Want to better your vocabulary? Try pronouncing these words on your own, then attempt to use at least one in your next conversation!

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilic ovolcanoconiosis – 45 letters

• A lung disease caused by breathing in volcanic dust.

Supercalifragilisticexpialido cious – 34 letters

• Meaning "wonderful", from song of this title in the movie Mary Poppins. 

Floccinaucinihilipilification – 29 letters

• Meaning "the action or habit of estimating as worthless".

Trinitrophenylmethylnitramine – 29 letters

• A chemical compound used as a detonator in shells.

Antidisestablishmentarianism – 28 letters

• Meaning "opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England".

Electroencephalographically – 27 letters

• Relating to brain waves.

Microspectrophotometr ...

One-time use technology or throw-away electronics are becoming increasingly popular with consumers and product manufacturers. Apart from the disposable cameras offered in the 1980s and into the late 90s, tech-based companies could rarely offer such convenience due to the cost of certain parts required. The main reason why companies can now offer inexpensive products, including smartphones and computers, without compromising on modern technology or quality is due to the wide-spread production and availability of transistors – a major component of computers or any microprocessor (shown above).


A transistor is simply an on/off switch made ...

Most universities allow students to use university network printers in student labs when they are working on the university network as part of their tuition or computer use or technology fees charged to students when they register for classes. The average school spends several thousand dollars per month for this service. This service is expensive because students print personal jobs unrelated to academics, such as downloads from entertainment Web sites and photos of friends and family. 

Winthrop University in South Carolina decided to charge students a $10 printing fee that allows them to print 250 pages per semester on University network printers. After that, the students are charged $0.04 for each additional page that they print. As a resu ...

If you live in North America, you've probably never given the cost of water a second thought. In fact, you've probably taken its value for granted probably because it costs very little or because it's vastly abundant. 

In places like Saudi Arabia, however, a liter of water costs five times as much as a liter of gasoline. This is because much of the water in Saudi Arabia is seawater that is purified in desalinization plants (Al Jubail desalination plant shown above). This price relative to fuel is quite different in the United States. For example, a liter of water (from a tap) is virtually free, while a liter of gasoline is around $0.75 (about $3.00 per gallon). 

As a result of this significant difference in cost, it plays a major effect on hu ...