A physicist and essayist from Kochi Prefecture. He is said to be the model for the science graduate Mizushima Kangetsu who appears in Natsume Soseki's novel "I Am a Cat." He studied physics at Tokyo Imperial University, and after studying in Germany served as assistant professor and professor at Tokyo University, engaged in research on geophysics, meteorology, and X-rays. He is known for unique essays that fused scientific precision with literary sensibility, and the saying "Natural disasters come when forgotten" has become a proverb (said to originate from Terada's words). As a "bridge between science and literature," he wrote works including "Yabukoji-shu" and "Physics Introduction." He is also known as the first person to translate Masaoka Shiki's haiku "When I eat persimmons, the bell at Horyuji rings" into English. He died at fifty-seven.

A rare intellect who simultaneously possessed a scientist's eye and a literary heart. His unique style of overlaying scientific observation and poetic sensibility on everyday phenomena established the new genre of "scientific essay." He was also known for his humble and gentle character.

"Natural disasters come when forgotten" is still widely known today as a disaster preparedness maxim. His attempt to fuse science and literature is evaluated as a forerunner of modern science writing.