meteoritics
mee-tee-uh-RIT-iks
Definition
The scientific study of meteorites, including their composition, structure, and classification.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Greek 'meteōros' (meaning 'lofty' or 'raised in the air') combined with the suffix '-ics' denoting a branch of knowledge. It entered English in the 19th century to describe the burgeoning systematic study of extraterrestrial material recovered on Earth.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe a specialized field within astrobiology that remains distinct from the biological domains focused on spaceflight stressors. It highlights how different scientific disciplines occupy different regions in a semantic map of knowledge.
SpaceBio Knowledge Hub: A LiteratOmics Platform for Microgravity and Space Biology Research
Read the full article ↗Astrobiology Web