FOR THIS year鈥檚 Feedback competition, readers were invited to invent a new scientific word that we need and define it in an appropriately pompous way. The competition attracted more entries than any previous one, and the standard was impressively high. The first shortlist of potential winners contained more than 50 entries, and whittling it down to just 10 was quite a challenge. We were interested, too, to note that in a competition about word definitions, readers embraced such a variety of definitions of the word 鈥減ompous鈥� 鈥� including, in some cases, the short and the pithy. But who are we to argue? The word鈥檚 the thing 鈥� and here, in alphabetical order, are the 10 winning neologisms, chosen with the judicious help of the New 杏吧原创 staff.
Coyotus Interruptus A momentary suspension of the law of gravity, usually accompanied by the sudden realisation of impending gravitational acceleration. The term is derived from the name of its discoverer, Wile E. Coyote (Carnivorous vulgaris), who often observed the phenomenon when, in pursuit of Road Runner (Accelerati incredibilis), he was propelled at high velocity from a precipice of sedimentary rock by an apparatus of his own contrivance or by a commercial product, such as Fleet-Foot Jet-Propelled Tennis Shoes (ACME, Inc).
Jacqueline Jaeger Houtman, Madison
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Wisconsin, US
Demiverse We only have eyes in the fronts of our heads, so the existence of a whole universe is an unwarranted assumption. The known fact that people turn round and walk into you after buying their ticket demonstrates that there is only a demiverse, and that there is a delay in the unobserved half re-establishing itself.
Clive Bashford, London, UK
Encyclopediatrician A person dealing with the knowledge of all branches of children鈥檚 stuff.
Jay Thacker, Gaithersburg, Maryland, US
Helixir A drug to improve longevity that is based on a person鈥檚 genetic make-up.
Frances Smyth, Palmerstown, Dublin,
Ireland
Hypochronia Medical syndrome caused by having insufficient time to achieve the day鈥檚 tasks. Symptoms include cold sweats, jitters, inability to concentrate, rudeness towards colleagues and family (on rare occasions when patient is at home during waking hours), and a tendency to spend time creating and rearranging computer checklists of things to do rather than actually doing them.
Simon Grove, Taroona, Tasmania
Illusogenic A class of drug produced by the unscrupulous in response to the ailments of the gullible (for example, hair restorer).
John Wake, Harlow, Essex, UK
Monotologue A lecture or presentation delivered by one person on one subject with one viewpoint in one tone and one rhythm.
Jim Watt, Birmingham, UK
Stringfellows Collective term for a group of harmonious physicists.
Neil Donovan,
Terarist Presenter who intimidates his audience with large numbers.
David Craig, Edinburgh, UK
The Hogg鈥檚 Bison Undiscovered theoretical particle of matter requiring $800 billion in funding to find. If found, it really will enable pigs to fly.
David Lloyd, High Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire, UK
CONGRATULATIONS to the winners. Thanks to the generosity of its makers, they will each receive a bottle of Labrot & Graham鈥檚 award-winning Woodford Reserve bourbon whiskey, and, thanks to Cambridge University Press, they will also receive a copy of Climate: Into the 21st century, the overview of our weather edited by William Burroughs.
AND if you have enjoyed these winning words and would like to see more, you can see the 10 runners-up on our website, www.newscientist.com. Click on 鈥淚n this issue鈥� and scroll down to Feedback.
IT ONLY remains to thank the many hundreds of you who entered the competition, and also the many thousands of you (yes, really) who have written to Feedback over the past year with contributions and comments. It is impossible for us to respond individually to everyone who writes, and we are only able to publish a small fraction of the contributions we receive. But we do appreciate them all. Feedback would be nothing without you.
So, to all our readers: happy holiday, and best wishes for the new year.
From the department of silly comparisons. The BBC South Ceefax page recently ran a report about Britain鈥檚 biggest Christmas tree, at Wakehurst Palace Royal Botanic Gardens in Sussex, assuring us that the tree, 35 metres tall and covered in lights, is 鈥渁s bright as 27 electric fires鈥�