Science Diction

Serendipity and Syzygy: Fortunate Accidents


Listen Later

How did a country's name end up inside the word, “serendipity"? And what’s a “syzygy"? And, more importantly, why does it have so many y’s?   

Over the past year, several listeners have written to us asking about these two words. Now, we answer—with a little help. Eli Chen and Justine Paradis join us for a round of Diction Dash, where Johanna tries (and usually fails) to guess the correct origin or meaning of a word. 

If you want us to cover a word on the show, get in touch! Give us a call, leave a message, and we might play it on the show. The number is 929-499-WORD, or 929-499-9673. Or, you can always send an email to [email protected]

Guests: 

Justine Paradis is a reporter and producer for Outside/In from New Hampshire Public Radio. 

Eli Chen is senior editor of Overheard at National Geographic

Footnotes & Further Reading: 

More on how a syzygy helped free the Suez ship at the Wall Street Journal

Read The Three Princes of Serendip

Credits: 

Science Diction is produced by Johanna Mayer and Senior Producer and Editor Elah Feder. Daniel Peterschmidt composed all our music. Fact checking by Robin Palmer. Nadja Oertelt is our Chief Content Officer.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Science DictionBy Science Friday and WNYC Studios

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

598 ratings


More shows like Science Diction

View all
Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,088 Listeners

The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters by American Public Media

The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

2,998 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,929 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,540 Listeners

Selected Shorts by Symphony Space

Selected Shorts

2,813 Listeners

The Moth by The Moth

The Moth

27,246 Listeners

the memory palace by Nate DiMeo

the memory palace

6,843 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,037 Listeners

TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

22,136 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,439 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,623 Listeners

Science Vs by Spotify Studios

Science Vs

11,994 Listeners

Ologies with Alie Ward by Alie Ward

Ologies with Alie Ward

23,554 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

15,953 Listeners

Unexplainable by Vox

Unexplainable

2,169 Listeners