aquatic: An adjective that refers to water.
astronomy: The area of science that deals with celestial objects, space and the physical universe. People who work in this field are called astronomers.
biologist: A scientist involved in the study of living things.
data: Facts and/or statistics collected together for analysis but not necessarily organized in a way that gives them meaning. For digital information (the type stored by computers), those data typically are numbers stored in a binary code, portrayed as strings of zeros and ones.
drone: A remote-controlled, pilotless aircraft or missile.
eel: A fish with a snake-like body and no scales. Many migrate from freshwater to salt water when it’s time to spawn. Note: Electric eels are not true eels but a type of knifefish.
extinct: An adjective that describes a species for which there are no living members.
field: An area of study, as in: Her field of research is biology.
freshwater: A noun or adjective that describes bodies of water with very low concentrations of salt. It’s the type of water used for drinking and making up most inland lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, as well as groundwater.
hydrophone: A microphone that detects sound waves under water.
indigenous: Native to some region. (in anthropology) An adjective (and capitalized) for people that have lived for eons in some region, developing a culture that reflects the resources, climate and ecosystems of that place.
mass: A number that shows how much an object resists speeding up and slowing down — basically a measure of how much matter that object is made from.
moa: Large, wingless birds that lived in New Zealand until going extinct about 500 years ago.
New Zealand: An island nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean, roughly 1,500 kilometers (some 900 miles) east of Australia. Its “mainland” — consisting of a North and South Island — is quite volcanically active. In addition, the country includes many far smaller offshore islands.
paleontology: The branch of science concerned with ancient, fossilized animals and plants. The scientists who study them are known as paleontologists.
physics: The scientific study of the nature and properties of matter and energy. Classical physics is an explanation of the nature and properties of matter and energy that relies on descriptions such as Newton’s laws of motion. Quantum physics, a field of study that emerged later, is a more accurate way of explaining the motions and behavior of matter. A scientist who works in such areas is known as a physicist.
population: (in biology) A group of individuals (belonging to the same species) that lives in a given area.
sea: An ocean (or region that is part of an ocean). Unlike lakes and streams, seawater — or ocean water — is salty.
statistics: The practice or science of collecting and analyzing numerical data in large quantities and interpreting their meaning. Much of this work involves reducing errors that might be attributable to random variation. A professional who works in this field is called a statistician.
supernatural: Something that is attributed to unnatural forces, such as gods or ghosts.
tool: An object that a person or other animal makes or obtains and then uses to carry out some purpose such as reaching food, defending itself or grooming.
wood: A porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees, shrubs and other woody plants.
zoology: The study of animals and their habitats. Scientists who undertake this work are known as zoologists.
