Why do we speak of trying to egg on a person, meaning to urge them to do something? Martha explains that the egg in this case has nothing to do with chickens. This kind of “egg” is derives from an old root that means to “urge on...
It’s never too late to start learning Latin, a language that will deepen your understanding and appreciation of English. Martha offers tips on how to begin: Getting Started with Latin, by William E. Linney, and Virent Ova! Viret Perna! (Green...
Olympic Village Effect n.— «These frontline toads are reproducing with each other to create what scientists call the “Olympic Village Effect.” They are making fast moving babies with bigger front legs and longer back legs...
embaby n.— «I went for another beta today and I’m waiting for the results. I also had an u/s and I could see one little embryo!! It was amazing to see. My RE said there could be another one or two that pops up since we’re still so early...
Martha muses about the secret lives of flowers in this week’s podcast. She’s been pondering the lexical legacy of Carolus Linnaeus, the great Swedish botanist who nearly 300 years ago was criticized for his fascination with what was a...
nom de womb n.— «Well, I feel pregnant. Much more so than I did last month with the chemical. This feels like it felt with Joseph, which is reassuring in a way because after all, my entire pregnancy with him was normal and easy, right up...