ADMIRAL BEADNELL'S “Dictionary of Scientific Terms” was first published four years ago, and was warmly welcomed by high authorities for its comprehensiveness, its accuracy and its utility. A new ...

Times change, and so do languages. And in order to be useful, dictionaries must also be tweaked every now and then. The lexicographers at Merriam-Webster announced today (Feb. 7) that they have added ...

What do you really know about terms like warp drives and transporters? You likely associate them with Star Trek, but what else? You can expand your knowledge of these and other science-fiction words ...

The new online Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction probes the speculative corners of the lexicographic universe. By Jennifer Schuessler “Warp speed” may be a term of the moment, thanks to the ...

Scientific American is part of Springer Nature, which owns or has commercial relations with thousands of scientific publications (many of them can be found at www ...

One thing nerds like to argue about is what nerds are allowed to argue about. If you agree to stipulate that science fiction is often one of those things—and, hey, we could argue about that—then a ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...