The Lounge

Undergraduates all over the UK (and probably some other countries too) do it every year. Whackloads of international students do it too. I've just done it for the upteenth time but I'm suffering from worse-than-average culture shock - and it's not like I live a huge distance away from the UK normally anyway. This afternoon I got on a bus and spoke to the driver in Dutch. When I walk along the street I automatically step to the right. I've lost any sense of "If someone's in your way, you'll apologise politely and step round them" - rather I've become a Brush-Your-Way-Past-And-Glare-If-They-Don't-Like-It rotter. I actually miss my bike (given my physique, that's laughab…

I'm assuming that no mathematical formula can generate random numers so by what principle do random number generators work?. Are they just approximations (e.g. using things like the time in equations that give numbers that appear random) or can truly random numbers be generated?

Well I had some great news this morning (first day of my christmas hols to) that I've been accepted to study towards a diploma in physics, afterwhich I'll move on to a degree in theoretical physics or cosmology...I'll decide whilst studying. Probably doesn't mean a great deal to anybody here (apart from anyone who has had a daft question from myself) but I'm ecstatic that I have so much to focus on, and that I'm studying a subject I have a passion for. I'll be taking a couple of preliminary courses, to get me up to speed on the maths, and a general science course which covers a number of fields. Just a few hours later I found out our landlord wants to sell …

Hi there everyone! I just thought I'd start another community thread where people can share their favourite quotes Here is mine: Lets hear yours then Cheers, Ryan Jones

Not proven either way. What's your opinion?

Digital Universe is an upcoming, in-development alternative to the Wikipedia. Founded by Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger, DU attempts to address some of the shortcomings of the Wikipedia while maintaining the openness and flexibility of its predecessor. The key element of the project is the idea that while anybody would still be able to post, special content advisors, called "Stewards", who shepherd content accuracy. Unsupervised content would still be accessible in a separated area. From their web site: http://www.digitaluniverse.net/reliable/ CNet has a story on it here: http://news.com.com/Wikipedia+alternative+aims+to+be+PBS+of+the+Web/2100-10…

I was thinking, why did the European nations advance so fast in comparison with other regions of the world? or did other regions have their time in the sun that is all but forgotten now?

Hi, I'm about to choose a degree in university and frankly I'm confused. I've been wanting to do law for a while, but my recent marks mean that I have to get a full-fee paying place in the university that I want. Now money is not a problem for me, but I was wondering if I could instead get a career in science. I've always loved science, and although I think I will like law, I don't know if I will enjoy it for certain. I know a lot of science, or at least I think I do and I've enjoyed going on the forums every now and engaging in the creation/evolution debate and even did a debate in the debate forum on the use of DDT. But my major problem with doing a Bachelo…

im kinda worried about posting about this... mostaly because of what i was reading here http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16448 some guy had a really far fetched idea/thing and everyone acted as compleate dicks and mocked him for having such an 'off-norm' idea... personaly i dont really care for what hes talking about, its intresting but regurdless i dont want to experience the same thing... i guess as a disclaimer i should say something like "bare with me, im not really big on science, and this stuff might sound kinda crazy" anyways, i picked up some free books that were being given away at my local comunity college. they were about …

If anyone was fortunate enough to see 'Life in the Undergrowth' last night, a brand new documentary hosted by Sir David Attenborough then you would of seen the amazing courtship and mating ritual of the leopard slug. I guarantee you'll never look at a slug the same way again, myself and my house mates were transfixed and makes our mammalian sexual practices seem almost primitive and clumsy. Please find a video clip below... http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/lifeintheundergrowth/video.shtml The documentary was unique as it plotted the ancestory of insects from early crustaceans and molluscs to the modern day mini (and not so mini) beasts we see to…

Not sure how many Singularitarians there really are around here, but if anyone is interested I've started my own Singularity-related forums. http://singularityforums.net/

From the Tookie thread.. http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=17063 I'm basically asking, how to provide a good fight without violating any SFN rules and avoiding the need for moderation, and to (not win, but at least provide a good argument for) debates. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

For some reason, recently I have been very interested in people's perceptions of shyness and shy people in general. People's attitudes about shy people they know, in particular. I would like you to post your personal views on shyness. Thing's like, how you would react if you found out someone is shy or even the reactions of other people to that news. Post anything, I'm not fussy. I'd prefer it if you didn't look up shyness on the Internet before you post though. However, I don't want to stop you from posting if you already know something of shyness. Even if you feel that your post would be perceived negatively, post it anyway. Thank you:-)

my buddy wants forums on his site, i suggested the software we use here, then i discovered it was a bit out of the desired budget. is there good cheap/free forum software? opensource maybe?

With diseases being cured, new life-extending treatments, nanotechnology, stem cell research, etc, virtual immortality is right around the corner. Would you want to take advantage of this? Let us know how you weigh in.

Hello, I was wondering if it's at all possible to change your User ID name on these forums, or if it would be worth me just creating a new profile with my desired ID name? Which brings me to my second question: I forget how the user titles thingy works, are you able to create a custom title after a certain amount of time being registered on the forums - or do you have to have contributed a certain number of posts before custom status becomes "unlocked"?

Does anyone have any idea of what ethnicity Isaac Newton was?

the time was about 2:05 AM central time and the first was in the southern sky, the second was in the east northeast, and the third was straight east. The second and third were close to simultaneous. Has anyone heard of a meteor shower or anything like that? I hadn't seen any more before, and I didn't see any after. It seemed like an isolated event.

Err...you might know the answer but I don't. Why does a child have a hgher metabolic rate than an old man? Thanks

Hello Does anyone know the answer to this question: Outline the journey a piece of apple peel (something you cant digest into the blood) takes through the body, starting with the mouth.

I'm looking for some RSS feeds to stick in Firefox. Anything sciency or just plain news would work. I have: Scientific American ScienceDaily New Scientist ScienceNOW BBC Reuters Anybody have any they use?

what is that word that means something like love, but non sexual/romantic? I'm thinking plutonic, but at dictionary.com thats not the definition i get.

Hi guys i am a new member here, just wondering if their were any other ecnomics buffs on here like me. Also, very quick question but if anyone can help me, i am doing a paper on: International trade and tariff-rate quotas if anyone reckons they have any knowledge of this subject please reply or PM me. Thank you very much

I've been loosing a lot of hair lately.. any suggestions?!

The period of invention has past.During the period of invention ,inventors and scirentists invented many kinds of things like cars ,spaceships,planes,telephones etc. IN the 21st century , the time for improvement and make changes. WE should stop inventing things and start to make the foundation of science stronger!