This article may or may not be the one that prompted this thread, but read to the bottom
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_4 60000/460095.stm
and you find
"Earlier this year, scientists were puzzled by what was described as a mysterious force acting on the probe. It led to speculation that there was something wrong in our understanding of the force of gravity.
Eventually the effect was tracked down to the probe itself, which was unexpectedly pushing itself in one particular direction."
Slashdot Mirror
which is very appropriate for many readers here !
Well, SOD is also a term of endearment, as in
She was only the undertakers daughter,
but she'd lie under any old sod.
Or "you stupid sod" !
This article may or may not be the one that prompted this thread, but read to the bottom http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_4 60000/460095.stm
and you find
"Earlier this year, scientists were puzzled by what was described as a mysterious force acting on the probe. It led to speculation that there was something wrong in our understanding of the force of gravity.
Eventually the effect was tracked down to the probe itself, which was unexpectedly pushing itself in one particular direction."