Osmosis

Reverse osmosis consists in forcing seawater through a membrane that filters out the salt.

We observed osmosis in today's science experiment.

You need to do the homework. You can't learn by osmosis.

When science is boring or hard to learn, people shy away from it. That's why many U.S. universities sponsor road shows staffed with educators who try to make science fun. One of the largest and best-known outreach programs is The Little Shop of Physics at Colorado State University. Founded by CSU Physics professor Brian Jones in 1991, this toyshop for scientists produces gadgets and gizmos that turn concepts like magnetism and osmosis into something kids can actually get their hands on.

The researchers wondered if they could figure out how to capture that electrical charge as it moved across the membrane separating the fresh and salty water. They did it by creating two tiny membranes, just three atoms thick, made of molybdenum disulfide, which is plentiful and easy to produce. Then they made a tiny hole in the membranes and let osmosis take over and push the electrically charged salt ions through this nanopore.

Sun Works staff member Viraj Puri explains that the river water is purified and desalinated by a "reverse osmosis" machine.

Near-synonym: serendipity

I was reading about chickens, and I guess I learned about hawks through osmosis.

At age fourteen, by a process of osmosis, of dirty jokes, whispered secrets and filthy ballads, Tristram learned of sex.