idioms
Idioms & Natural Expressions
Fixed expressions and idiomatic language to sound more natural and precise.
30 minC1c1idiomsthe-ethics-of-scientific-researchéticacienciainvestigación
Lesson objectives
- Use idiomatic language connected to the ethics of scientific research more naturally.
- Distinguish neutral, formal and contemporary expressions.
- Recognise when an expression improves fluency without sounding forced.
Idioms & expressions — The Ethics of Scientific Research
To pull back the curtain on · neutral
neutralMeaning:To reveal the hidden truth or inner workings of a process.
Significado:Revelar la verdad oculta o el funcionamiento interno de un proceso.
Example:The whistleblower's report finally pulled back the curtain on the lab's manipulated data.
A double-edged sword · neutral
neutralMeaning:Something that has both favorable and unfavorable consequences.
Significado:Un arma de doble filo.
Example:While AI accelerates discovery, its potential for misuse remains a double-edged sword.
To tread carefully · formal
formalMeaning:To act with great caution to avoid trouble or ethical breaches.
Significado:Actuar con cautela / andar con pies de plomo.
Example:As we approach human-level synthetic biology, researchers must tread carefully to avoid irreversible errors.
To cut corners · neutral
neutralMeaning:To do something in the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way, often ignoring rules or quality.
Significado:Tomar atajos / hacer las cosas de manera chapucera para ahorrar tiempo o dinero.
Example:The regulatory body found that the startup had been cutting corners on safety protocols to meet deadlines.
To be in the blind spot · neutral
neutralMeaning:To be an issue or factor that is overlooked or ignored by those in control.
Significado:Estar en el punto ciego / ser algo ignorado.
Example:Algorithmic bias was a significant blind spot in the early development of the diagnostic tool.
To set a precedent · formal
formalMeaning:To establish a standard or rule that will be followed in the future.
Significado:Sentar un precedente.
Example:Allowing private companies to own genetic sequences could set a dangerous precedent for global health equity.
To be caught in the crossfire · neutral
neutralMeaning:To be involved in a conflict between two opposing parties without being responsible for it.
Significado:Quedar atrapado en el fuego cruzado.
Example:Independent researchers often get caught in the crossfire of political debates regarding climate science.
To lean into the friction · neutral
neutralMeaning:To embrace challenges or ethical tensions rather than avoiding them (Contemporary 2024-2026).
Significado:Afrontar directamente los problemas o tensiones en lugar de evitarlos.
Example:Instead of ignoring the public's fear of automation, the tech ethics committee decided to lean into the friction and host open debates.
To move the goalposts · neutral
neutralMeaning:To unfairly change the rules or requirements of a process while it is happening.
Significado:Cambiar las reglas del juego.
Example:The ethics board was accused of moving the goalposts by introducing new criteria halfway through the clinical trial.
To be algorithmically ghosted · informal
formalMeaning:To be rendered invisible or ignored by automated systems or data-driven processes (Contemporary 2025+).
Significado:Ser ignorado o invisibilizado por un algoritmo.
Example:Many minority groups fear being algorithmically ghosted by medical AI that wasn't trained on diverse datasets.