helicopter research
n.— «I made them a promise that we weren’t going to practice what is known as “helicopter research,” where you go into a community, get your research data, publish a paper and walk away.» —“Two hospitals work with Senecas” by Don Glynn Niagara Gazette (New York) Apr. 11, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...