The Lounge

I just wanted to ask anyone if they think the word pomegranate looks suspiciously similar to permanganate. when rearranged, they look like: PERMANGANATE PERMANGA O TE Pomegranate is just missing NA and has an extra O. Is this more than just a coincidence? Is it because they are both purple and messy? Was the permanganate ion first found in pomegranates? Is there any permanganate in pomegranates? Or is it just a coincidence?

Hi, In the social setting, is it better to give fake smiles or not smile at all? How do you react when somebody gives you fake smiles and you know that they are fake? How does your reaction differ with someone who is honest and genuine but does not give fake smiles? Who would you prefer to befriend? Thanks

What are peoples' opinions of international students leaving the developing world to study in the developed world and then staying there permanently? This happens very often in Australia. Many students come from China, Malaysia, Vietnam and many other countries to settle permanently in Australia/UK/USA/Europe. What are your thoughts about people who do this? Overall, is this a good thing? And as the developing world develops a solid middle class, what is it that is stopping them from taking over? Overall, is this a good thing? Any thoughts???

There was a somewhat humorous incident reported recently in the newspapers. See Drunk tourist falls asleep on airport baggage belt and passes through powerful X-ray machine The second incident reported in the article doesn't sound so humorous, in that a young infant was deliberately sent through an airport's baggage screening x ray machine by its not too bright parents. One does wonder whether either of these people, the child in particular, will suffer lasting effects from the exposure to the radiation.

Hi, i was wondering what number (or number code etc) you put in front of a mobile number to contact someone in the US ? Thanks.

There's an inherent flaw to asking why scientists are reluctant to accept new ideas. First of all, the question is poorly reasoned, as many scientists are excited about new possibilities. An obvious example of this is the search for life on Mars and of exploring the unknown. Also, there is a difference between someone just accepting a new claim blindly and someone willing to explore the validity of a testable claim. So might a better question to ask be, why scientists are reluctant to explore untested claims? Not really. That still makes an assumption that is contradicted by the passion in scientific exploration; but it's also closer to being on…

I'm not from the US so I'm trying to get a sense for this, is the name "Sidney" (as a first name) associated with Jews? Is it a strong association in the sense tha if someone is called Sidney you would assume the person is Jewish? I get the sense that the name is associated with older Jewish gents, is that right? What would a person in the US think about someone with this name who is in his early twenties? I always get surpirsed by the association in US of some names with specific ethnicities, so I'm curious about this stuff. EDIT: I'm referring to the name as used for men.

I'm reposting this from a post made long ago in a thread not far away: One philosophical thought I'd like to contribute, which I suspect many in this community might already privately harbor, is that mathematics which detail existence is reducible far beyond its usual framework into very simple components. One reference I can point to is E=mc2. I believe all mathematics can achieve this simplicity or better. However, if even one variable were off, an increase of complication ripples through the framework until it nears its current state. The variable I mentioned has many faces. Conclusive evidence is one -- and what if it turns out to be incorrect? When E…

Meanwhile, on Mars.....)) http://d2tq98mqfjyz2l.cloudfront.net/image_cache/1345240175754344.jpg

Don't you wish your molecular biology was taught like this. Personally, I find it funny as hell.

Hi, I was wondering whether has any ideas whether laughter clubs really work. http://www.laughterclubsvic.org/ Basically, it's just this thing where you meet up with people regularly to laugh together for no particular reason. Could it be the secret to happiness? What are the latest scientific evidence suggesting? Would you give laughter clubs a go?

Hey science community. I need some help with a new app i just released called Geek Units. It's mainly a satirical app that takes normal currencies, lengths, times, etc. and converts them to fictional units like Galactic Credits, Zelda Rupees, Cubits, Trogan meters, etc. I've used a ton of regular units, but could use some really obscure units from science fiction, video games or any other little known, but interesting units. For example i use the little known unit the Smoot which was created with an MIT fraternity took to measuring the length of the bridge using a frat brother as the measuring stick. Anybody have any help for me?

Many science fiction based television shows have been on over the years, some better than others but most are set in their own universe. Which ones are your favorites and if you can explain why. If you want rate them in order of most favorite to least.

Just started! Tweeting about science news, jokes, images and other good stuff. Please follow, and make me a happy girl. https://twitter.com/GirlForScience

Check out: http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/breaking/2012/07/04/photoshop-contest-where-have-you-seen-the-higgs/

While watching episodes on net flix last night I realized yet another connection between politics and Star Trek. In the old show the Klingons were supposed to be the Soviet Union not so thinly veiled but i was watching Voyager and realized that the Ferengi are a satirized version of the Republican party! Anyone else notice such comparisons between various races in Star Trek and our reality? I have been trying to figure out who the Romulans are but so far no sure ideas. of course there are many.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek_races Of the many of course just a few are described in detail. Vulcans Borg Andorians Betazio…

Hi guys, What are the benefits of having a blog? To those who have blogs, why did you feel the need to make one? How does it benefit you from making one? What do you use your blog for? In real life I sorta have trouble being honest to people and expressing myself. Could starting a blog help in anyway?

I thought it might be entertaining to start a thread where members can share stories of lab or industry experiments gone wrong. I'm posting this in the lounge because I didn't want to limit the discussion to chemistry (physicists, engineers, and biologists causes havoc too sometimes). Feel free to share something from personal experience or any interesting stories you find on the internet. Garage science stories are welcome as well, in which case we won't tell your mother. It's only fair that I start 1) I once tried to pressurize an activated alumina column that I was using to purify a simple mixture. Everything was going fine until suddenly the gas adaptor sh…

Neil Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) the first man on the moon. Neil Armstrong came in peace for all mankind. The coolest guy, ever.

What's up with you guys and pine tables? It seems like everyone is talking about burning them, pouring permanganic acid, piraña bath, sulphuric acid over them... Would anyone care to explain?Someone's signature here read something like: I'm going to paint the table, I'm going to paint it fine, I'm going to use h2so4, because the wood is pine.

Are sesame seeds healthy to eat? What is the nutritional value of sesame seeds for humans and why are they so essential in balanced diet? How have sesame seeds become so popular in so many different bread? I find them a little bit tasteless but was just wondering what everybody here thinks...

When we have just become infected with the common cold why does our mucous change in colour and texture. The colour changes from a more transparent clear colour to a thicker yellow-green colour. Why is this? And how does this happen? Anyone know?

Famed director Tony Scott has jumped from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles in an apparent suicide. Scott was 68. According to media sources, witnesses saw Scott scale the fence, then jump off the 185-foot bridge without hesitation, as onlookers watched in horror. According to an ABC News report, a source close to Scott says that he had been battling inoperable brain cancer, which the media believes could be the motivation leading to the suicide. Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told the NY Daily News, “The autopsy is scheduled for this morning. We might (see a brain issue), but we don’t have anything medically confirmed at this time.” …

This summer I went out cliff-jumping with a couple of friends. The cliffs we went to (known as pulpit rock, located in Lake Placid, New York) had different heights to jump from. There was the 19ft cliff, 24ft, 40ft, 50ft, and 60ft. It got me thinking... what's the maximum safest height to jump from (assuming you land in the water correctly)? I ended up jumping the 50ft after MUCH deliberation, and the impact on the water didn't feel bad at all.