Nova S31E12: English vocabulary

thick mucus from the nose

to make something smaller, shorter, or more compact

a very tiny living thing that can only be seen with a microscope

a person who frees others from control, prison, or oppression

to change into a fossil over a very long time

to destroy something badly or cause it to fail completely

to attract and hold someone's attention or interest strongly

having a rounded top like a dome

to dig in the ground to find something buried, especially old objects or remains

a slight amount of color or a small trace of a quality

a strange or complicated machine or device

a brief smell that you notice for a moment

to produce and release a substance from a cell, gland, or organ

the process that green plants use to make food from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide

a strong smell, especially smoke, gas, or vapor

the green substance in plants that helps them use sunlight to make food

the amount of acid in something

more able or skilled than someone or something else

a very small, thin piece of something that has broken off or been cut from a larger piece

to change sugar or other substances into alcohol, gas, or acid using yeast or bacteria

belief that something is true or real

a colorless gas used as a fuel for heating and cooking

the Fahrenheit temperature scale, where water freezes at 32° and boils at 212°

existing from the earliest time; very ancient

clean, fresh, and in perfect condition, as if new

something that makes a surface, line, or shape even or level

a very small living thing, such as a bacterium or virus

an advantage or starting position that helps you make progress

to think carefully about something for a while

to stop someone from breathing by covering their nose and mouth

very dry because there is little rain

extremely large

extremely impressive or surprising

extremely small; too small to see without a microscope

a sudden heavy attack with guns, shells, or other weapons

having spikes or sharp points

to make something more varied or different

difficult to find, catch, understand, or remember

a small wave or series of small waves on the surface of water

moving with quick, light jumps

a small container with a narrow neck, used for holding liquids

a small, tight group or mass of things

relating to planets

similar in character, type, or quality

temporary and improvised, used because the proper thing is not available

relating to the part of sunlight that you cannot see and that can damage skin

set back into a surface so it does not stick out

a ball of packed snow, often thrown in play

to copy the way something looks, sounds, or behaves

to make an exact copy of something or repeat an experiment or result

sheets, blankets, and other things used on a bed

very clever and original; showing inventiveness

covered with slime or feeling wet and slippery

to talk in a casual, lively way

fastened with laces

a process that makes cloth stiffer and stronger by coating it with a special substance

to continue to exist or be remembered

a chemical compound made of oxygen and another element

a small organic compound that is used to build proteins

a scientist who studies sea life

the substances that something is made of and the amounts of each one

a compound of iron and oxygen

a microscope that uses electrons instead of light to see very tiny objects

relating to bacteria or caused by bacteria

to lie or sit in the sun to get a tan or enjoy the warmth

a form of oxygen with three atoms in each molecule

a game in which a player or side must reach five points before the other side does

to think of someone or something in a particular way

a substance that gives color to paint, ink, or other materials

a heavy attack using bombs, shells, or other weapons

the use of several layers, especially in clothing

a piece of rock or metal from space that lands on Earth

to end up in a situation by accident or because of circumstances

a bright streak of light in the sky caused by a small rock burning up in the atmosphere

a very small living thing made of one cell; some types can cause disease

a thick, wet, slippery substance that is unpleasant to touch