Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A circular muscle that relaxes or tightens the zonules to enable the lens to change shape for focusing. The zonules are fibers that hold the lens suspended in position and enable it to change shape during accommodation.

The fine hairlike projections from certain cells such as those in the respiratory tract that sweep in unison and help to sweep away fluids and particles. Some single-celled organisms use the rhythmical motion of cilia for locomotion. Cilia is the plural of cilium, a Latin word referring to the edge of the eyelid and, much later, to the eyelashes. Cilia…

A seafood toxin that is acquired by eating fish that have consumed toxic single-celled marine organisms called dinoflagellates or fish that have consumed other fish that have become toxic. When someone eats these fish, they suffer seafood poisoning. Food poisoning from ciguatoxin is called ciguatera. Ciguatera can cause gastrointestinal, neuromuscular symptoms and respiratory problems. The gastrointestinal problems include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The neuromuscular problems may…

A small roll of finely cut tobacco enclosed in a wrapper of thin paper designed for smoking. “Cigarettes are the only product sold on the free market that, when used as directed, can kill people.” (L Chasan-Taber & M Stampfer, New Engl J Med 2001;345:1841-2) The word “cigarette” is the French diminutive of “cigare” (cigar),…

Suffix indicating killing or killer, as in bactericide (a solution capable of killing bacteria).

Suffix indicating killing, as in bacteriocidal (capable of killing bacteria) and in suicidal (the killing of oneself).

Completely-in-the-canal (the ear canal). See: Completely-in-the-canal hearing aid.

Ci is the abbreviation for a Curie, a unit of radioactivity. (Specifically, the quantity of any radioactive nuclide in which the number of disintegrations per second is 3.7 X 10 to the 10th). Named for Marie and Pierre Curie who did pioneering research in radioactivity, distinguished alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, discovered polonium and radium, and…