Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[shvetsov2005]

Hello,

I have read on the BBC website:

Cosmic rays and radioactivity turned out to be connected in a way so shocking that it beggars belief.


Could you explain the last part from "that it beggars belief".
What does it mean?
Could you put it other words?
What does this "it" refers to?

Thanks,
Alexander.

[pugachevV]

It beggars belief is a set phrase that means (it) is too extraordinary to be believed.

In this case, it refers to:- Cosmic rays and radioactivity turned out to be connected in a way so shocking

So you could rewrite it like this:-Cosmic rays and radioactivity turned out to be connected in a way so shocking that it is too extraordinary to be believed.

Or, perhaps better, "It was discovered that cosmic rays and radioactivity are connected in an incredibly shocking way."

[shvetsov2005]

thanks