Xenobiology is the study of alien lifeforms and is a subdiscipline withing the Xenological sciences. It is often referred to as Astrobiology, a word coined in 1954 by science fiction writer Robert Heinlein in his work The Star Beast. Due to the fact no extraterrestrials have been found, xenobiology has been described as a "science in search of a subject."
Another XXX X_ology word
Xylology: The branch of dendrology treating of the structure of wood.
And that's it for today. Wish I had more for you guys, but X is a difficult letter. Those of you doing the A-Z challenge, did you find the post for X easy or difficult to write? Anyway, hang in there, you're in the final stretch! :D
I think the concept of xenobiology could be the premise for many sci-fi movies, TV shows, and books.
ReplyDeleteIt really is amazing that you couldn't find a w-ology, yet there are two x-ologies. Who would have though.
ReplyDeleteRhonda @Laugh Quotes
Xenobiology - what a great word and subject! I'm a big SF fan, so I love it. :-)
ReplyDeleteInteresting to have a study without technically having a subject to study. :-)
ReplyDeleteXenobiology and sci-fi go hand in hand.
ReplyDeleteWhere are you finding all these words from?
ReplyDeleteCoined by Heinlein? Now that's very cool.
ReplyDeletethis is pretty darned entertaining! sharing my new knowledge with others...
ReplyDeletehere's my post from yesterday...
http://smhasty.blogspot.com/2013/04/26-books-that-changed-my-life-23.html
I wish xylology had been the study of xylophones though.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to write my X sentence and have no idea what it will look like or how much hair will be eXtracted from my head in the process!
That woul be fun to study, although if i were an alien I' never show my face near humans as they'd dissect me the first chance they got.
ReplyDeleteXenobiology in search of a subject, so true, couldn't have Scifi without it.
ReplyDeleteKatie atBankerchick Scratchings
That video clip posed a frightening thought, we do assume we are able to communicate with other species and don't even consider the concept of creatures that much more intelligent than us. Now I feel like a worm.
ReplyDeleteJO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE
I had to laugh at Jo's comment. I just hope the aliens have reached a level where they just want to monitor us, not take our planet away. . .
ReplyDeleteI never knew there were so many 'ologies'!
Thank you Neil de Grasse Tyson! You are my hero sir! My hero I say!
ReplyDeleteI love his quote: "The facts are true whether or not you choose to believe them!" Neil is often a visitor and/or quoted in the Atheist sub-reddit forum along with super smart Sam Harris (another hero of mine) and Richard Dawkins.
Don't want to spill too much of my atheism here or I'll attract a fundie that will be all up in arms and say "science hasn't disproved god" which is the argument all of them say. It never strikes them that the scientific method thrusts the onus of proof on their shoulders and not the scientific community. In other words, if you believe in something or have a hypothesis about something, you must provide supporting evidence. That's how it works. Not the other way around. "You've got to disprove my belief that Bigfoot is real or I'll still believe in it!" Nope...you must provide evidence to me that Bigfoot is real or I dismiss you as a crackpot. Ayep.
Anyway...I love Neil. He's my favorite!
Hi Elise ... Xylology I can understand .. thank you! Love the rings of trees .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteYou said "wood"... (insert Beavis and Butthead laughter) -ahem-, I mean....I never knew they also had a study of wood.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of Xenobiology before, mainly from watching Star Trek :)
riot on, el! :)
ReplyDeletewhat do they call the study of Xs * kisses, of course* all over a naked body...
Good grief, Elise. And here's me thinking that "Xenobiology" was the study of a warrior princess. Oops, that 'Xenabiology'! :)
ReplyDeleteHeck, I did the "X" letter about three weeks ago. It was easy!
Happy holidaying or vacationing, Elise.
Gary :)
Who knows maybe one day they will be a science with a subject at least there is the SiFi books for now.
ReplyDeleteGood job finding a suitable word. Visiting from A-Z
ReplyDeleteXenobiology is a very cool word, and I'm sure there are many tin hats among us who believe that there are xenobiologists hard at work in secret laboratories even as I type. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the word xylology--say that aloud and it sounds like you have a mouth full of marbles.
I love the challenge of finding the X word for these challenges. Good job, Elise. I learned something new today.
ReplyDelete