genotoxicity
n.— «He described a process known as genotoxicity, which begins when depleted uranium dust is inhaled. “The particles that dissolve pose a risk—part radioactive—and part from the chemical toxicity in the lung,” he said. Later, he said, the material enters the body and the blood stream, potentially affecting bone marrow, the lymphatic system and the kidneys.» —“Depleted uranium risk ‘ignored’” BBC News Nov. 1, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Deb in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, says that when her mother was disappointed or annoyed she’d say Wouldn’t that just cork you? The idea here is that in the same way that a cork that stops up a bottle, an unexpected or irritating event...
Several years ago, the National Endowment for the Arts devoted a whole issue of its magazine to the topic of “The Art of Failure: The Importance of Risk and Experimentation.” Writers, artists, and musicians all shared their insights...