2010。11。21
smallest fish
A fish that was captured about twenty-five years ago, but which was left unstudied all this time, is now revealed to be a new species. And not only that, but the new species sets the new world record for smallest and lightest fish, as well as for smallest and lightest animal with a backbone.
The largest of the specimens studied, and the only female, measures about a third of an inch long. The males are a tad over a quarter inch long. They weigh so little that it would take about five hundred thousand of the little guys and gals to accumulate a pound.
The fish do possess characteristics typical of fish larvae. They lack pigmentation and are transparent. And they lack teeth and scales. Fish with these characteristics are called infantfish even though they’re mature. Scientists call this new species stout infantfish because they’re a tad thicker than other infantfish.
And where can one find world's smallest and lightest fish?
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, but only a handful of specimens have been found so fa


2011.02.28
Transcript.
The Word of the Day for January 1st is beatific, spelled B-E-A-T-I-F-I-C.
Beatific is an adjective that means of, possessing, or imparting a state of utmost bliss. It can also mean having a blissful appearance as in this sentence:
“A beatific smile spread across Grandmother’s face as she reminisced about her wedding day.”
"Beatific," from the Latin word "beatificus" meaning "making happy", first occurred in English in the phrase "beatific vision," a theological allusion to the direct sight of God enjoyed by the blessed in heaven. Although "beatific" originally meant "conferring happiness," the word now more frequently means "expressing happiness," and a blissfully joyful look or appearance may be called "beatific." A closely related word is "beatitude," which can refer to a state of utmost bliss. You may also know "the beatitudes" as a series of blessings from Jesus in the Bible.
With your Word of the Day this New Year’s Day, I’m Peter Sokolowski, thanks for listening.


2011.02.28
The Word of the Day for January 2nd is embargo, spelled E-M-B-A-R-G-O.
Embargo is a noun that means an order of a government prohibiting the departure of commercial ships from its ports. It can also mean a legal prohibition on commerce, or stoppage, impediment or prohibition. Here is the word used in a sentence.
"Because of the trade embargo against Cuba, certain items, such as Cuban cigars are illegal in the United States."
Embargoes may be put in place for any number of reasons. For instance, a government may place a trade embargo against another country to express its disapproval with that country's policies. But governments are not the only bodies that can place embargoes. A publisher, for example, could place an embargo on a highly anticipated book to prevent stores from selling it before its official release date. The word "embargo," dating from the late 16th century, derives via the Spanish word "embargar" from the Vulgar Latin word "imbarricare," formed from the prefix "in-" and the noun "barra" meaning "bar".
With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski, thanks for listening.


2011.03.01
The Word of the Day for January 3rd is gloze, spelled G-L-O-Z-E.
Gloze is a verb that means to mask the true nature of something or to give a deceptively attractive appearance to something. It can also mean to deal with a subject or problem too lightly or not at all. Here is the word used in a sentence from Eleanor Perenyi's 《Green Thoughts》.
"His modesty and shyness were at any rate proverbial, and it does seem that he went out of his way to conceal or gloze over certain aspects of his career, his military exploits in particular."
"Gloze" and its synonym "gloss" have long, intertwined histories. "Gloze," which comes from the Middle English word for "flattery," "plausible pretext," or "explanation of a difficult word," is the older of the two words; it has been used as both a verb and a noun since the 14th century. The noun "gloss" referring to an explanation or interpretation, first appeared in the mid-16th century as an alteration of "gloze", and the verb "gloss" followed about a century later. During the 19th century, "gloze" briefly took on the additional meaning "to brighten" adapting the meaning of another, unrelated "gloss," and referring to luster or brightness, but by the end of the 19th century all users of "gloze" had faded into relative obscurity. "Gloss," on the other hand, has flourished and continues to be by far, the more common term today.
With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski, thanks for listening


The Word of the Day for January 4th is felicitous, spelled F-E-L-I-C-I-T-O-U-S.
Felicitous is an adjective that means very well suited or expressed, apt. It can also mean pleasant or delightful. Here is the word used in a sentence.
The film's score, at least, is felicitous, as it lends emotional intensity to the otherwise wooden acting.
The adjective "felicitous" has been a part of our language since the late 18th century, but "felicity," the noun meaning "great happiness," and later, "aptness," was around even in Middle English as "felicite," a borrowing from Anglo-French. Both words ultimately derive from the Latin adjective "felix," meaning "fruitful" or "happy." The connection between "happy" and "felicitous" continues today in that both words can mean "notably fitting, effective, or well adapted." "Happy" typically suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate as in "a happy choice of words", and "felicitous" often implies an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful as in "a felicitous phrase".
With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski, thanks for listening


The Word of the Day for January 5th is myrmidon, spelled M-Y-R-M-I-D-O-N. Myrmidon is a noun that means a loyal follower, especially a subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly or unscrupulously. Here is the word used in a sentence.
"The boss was more likely to offer promotions to her myrmidons than to those workers who occasionally questioned her tactics or proposed alternate solutions."
The Myrmidons, legendary inhabitants of Thessaly in Greece, were known for their fierce devotion to their king, Achilles, who led them in the Trojan War. "Myrmex" means "ant" in Greek, an image that evokes small and insignificant workers mindlessly fulfilling their duty. Whether the original Myrmidons were given their name for that reason is open to question. The "ant" association is strong, however. Some say the name is from a legendary ancestor who once had the form of an ant; others say that the Myrmidons were actually transformed from ants. In any case, since the 1400s, we've employed "myrmidons" in its not-always-complimentary, ant-evoking figurative sense.
With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski, thanks for listening.