serendipity

n. the knack of making fortunate discoveries by accident. Serendipity is often considered a characteristic of the creative scientist. The word was coined in 1754 by British writer Horace Walpole (1717–1797) from the title of his story “The Three Princes of Serendip.” Serendip was an old Arabic name for Sri Lanka, whose princes were said to have had this ability.

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Psychology term of the day

November 27th 2024

weight regulation

a process, governed by a complex array of neural mechanisms and structures (including the hypothalamus), in which the brain seeks an optimum balance between an organism’s food intake and energy expenditure after a certain body weight is achieved. A number of other factors, such as environmental stimuli, may influence the process as well.