arid: A description of dry areas of the world, where the climate brings too little rainfall or other precipitation to support much plant growth.

biodiversity: (short for biological diversity) The number and variety of species found within a localized geographic region.

colleague: Someone who works with another; a co-worker or team member.

data: Facts and/or statistics collected together for analysis but not necessarily organized in a way that gives them meaning. For digital information (the type stored by computers), those data typically are numbers stored in a binary code, portrayed as strings of zeros and ones.

forest: An area of land covered mostly with trees and other woody plants.

habitat: The area or natural environment in which an animal or plant normally lives, such as a desert, coral reef or freshwater lake. A habitat can be home to thousands of different species.

hypothesis: (v. hypothesize) A proposed explanation for a phenomenon. In science, a hypothesis is an idea that must be rigorously tested before it is accepted or rejected.

monsoon: A system of winds that influences the climate of a large area. In southern Asia, monsoons blow from the southwest in the summer and usually bring heavy rains.

rogue: An animal that wanders alone, outside its herd or the community into which it was born. Or anything, even a planet or galaxy, that unexpectedly travels alone and far from where it would be expected.

social media: Digital media that allow people to connect with each other (often anonymously) and to share information. Examples include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp.