Nephology is the rather quaint study of clouds, taking its name from the Greek word for these watery masses, nephos. But this is no fluffy subject. From cumulus to cirrus, it casts a weather eye on the composition of clouds, the forms they take and their role in the Earth’s climate
Illustration: Laszlito
The scientific study of fruits takes its name from the Latin for such produce, pomum, the same word behind pomme, the French for apple. Research covers many aspects of fruit cultivation, from biological to environmental conundrums facing growers
Illustration: Laszlito
While Mars, the Roman god of war, gave his name to the fourth rock from the sun, his Greek counterpart, Ares, donates his moniker to the scientific study of this red planet with the portmanteau of Ares and geology giving rise to Areology
Illustration: Laszlito
As well as producing the sweet stuff, honeybees play a vital role in our ecosystem, pollinating key crops. In recent years populations of these insects have suffered a sharp decline, making apiology, the study of honeybees, more important than ever
Illustration: Laszlito
If you’ve ever wondered if there is anything out there, you are not alone. Dedicated to the search for the existence of life beyond Earth, and how life began on our planet, exobiology took off in the 1960s supported with astrophysicists such as the charismatic Carl Sagan
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Speleologists are not afraid of being in a tight spot - it’s their job to explore the deep, dark and mysterious innards of caves. But speleology is not just about derring-do; the scientific field also aims to understand the formation, environment and fauna of caves
Illustration: Laszlito
Without a Doctor Dolittle available to ask animals what they are up to, scientists created a whole new field devoted to the study of animal behaviour. Such research takes its name from the Greek ethos, meaning character
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Dendrology is the scientific study of woody plants such as shrubs and trees, with research ranging from identifying trees by their leaf shape to investigating their relationships with wildlife and probing the economic importance of different species
Illustration: Laszlito
