ScienceSeptember 2, 2026

polystyrene

pah-lee-STY-reen

Definition

A clear, lightweight, synthetic plastic polymer used in the article as the material of the tiny bead levitated by sound waves.

Etymology

The word is a chemical compound derived from 'poly-' (many) and 'styrene,' which itself comes from 'storax,' a resin produced by certain trees that was historically the source of the chemical compound.

In the news

The article uses a bead made of polystyrene to demonstrate the capabilities of a new long-range acoustic levitation device. Its lightweight nature makes it an ideal test object for showing how sound pressure can counteract gravity.

Scientists Built a Sound ‘Tractor Beam’ That Can Move Objects From Nearly Half a Meter Away

Read the full article ↗

ZME Science

Related words

aerogel

An extremely lightweight, synthetic, porous solid derived from a gel in which the liquid…

Science

agrigenomics

The branch of genomics that focuses on the study of agricultural organisms to improve…

Science

archaeogenomic

Relating to the study of ancient biological samples through the analysis of their genomic…

Science

arginine

A basic, positively charged amino acid characterized by a guanidinium group, known in…

Science

envenomation

The act of injecting venom into an organism, typically through a bite or sting, resulting…

Science

guanidinium

A specific chemical group, derived from guanidine, that features a central carbon atom…

Science

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.