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Post by TfS on Apr 26, 2008 12:32:01 GMT
I've always wondered about meterologists in that they "study and forecast the weather and climate" but then what do we call those who "study meteors"?
TfS
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Post by Tone on Apr 26, 2008 20:46:53 GMT
what do we call those who "study meteors"?
Meteoriteologists?
And if you miss the "eo" out of meteorologists you get blokes wot study measuring things!
Tone
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Post by Barry on Apr 26, 2008 22:56:44 GMT
The trouble is that they all have the same root, but the English etymology has been twisted in different ways (probably by different people). Both words derive from a Greek compound meteoron, which means 'something floating in the air', or 'some sort of atmospheric phenomenon'. So, it could be weather, or a rock! ;D
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Post by TfS on Apr 27, 2008 13:27:51 GMT
...or a UFO  |
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Post by Moby Dick on Apr 27, 2008 17:17:11 GMT
From the Wikipedia:
A meteoroid is a small sand to boulder-sized particle of debris in the Solar system. The visible path of a meteoroid that enters Earth's (or another body's) atmosphere is a meteor, commonly called a "shooting star" or "falling star".
I would add that a meteorite is a meteoroid that has successfully traversed the atmosphere and collided with the Earth.
In fact the word meteor can be used to describe any visible atmospheric phenomenon such as a rainbow or lightning or even clouds. Meteorologists, study these phenomena and, since most are intimately related to the weather, the term has become used to describe the study of weather too, but not climate: the study of climate is called climatology. It is only relatively recently in the history of science that it has been understood that shooting stars are not strictly atmospheric phenomena, which explains why such apparently diverse domains of study are linked by the same word.
Meteorites are terrestrial objects, albeit of extra-terrestrial origin, so people who study them are most likely to be called geologists. They are also rocks, so they might be studied by petrologists. However, as Tone says, the term meteoriteology is used to describe the narrow specialism.
Meteoriteology is fascinating because it is the only real word that I have ever looked up on Google that didn't receive a single hit.
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Post by Tone on Apr 27, 2008 20:36:34 GMT
as Tone says, the term meteoriteology is used to describe the narrow specialism.
Meteoriteology is fascinating because it is the only real word that I have ever looked up on Google that didn't receive a single hit.Aw c'mon, real? Can't be real if it's not on Google. I made it up. But, the real answer, which I held back on: meteo'riticist /-sIst/ n. an expert in or student of meteoritics M20. meteo'ritics n. the branch of science that deals with meteors and meteorites E20. Tone (Anybody deciphered Tone's avatar yet?)
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Post by Sue M-V on Apr 27, 2008 21:03:05 GMT
Hand flailing wildly:
"Me, me, sir!"
Sue
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Post by Barry on Apr 28, 2008 0:05:51 GMT
Looks like a ciggy dropped on a bit of toast ...
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noel
New Member
Posts: 14 
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Post by noel on Apr 28, 2008 9:07:35 GMT
meteo'riticist
- sounds like a well-fed porn star
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Post by Alan Palmer on Apr 28, 2008 14:14:22 GMT
Champagne cork?
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Post by Dave on May 2, 2008 5:02:17 GMT
PMT
Dave
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Post by Dave on May 2, 2008 6:00:37 GMT
Sorry--didn't know it'd already been revealed elsewhere.
Dave
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Post by Barry on May 2, 2008 8:39:32 GMT
Has it? Maybe I've missed it, but I can't remember seeing a definite confirmation by Tone as to what it is! Welcome, dave - have you not joined yet?  |
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Post by Sue M-V on May 2, 2008 12:49:51 GMT
Hi there, Dave! Jolly nice to see you. Why don't you fill in (out?) the form and join in proper?
If you are some other Dave, then I apologise for my familiarity.
Sue
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