peaknik n.— «Many of the new, nontraditional preparedness converts are “Peakniks,” Mr. Rawles said, referring to adherents of the “Peak Oil” theory. This concept holds that the world will soon, or has already, reached a peak in oil...
God spot n.— «That conflicts not only with the limbic-system theory but also with earlier reports of a so-called God Spot that derived partly from work conducted on epileptics. These reports suggested that religiosity originates...
single-sort recycling n.— «One means of increasing the rate is a user-friendly method called “single-stream,” or “single-sort” recycling. All commodities, usually with the exception of cardboard, which is fetching...
single-stream recycling n.— «One means of increasing the rate is a user-friendly method called “single-stream,” or “single-sort” recycling. All commodities, usually with the exception of cardboard, which is...
wicked problem n.— «Some observers have taken a page from urban planning theory to describe Iraq as a “wicked problem”—a term coined to describe complex and divisive issues, such as building a new highway through a city or...
ambulance-chasing n.— «As a result, theorists haven’t been able to resist interpreting these statistically suspect results. It’s an activity that Neil Turok of Princeton University (himself a theorist) describes as “ambulance...