O: A to Z Blogging Challenge

For my 2016 A to Z Challenge, I’m sharing three facts for each letter. The genres I write and love to read are mostly science fiction and high or epic fantasy. In fantasy, there is often magic associated with crystals or metals. They also used herbs both for medicine and for magical spells. Each day I will post a short description of an herb or a mineral you might find in medieval or fantasy writings. For the record, most of the herbal remedies I’ve investigated are not recommended by the FDA. Many are actually poisonous and dangerous. As tribute to my second love, I will post a scientific fact that may deal with physics, biology or health science. And because another name for a writer is wordsmith, each day I’ll share a strange word that I would probably never use in my writing, but that amuse me in some way. So enjoy my trio of quick facts. And don’t forget to visit the IWSG site where we’ll share a writer’s resource for every day of the challenge.

Operose: involving great labor or industrious. (like doing the A to Z!)

Oregano is used as a spice and food preservative and is an antioxidant. In ancient times it was thought to be a remedy for narcotic poisoning.

Origins of Life is a much debated subject that lends itself well to science fiction stories. Did the first life come to Earth from space, accidentally or on purpose, or did life start in some primordial soup in a process called bio-genesis? What it an act of God?  Since there are so many questions about the origin of life, it leaves things wide open for writers of fiction.

What do you use oregano for? Not posing as something else, I hope. Do you find the A to Z challenge operose? Have you read any great stories about the origins of life?

"The cosmos are within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself." Carl Sagan