degree by taking classes or doing research. This is done after the student has already graduated from college (usually with a four-year degree).
humanity: Primarily upright-walking prehistoric relatives of humans and perhaps about 20 other hominid species, such as Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and Ardipithecus. This group has a lot of overlap with hominid. The hominid family also includes other living great apes, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans.
paleoanthropologist: A scientist who studies the biology of ancient humans and hominids, as well as their behavior and evolution. This field is based on the analysis of fossils, remains, artifacts, or traces created or used by hominins.
population: (in biology) a group of individuals (of the same species) living in a particular area.
primates: The order of mammals, including humans, apes, monkeys, and related animals (such as tarsiers, Daubentonia, and other lemurs).
psychedelic: an adjective (particularly popular in the 1960s) referring to unusual mental experiences (such as hallucinations) brought on by the use of certain drugs (such as LSD), sometimes described as swirling, kaleidoscopic patterns of color.
radioactive: An adjective used to describe unstable elements, such as certain forms (isotopes) of uranium or plutonium. Such elements are said to be unstable because their atomic nuclei emit energy that can be carried away by photons or one or more subatomic particles. This release of energy is due to a process known as radioactive decay.
precipitation: Materials (stones, sand, etc.) deposited by water, wind, or glaciers.
skull: The skeleton of a human or animal head.
seed: A group of similar organisms that can survive and produce offspring that can reproduce.
characteristics: a characteristic of something. (in genetics) a quality or characteristic that can be inherited.
Source: www.snexplores.org
