Mercury

1. Innermost planet in the solar system, and officially the smallest major planet since Pluto was demoted to the newly created category of dwarf planet in 2006. Diameter c. 3,050 miles. Large iron core, pitted surface, negligible atmosphere. Orbital period 88 days. Rotational period 59 days. Surface temperature ranges from minus 180 to plus 430 degrees Centigrade. No natural satellites. Gravity at surface about 38 percent of Earth gravity. Currently (in 2008) being mapped by the MESSENGER space probe.

2. The planet's namesake was the messenger god of ancient Rome, well known for his winged sandals and identified with intersex identity and hermaphroditism. Greek counterpart was Hermes.

3. Stage surname of lead singer Freddie of the rock group Queen. Born Farrokh Bulsara September 5th 1946, died of AIDS-related pneumonia on November 24th 1991. With his band provided much of the soundtrack for various movies, most notably Higlander. A real character.

4. Metallic chemical element, liquid at room temperature, density around 13.5 grammes per cubic centimetre (or times that of water), atomic number 80. Symbol Hg, from Latin Hydrargyrum, derived from Greek form meaning "water-silver". Toxic when ingested or vapours inhaled, affects nervous system, used in barometers, thermometers and numerous other applications.

Mercury has been visited by the spacecraft Mariner 10 and MESSENGER.

Please Mercury, may my courier reach Julius Octavius in time.

Freddie Mercury ROCKED.

Make sure you don't bite the thermometer too hard, or you'll get shards of glass in your mouth and a few drops of mercury down your throat.

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Supernova

Violent explosion of a star. The star is destroyed, with a remnant forming a neutron star (pulsar) or black hole (collapsar) depending on the residual mass.

There are generally two forms of supernova. One results at the end of the life of a star with at least about eight solar masses, which in a series of progressively shorter-lived and less efficient thermonuclear reactions generates ever heavier chemical elements in layers about the core. Effectively this is a star that lives fast and dies young. When each step in the process chokes up the core with nuclear "ash", contractions follow under gravity, driving up temperatures until they are sufficient to synthesise the next heavy element from this waste product. When the core fills with iron, the end point is reached; it takes more energy to fuse iron into anything heavier than the fusion reaction produces. At this point the star collapses, driving temperatures into perhaps twelve figures Kelvin and triggering an explosion that blows most of the star to smithereens.

A second type occurs in close orbiting binary systems where one star A, being more massive, evolves more quickly to the red giant phase and develops a thin outer envelope and a core rich in carbon. Its companion B skims off the outer layer, grows in mass and itself evolves to the red giant stage. At this point the carbon-rich star A begins reclaiming the hydrogen; when the gas accreting onto it drives its mass over 1.4 solar masses a huge nuclear reaction ensues and A blows itself apart.

Supernova explosions can briefly outshine the combined output of all the stars in at least a modest galaxy. They are also responsible for seeding the Universe with the heavy chemical elements of which the Earth and our very bodies are made.

A supernova is one of the most violent events in the Universe.

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gay mafia

Also known as the Fairy Godfathers. Mess with them once, and you are liable to wake up looking into the eyes of a decapitated poodle on the next pillow. Also liable to make you an offer you can't live down at the next Bible meeting.

Gay mafia ... I wish.

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boarding school

Same essential mistake, only taking up four times as much of the day. Also a place that tries four times as hard to take the credit when a former student takes over his daddy's job.

He used to attend a day school, but that wasn't disastrous enough so he went to boarding school instead.

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homeoveniroscopophobia

Morbid and (possibly) irrational fear that if you do the same thing every day the CIA may decide to keep a close eye on you.

Homeoveniroscopophobia. Possibly a good reason to be more adventurous.

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Forer effect

Psychological effect noted by psychologist Bertram R. Forer in 1948, under which any fairly large and diverse group of people may come to believe that a tenuously balanced personality reading (especially one which, for the purpose of the test, is copied and handed out for them to ponder individually) applies strongly to each of them as individuals. Later studies have shown that the effect tends to be strongest when the recipient is given to understand that the reading has supposedly been tailored to them as an individual, that the person making the propositions is an authority they feel they can trust, and/or that most or all of the personality traits listed are positive ones, in other words flattering. The Forer effect may be of import in understanding the popularity of such pseudosciences as fortune telling or astrology.

Personality reading used to illuminate the Forer effect (thanks to Wikipedia):

You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself. While you have some personality weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them. You have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage. Disciplined and self-controlled on the outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. You also pride yourself as an independent thinker; and do not accept others' statements without satisfactory proof. But you have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, affable, and sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, and reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be rather unrealistic.

Now ... how does this apply to YOU?

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death

Nature's way of reminding you that health foods don't work.

She had a lovely death, up to her eyeballs in water biscuits and cucumber sandwiches.

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