ScienceJuly 13, 2026
cataractogenesis
/ˌkætəˌræktəˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/
Definition
The biological process by which a cataract, a clouding of the eye's lens, forms or develops.
Etymology
The word is a combination of 'cataract' (from the Latin 'cataracta', meaning waterfall or portcullis) and the suffix '-genesis' (from the Greek 'genesis', meaning origin or creation). It was coined in medical science to describe the specific origin and development of this ocular condition.
In the news
The article uses this term to refer to the study of how exposure to ionizing radiation during spaceflight can trigger or contribute to the formation of cataracts in astronauts.
NASA Spaceline Current Awareness List #1,207 10 July 2026 (Space Life Science Research Results)
Read the full article ↗Astrobiology Web