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Apr 13, 2006

This week's theme
Death and taxes

This week's words
publican
thanatopsis
impost
anabiosis
capitation

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anabiosis

noun: A return to life after death or apparent death.

[From Greek anabiosis (coming back to life), from anabioun (to return to life), from ana- (back) + bio- (life).]

NOTES: Many animals and plants can survive periods of extreme drought or cold. They reach a state of suspended animation and can come back to life even after being dormant for years. One such plant is the Rose of Jericho, also known as Anastatica or Resurrection plant. In dry conditions, its stems curl into a ball. When blown by the wind, it spreads its seeds along the way. When moistened, it turns into a green plant again, even after years of dryness. The curled ball is sold as a curiosity item.

Cryonics is the process of deep-freezing a body for preservation in the hope that it might be possible to revive it in future. An organization named Alcor carries out the preservation of whole bodies or just heads for humans and their pet animals.

"Cargo specialists at Japan Air Lines are studying anabiosis in an effort to find a cheaper way to transport fresh fish in aircraft."
Resurrection of the Sole; The Economist (London, UK); Dec 22, 1990.

See more usage examples of anabiosis in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

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