Glossary of Terms
"a bar": Marianne is trying to say "a barbiturate." Barbiturates are a class of drug that affects the central nervous system as a depressant, slowing heart rate and breathing and potentially leading to coma and death. While they have a wide variety of medical uses, barbiturates are also often the most commonly prescribed drug for use in physician-assisted suicide. Specifically, Marianne is most likely thinking of secobarbital (brand name Seconal), which comes in capsules, which are then broken and mixed into food or a drink.
Cosmology: As branch of astronomy, cosmology studies the origins, structure, evolution, and future of the universe. It is also often categorized as a branch of metaphysics, the philosophy of the fundamental nature of reality.
forum: The British term for an online "message board"
frontal lobe: The frontal lobe of the brain controls a person's memory, use of language, attention, and some movement. This is the part of Marianne's brain being affected by the tumor, which is why she has such a hard time finding the word she wants. Her temporal lobe, which is used for understanding speech, is unaffected. She can understand everything that's going on around her, but struggles to respond to it.
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ganging: At this point, Marianne is having considerable trouble recalling the words she wants. In the context of the conversation, it appears that "ganging" is in reference to her tumor metastasizing as in "growing" or "gaining ground."
General Relativity: The theory of general relativity is the basis on which cosmologists currently understand the universe as constantly expanding. Einstein's theory that while the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers and the speed of light is independent of the motion of observers, massive objects cause a distortion in the continuum of space-time, which is what we understand as "gravity." See Science of Constellations for more info!
glioblastoma multiforme: This is an incurable type of malignant tumor in the brain or spinal cord. While doctors may be able to prolong the patient's life with surgery, immunotherapy, or radiation, they do not yet know how to permanently eradicate it. While the cause of glioblastoma is unknown, a person's risk of developing one is increased by certain genetic disorders.
Grade 4: Also known as "stage 4," this is a category of describing the degree to which cancer has advanced in a patient's body with 1 being the least and 4 the most severe. In grade 4, the cancer is widespread and aggressive.
Multiverse: A theoretical cosmos in which there are multiple universes (including ours), each with their own reality; See Science of Constellations for more info!
String Theory: String theory attempts to describe the "behavior" of the four primary physical forces in a single, unified theory by envisioning particles as tiny vibrating strings. See Science of Constellations for more info!
Subdwarf Stars: A subdwarf star is a star that has run out of hydrogen to turn into helium, causing its core to collapse while the outer layers expand. Over time, all that remains is a core of helium surrounded by a thin layer of hydrogen. Click here for more information on subdwarf stars.
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Ted Hooper: Ted Hooper was a British Bee Keeper who wrote the seminal beekeeper's text Guide to Bees and Honey. Roland would have had to read it to pass his exam to get certified as a beekeeper.
Tesco: This is a chain of lower-end British grocery/convenience stores.
Tetchy: irritable, grumpy
Quantum Realm: The quantum realm is a scale by which physicists try to predict and measure the behavior of nanoparticles. See Science of Constellations for more info!
XMM Cluster Survey: The XMM Cluster Survey is an international study (based in the UK) that traces the large scale structure of the universe based on data gathered by the European Space Agency's X-Ray Spectroscopy Spacecraft named after Sir Isaac Newton. Marianne's participation in this study implies that her career is going well. Learn more about the study at the ESA's website.