I've noticed, and I understand, that this is an astronomy-oriented forum. But, since the underlying theme is science, can we have one forum section with subforums of chem, bio, and math? That way people can discuss stuff in these particular areas of science without intruding on the general feel of the forum...you know, so we can discuss "the rest" of science in an isolated section of the forum boards. That doesn't mean, of course, that you'd have to start looking for news stories in those fields of science...that would be taking it too far. What I'm proposing is simply a place to discuss other areas and fields of science.

Alternatively, you could start a website called Math Today, or World of Chemistry. I'm sure you get some kind of audience.

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I like this idea.....

I don't think it would work because the folks who come here do so because it's about space and astronomy (apart from, of course, the Totally Off Topic section) - therefore I don't think chemistry, biology or math sections would be used that much.

If I remember rightly, this has been discussed already amongst the moderators... and besides, where do you draw the line? Why not have a section about Poetry where we can discuss the great Russian works of the 18th century?

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"The stars are my home"
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Dippy, Welcome Back!

So, you're thinking of Russian Poetry now?

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Pre-Quote: 'To survive one has to experiment. When the environment changes, the traditional way of doing things doesn't work.'

Quote:
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Carl Sagan

Yeah, I find their cheerful optimism and outlook to be very refreshing

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"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark, near the Tanhauser Gate... all those moments will be lost, in time... like tears in the rain..."

As DH mentioned, we did discuss this a while back in the moderators forum (it was in fact my suggestion to have a mathematics sub-forum if my memory serves me correctly). I like the idea personally, but I don't think it would get too much attention here. It's worth keeping in mind for the future though as the forum expands.

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I like the Idea of a Math sub-forum very much. It will be great, since maths is interlinked with astronomy. If you want to know theoritical astronony correctly, you must learn math. If you have doubts, post them on the math forum.

I like it!

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I like the idea, starlab! but only to understand the universe and its origin better. For example. Simple organic molecules like propenal were detected in some region of space. As a chemist, this stirs up my curiosity. Are these molecules precursors to life? or at least, to a more complex molecules? I hope Doc Oliver became curious too. But we never had such conversation about molecules in space. Somebody has to take the initiative. Also, I'm interested in spectroscopic methods being employed to detect just about anything in space, but most especially emission spectra of stars and our own sun. I have not encountered such thread of discussion regarding that topic. Maybe it's to academic. But that I believe is the whole point you're trying to make here. To gain a better understanding of our universe and at the same time, enriching ourselves in our academic specialties! Lead the way, Starlab!

Alright, well, I'm glad I have the members' backing, but now let's see what the mods think.

I think we'll pass for now Starlab. I want to keep the focus of the Universe Today site very tight on space and astronomy. I could have my arm twisted to add a "General Science" section to the list of forums, but I want to avoid adding a whole bunch of different forums, each of which only has a few posts in it. In fact, I recently merged together three space-related forums together into "Space Exploration" because they didn't seem to be that busy.

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Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

Such discussions already happen on the forum without new SubForums. If it is connected to Astronomy the topic already has a place here. This is true for applicable Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and even Psychology.

What new SubForums would you create? What would you call them? Give an example of a message that would go into one that would be out of place everywhere else.

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OK, well, I'll humbly answer to Anton's challenge.

Examples of non-astro stuff includes chaos theory, prions, etc. I'll stand down for now, as is Fraser's request, but the Mods should keep ths alive as a consideration, at least, as the forum grows...you know, let this string hibernate a bit.

HI, Anton! I guess you can start a thread on just about anything that is a content of a news in UT but you'd have a very diverse members discussing one subject belonging to a certain discipline. Though this is good as we are enriched in other disciplines, I believe that a nice discussion with colleagues would be in order. But as starlab did, I will stand down coz of Fraser's reasons. Fraser would have to find moderators for each discipline and that's not very easy to do!

B5 UT

Go all the way, go on Fraser! a politics section with an arts section

No, seriously, until UT becomes the 'Formost' forum on Space news, why dilute it?

May I recommend Literature Network Forums DippyHippy?

I recommend http://physicsweb.org/, when they get some discussion boards, then you'll be set.

And maths, well, sorry I have no idea, I am a victem of a liberal education system, only capable of buying, not counting.

So yeah, I think UT should start buying up these other news groups, then open a global cable news channel and space investment bank.

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<_< :unsure: :angry: :huh: :blink: :mellow: -_- :wacko:

If any of you have seen Babylon 5, you would know the Universe Today is delivered via a vending machine that tailors the edition to the consumers taste and interest. somthing that looks remarkable like this:




Spacedaily Jan 29, 2004

In this vision of the future of print media, it is worth noting Spacedaily, Jun 09, 2004.

There is a weakness in worldwide media, it is being permeated by advertising, news kiosks pose a threat to print media, which has of course, seen this coming for a long time, so you get the likes of FOX and Newscorp, that have focused on cable, TV and internet.

The Babylon 5 Universe today kiosks act as recyclers as well. If citizen Cain (I haven't seen the movie, so no insult intended :unsure: ) was to diversify there is a big potential, in my way of thinking, of creating a new form of news that is aimed specifically at education as opposed to social control

But I get the impression faser is happy as is. So if you have alternative forums for subjects outside the scope of Universe Today (this one, not Babylon 5), you could open a thread or post in an exisiting one, maybe in devilmechs links thread in questions and answers.

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...all of which begs the question...

Is Fraser a closet B5 fan? LOL

(I loved it!)

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"The stars are my home"
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark, near the Tanhauser Gate... all those moments will be lost, in time... like tears in the rain..."

Me too, my mate has the first three series on DVD, we have been watching them over the last couple of months, he is getting the forth series this week. Which reminds me, what happened in the fifth? Somthing was mentioned in the "SCI TV series thread" on set ?

I started watching Crusade, but that seemed to just fade out, like Enterprise.

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I think you hit the nail on the head zephyr46. Until the UT forum is the busiest, most popular space-related forum out there, I don't want to dilute it. At the same time, though, I don't want to try be overly controlling about what people want to talk about - that's why we've got the off topic areas.

Regarding this Babylon5 thing, I have no idea what you're talking about. And if you're one of their lawyers, that goes double. I have no idea. I came up with the name, I've been using it for almost 6 years. It's a total fluke that it has something to do with a television show. What's a television, anyway? I've never even watched one.

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Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

No, not a lawyer.

And Babylon 5 is available on dvd and video, in Australia anyway.

Anyway, the Universe Today is like a customizable paper that is dispenced to readers at computer kiosks.

I hope B 5 lawyers don't take you on, I think you are doing more with the name than they are. They seemed to have bowed to the supremacy of Universe Today, preferring to call their site 'Alternative Universe Today'. My guess is they secretly hope your site will evolve to become the Real "B5" Universe Today, but that is not legal advice, as I am not a lawyer, and please don't make such cruel accusations, they hurt my feelings

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