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Tiny amounts of alcohol dramatically extend a worm's life, but why?
UCLA Minuscule amounts of ethanol, the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, can more than double the life span of a tiny worm known as Caenorhabditis elegans, which is used frequently as a model in aging studies, UCLA biochemists report. The scientists said they find their discovery difficult to explain.
Thanks. I always wondered about that. ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Raymott
No, if you say it that way, you'll be socially ostracised and you'll end up with no friends at all! ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by NewHopeR
In more common words with Caeno, as in 'Caenozoic', I say /sinəʊ /
And for future reference, these two rules of thumb will help:
- In words with the spelling 'rh' the 'h' is usually silent
- In words with the spelling 'bd' both consonants are usually heard
(I can't think of any counter-examples at the moment, but it wouldn't surprise me if there were a few - especially when the 'r' closes a syllable and the 'h' starts a new one.)
b
rhetoric
obdurate
rheumatic
Abduction
Neither of these is a counter-example. To recap:Quote:
Originally Posted by aachu
Perhaps you were just giving supporting examples ;-)Quote:
In words with the spelling 'rh' the 'h' is usually silent [e.g. rheumatic]
In words with the spelling 'bd' both consonants are usually heard [e.g. abdomen]
Other examples of the first are rhetoric, rhombus, rhyme,... etc etc.
Other examples of the second are abdomen, abduction, and the tree bdellium (which I've never heard spoken, but which I think an English native speaker wuld try to get their mouth round - although such a consonant coluster at the beginning of a word is non-native).
A [questionable] counter-example is 'earhole'. In a careful, standard - that is, non rhotic - pronunciation there is no /r/; in a less formal pronunciation, there is no /h/ . Besides, many people would use a hyphen
b
Yes. I just gave supporting examples.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobK