average: (scientific term) A term for the arithmetic mean, which is the sum of a set of numbers divided by the size of that group.
Biologist: A scientist involved in the study of living things.
cancer: Any of more than 100 different diseases, all characterized by the rapid, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. The development and growth of cancer, also called malignant tumors, can lead to tumors, pain, and death.
cell: (biology) The smallest structural and functional unit of a living organism. Usually too small to be seen with the naked eye and composed of a watery fluid surrounded by a membrane or wall. Animals are made up of thousands to trillions of cells, depending on their size. Most living organisms, such as yeast, molds, bacteria, and some algae, consist of only a single cell. (telecommunications) The technology of relaying signals using many base stations, each of which covers only a small area called a cell. Phones that use this system are usually called mobile phones.
colleague: A person who works with another person, a colleague or team member.
COVID-19: SARS-CoV-2: The name given to the disease that caused a major global pandemic in 2020. It is caused by a novel coronavirus that first emerged in 2019 and is known as SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms include pneumonia, difficulty breathing, fatigue that limits the ability to walk more than a few steps, fever, headache, low blood oxygen levels, blood clots, and brain “fog.”
defense: (in biology) the natural defensive behavior or chemical response that a species undergoes when faced with a predator or a substance that may cause harm. (adjective: defensive)
ethics: (adjective: ethical) A code of conduct regarding how people interact with other people and the environment. To be ethical, people must treat others fairly, avoid any form of cheating or injustice, and avoid taking or using resources beyond their fair share (i.e., avoid greed). Ethical behavior also does not put others at risk without warning people of the danger in advance and allowing them to choose to accept the potential risk. Professionals who work in this field are known as ethicists.
gene: (adjective: genetic) The part of DNA that contains the code, or instructions, for a cell to make proteins. Offspring inherit genes from their parents. Genes affect how an organism looks and behaves.
genetically: It has to do with chromosomes, DNA, and the genes that DNA contains. The branch of science that deals with these biological instructions is known as genetics. People who work in this field are geneticists.
Immunity: (noun: immune) an adjective describing something relating to immunity. (verb) Able to prevent a particular infection. Alternatively, the term may be used to mean that an organism is not affected by exposure to a particular poison or process. More generally, the term may indicate that something is not harmed by a particular drug, disease, or chemical.
Immune system: A collection of cells and their responses that help the body fight infections and deal with foreign substances that may cause allergies.
infection: A disease that spreads from one organism to another, usually caused by some kind of microorganism.
information: (as opposed to data) A fact provided about something or someone, or a trend learned, often as a result of the study of data.
interferon: A protein released by cells when exposed to a virus that helps protect the body from infection by inhibiting the virus's ability to replicate.
Pandemic: A disease outbreak that affects a large portion of the population in most parts of the world. The most notable in recent decades is the long-running global COVID-19 pandemic, which was officially declared by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020.
protein: A compound made up of one or more long chains of amino acids. Proteins are essential components of all living organisms. They form the basis of living cells, muscles, and tissues, and also function within cells. Antibodies, hemoglobin, and enzymes are all examples of proteins. Medicines often work by attaching to proteins.
range: The complete extent or distribution of something. For example, the range of a plant or animal is the area in which it naturally occurs. (In mathematics or measurement) The range over which a value varies (such as maximum to minimum temperature). Also, the distance over which something can be reached or perceived.
danger: The chance or mathematical probability of something bad happening. For example, the risk of getting cancer from exposure to radiation. Or the danger, or harm itself. (For example: Among the cancer risks people faced were radiation and arsenic-contaminated drinking water..
SARS-CoV-2: A coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China in late December 2019 and has caused widespread and sometimes deadly illness throughout China and many other countries. Its name reflects its similarity to the first coronavirus known as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which caused a global disease outbreak in 2003.
subtle: An adjective that describes something that may be important but is difficult to see or describe. For example, the first cellular changes that indicate the beginning of cancer may only be slightly different, small and hard to distinguish, from nearby healthy tissue.
Symptoms: A physical or mental indicator commonly regarded as characteristic of illness. A single symptom, especially a common symptom such as fever or pain, may be a sign of many different kinds of injury or illness.
system: A network of parts working together to accomplish some function. For example, blood, blood vessels, and the heart are the main components of the human body's circulatory system. Similarly, trains, platforms, tracks, road signals, and overpasses are some of the potential components of a country's rail system. System can also apply to a process or idea that is part of some method or ordered series of steps to complete a task.
England: The land that includes four “countries”: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. More than 80% of the UK's inhabitants live in England. Many people, including UK residents, debate whether the UK is a country or a union of four separate countries. The United Nations and most foreign governments treat the UK as a single nation.
vaccine: (verb to vaccinate) A biological mixture that resembles a pathogen, administered to make the body immune to a particular disease. The injection used to administer most vaccines is known as a vaccination.
virus: A small infectious particle consisting of genetic material (RNA or DNA) surrounded by protein. A virus can only reproduce by injecting its genetic material into the cells of an organism. Scientists often refer to viruses as either living or dead, but in fact many scientists argue that there are no truly living viruses. Viruses do not eat like animals or make their own food like plants; they must hijack the cellular machinery of a living cell in order to survive.
Source: www.snexplores.org
