Nicole Cammorata - Words You Should Know 2013: The 201 Words from Science, Politics, Technology, and Pop Culture That Will Change Your Life This Year

The 201 Words from Science, Politics,
Technology, and Pop Culture
That Will Change Your Life This Year

Nicole Cammorata

For my mother and father, who taught me my first words, and for my brother, who listened.

For Karla, who sees the humor in words.

And for John Hopkins, who somehow knew Id write this book long before I did.

Geoengineering. Craftermath. Smart clothes.

Do you know what these words mean? If not, youll need to in 2013. While new discoveries and developments happen all the time, experts expect there to be more progress this year than in any previous year due to our advanced technology, social media, and the ever-changing face of pop culture. The fast-moving pace of our lives today makes it all the more important for you to get a grasp of the 201 newsworthy words found throughout this book now so youll have an idea of the changes that will happen and a better understanding of the headlines that will grace newspapers and impact your life in 2013 and beyond.

From Googles Project Glass and grey divorce to Space Adventuress proposal for out-of-this-world travel, the terms found throughout these pages are pulled from the minds of well-known experts, innovators, and authorities, and will change the way you see the world in 2013. They are defined in easy-to-read language and are accompanied by a pronunciation guide and a sample sentence that will show you how to correctly use the terms in conversation. For each entry, youll also find a list of related words, so that you can learn how these concepts will come together by the end of the year.

So what are you waiting for? Its time to learn the words that will dominate discussionsand your lifethis year!

#waywire is an online news site aimed at the Millennial generation, who may not be getting their news from traditional forms of media like newspapers and magazines, or who may feel that these mainstream media sources are neglecting their needs and their voice. Created by a team of Silicon Valley innovators and Newark mayor Cory Booker, the project has received backing from Eric Schmidt of Innovation Endeavors, Josh Kopelman of First Round Capital, and Troy Carter, manager for Lady Gaga. People like Oprah Winfrey and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner are reportedly also investors. A story by E. B. Boyd in Fast Company tells readers to think of #waywire as a partially user-generated Funny or Die, but for news and social issues, with Pinterest/Twitter-style social dynamics. The site is intended to be both a news stream and a collaborative portal for the Millennial generation, who will be encouraged to react to news by posting their own videos on the site. The name #waywire includes a hashtag, perhaps to encourage sharing of the content on Twitter the way hashtags spark conversations, retweets, and participation on the site. #waywire could very well be the next big social media site that everyones talking about this year.

RELATED WORDS: Facebook, Millennial generation, Twitter

HOW YOULL USE IT:I feel like I only just mastered Twitter and now I hear about this #WAYWIRE thingI can never keep up!

Swedish clothing company H&M is launching a new chain of retail stories this year, called & other stories. While H&M has historically billed itself as selling fashion-forward clothing at affordable prices, its new sister store will up the ante a bit in quality and will be considered a luxury retailer that sells clothes at a higher price point. & other stories will join another upscale offshoot of the H&M brand, the limited-edition retailer COS. COS and H&M have teamed up with designers like Marni, Versace, and Lanvin in the pastit is rumored that & other stories will follow suit and also include limited-edition partnerships with big-name designers. First reported in the fashion news publication Womens Wear Daily, a press representative for H&M named Hcan Andersson confirmed the name of the store in the spring of 2012. Though starting the name of a store with an ampersand may be a bit confusing at first, its use in & other stories will help to maintain a brand identity with H&M as it visually links it back to the mother brand. H&M stands for Hennes & Mauritz and has more than 2,300 stores in forty-three countries around the world.

RELATED WORDS: COS, H&M, Sweden

HOW YOULL USE IT:Is that cute dress you wore to my party from H&Ms new store & OTHER STORIES?

Discovered in 2012 by a team of astronomers at the Observatorio Astronomico de La Sagra in Spain, the 2012 DA14 asteroid is expected to pass extremely close to the Earth this year. Astronomers have predicted that the asteroid will zoom by a mere 17,000 miles from the Earth on February 15, 2013. This may still sound like its far away to some, but think of it this way: the asteroid will travel between the Earth and the manmade satellites that orbit it. It measures about 150 feet in diameter and has an orbit that resembles that of the Earth. Its definitely on the smaller side, but even an impact with something that small could have big consequences. Although even if it did hit the planet, theres a 70 percent chance it would land in the ocean. In discussing the asteroid, astronomers have been adamant that 2012 DA14 will not collide with the Earth during this visit. However, future visits could pose a great possibility that it would hit. After its trip past Earth in 2013, the next visit from the asteroid is expected in 2020.

RELATED WORDS: doomsday preppers, Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale, Tunguska event

HOW YOULL USE IT:Even if the 2012 DA14 ASTEROID doesnt hit us, Im still pretty sure that, someday, an asteroid will be the thing that does us injust like the dinosaurs.

This year is poised to be the year of 3-D printing as a plethora of sectors get in on this emerging technology. 3-D printing creates a three-dimensional object, and the technique can be applied to a host of different fields. The way 3-D printing works is actually pretty simple: input a design and a special printer will create it one layer at a time. The amount of materials available to 3-D printersthings like plastic, ceramics, glass, and steelis growing. Researchers have already had success incorporating the technology into the biomedical field, creating bioartificial bladders using 3-D printing technology by layering cells on top of each other. 3-D printing is also being used to create clothingmost notably by design duo Mary Huang and Jenna Fizel of Continuum Fashion. Areas like engineering, geography, aerospace, and automotive are also utilizing the technology. 3-D printing has been around for the past decade, but a group of new applications as well as at-home hobbyist kits have thrust it into the limelight for 2013. Among the things being printed in this way are musical instruments, shoes, clothing, jewelry, and even ammunition and brass knuckles. Law enforcement officials have expressed concern that, down the road, as the technology becomes more mainstream, it could create a situation where anyone with a 3-D printer could create things like weapons, or keys, at will.