If you’re ever stuck for a story, why not start with an ology? There are hundreds of these ‘subjects of study’ to choose from.

Some are well-known:

  • Biology
  • Psychology
  • Mythology.

Some are less familiar but respectable enough:

  • Conchology – the study of shells
  • Pomology – fruit-growing
  • Algology – algae (there once lived a family of leaf moulds …).

Some are more surprising:

  • Phrenology -the study of skull shape to determine character
  • Pachydermatology – elephant skin
  • Uredinology – types of rust
  • Argyrothecology – moneyboxes.

And if none of those is weird enough, you can always invent your own:

  • Lessology – the study of why ripped jeans and bikinis cost more than whole trousers and swimming costumes.
  • Notmeology – the study of chocolate biscuits that disappear from the cupboard all by themselves.
  • Snootology – the study of viewing other people’s houses by pretending to estate agents that you want to buy them. Not to be confused with Snottology.
  • Or Ologyology: the study of studying. Rubbish idea for a story – though not a bad name for this guy.