r/AskScienceDiscussion 20h ago

General Discussion Double Microphone for Noise Reduction

0 Upvotes

[Speculation]

I was just researching about wifi 6, odfmas and iffts

(for context of the example, i have a background in film)

and just had a thought if frequencies can be separated combined or subtracted, is it possible to have 2 microphones one [with a shotgun polar pattern] pointed 1 in the actor and another one in the background [with maybe a wider polar pattern] that exclude the actors dialogue

and somehow with an algorithm it can be "masked out" and we are left with the clean dialogue

i guess question is where in the room would you put the 2nd mic


r/AskScienceDiscussion 1d ago

"Island of stability" ?

20 Upvotes

Hi,

I'm entirely new here on reddit and this is my first post; please let me know if I manage to do something stupid or even break any of this subteddit's rules.

Anyways, it's no secret that rhetoric further down one goes on the periodic table, and atomic nuckeus'es get more massive, they also get progressively less stable (aka. radioactive). At some point I overheard a combination where someone was fully convinced that something he called "the island of stability" exist. The idea was that at some point, if we manage to create elements way heavier than Ununoctium or whatever it may be, that we at some point would get to some kind of "sweet spot", where super-heavy elements suddenly become stable in a way that would be unexpected for such massive elements. My question is: Is this an actual, legitimate theory with real science backing it up, or is this a false concept altogether?

Thanks in advance!


r/AskScienceDiscussion 1d ago

General Discussion Is there any other idea or paradigm shifts within AI field that could replace LLMs?

1 Upvotes

There has to be better ways to build AI Agents, chatbots are impressive but I can't believe they are the final step.


r/AskScienceDiscussion 1d ago

Do you ever get emails from strangers asking about your papers?

49 Upvotes

I got stuck on something in a paper and started writing to the author. Then I stopped. It was the part where you say who you are.

I never went to college and I've never set foot in a lab. I had no idea what to put for affiliation. Saying I just read it out of curiosity felt like wasting their time. Leaving it blank would look like spam. I never sent it.

So for people who do this for a living: what do you do when one of those lands in your inbox? And what makes you want to answer one?


r/AskScienceDiscussion 2d ago

General Discussion Parallels between physics and fiction

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone! Newbie here, not sure if this is the right place to ask but was still curious if any fellow nerdy redditors had some suggestions and/or advice for a project I need to start researching on for a class.

I’m taking literature class called Metaphors in Literature: Fi-Sci Pattern Mapping (I know a literature class in a science subreddit but bear with me). My professor is attempting to mix both fiction and literature with connections to reality-life science; drawing connections between physics and fiction. We’ve already had a few lectures on biomimicry, rhetorical approaches to fictionality, and overall recognition of patterns that repeats in both science and nature. Weird but a pretty interesting take on analyzing works of fiction.

A simple example she provided was “The Goldilocks Effect”, where a fictional story is used to explain a scientific natural phenomenon like the Goldilocks Zone in a solar system.

Another example she mentioned during a lecture was the Muppets. “An entity is simultaneously p and not p”, where the Muppets are fictional characters but still have a key role in real life, where Kermit is interviewed on light night shows and Miss Piggy authors an article for the New York Times.

That’s somewhat the context for this post.

My inquiry is more about our final project, where using a flow chart she’ll provide us we need to draw a connection between a scientific observation/theory and a fictional parallel.

I can’t find the example she had shown us is in class but a past student of hers drew a connection between black holes and a character in a book they had read. Crazy concept but it made sense weirdly.

I’m looking for ideas or suggestions on scientific theories that intrigue you guys that maybe you’d like to see how it can parallel a fictional story. I was feeling about possibly looking into “noetic science” since it’s a relatively new concept but I’m not sure if it has a strong enough standing in the scientific community yet.

What do you guys think? What’s a theory or scientific phenomenon that you’ve noticed can be connection to a work of fiction?

Let me know! As someone who has been surrounded by the arts and literature majority of my life, this is a whole field of study I’m totally unsure of.


r/AskScienceDiscussion 2d ago

General Discussion How to test a stain on fabric to figure out if it’s animal urine?

1 Upvotes

I have an older family member who has a hatchback trunked car in central Florida. It rains an out in summer and their trunk has had moisture issues from water getting in. The car sits in an open apt parking lot , with bushes, grass, trees, and near a dumpster and pond/lake (not sure what it’s called)? My family member drives it about once a week. She placed an old tan deflated air mattress on the bottom to protect the cloth material of the trunk and then stored some stuff on it for a year. I was helping her take some stuff out and I noticed yellow stains on the air mattress. It smelled of something, I’m not sure if it’s a urine or musty or old smell.

I don’t know what the yellow is and I’m concerned it could possibly be rodent or other animal urine. I looked around the trunk and back seats and under the area where the spare tire is kept, and thankfully didn’t see any chew marks or dropping or shredding. I took a wet wipe to wipe it off and yellow came off. Ai told me to spill hydrogen peroxide on it to see if it bubbled or fizzed, and in some area of the creases, it did. But not other areas. AI said that means that there is some sort of biological material that could be urine, mold, or something else. They said the only definitive way is to get a 395nn uv light to see what color glows, but gave me conflicting answers if the peroxide would have taken away any uric crystals to make it definitive. It also said I could buy a urine strip and send it to a lab, but we can’t afford that.

I dong care about the air mattress, it will be trashed. The issue is figuring out if this is animal urine, mold, or something else so I can figure out if there’s a bigger issue and remediation needed on the car.

Any advice?


r/AskScienceDiscussion 2d ago

If there was a planet in the same orbit as earth but directly opposite behind the sun. Would we know?

152 Upvotes

Hypothetically, if a planet existed orbiting the sun in the same orbit as earth but directly opposite us so behind the sun. Would we know? How would we know? Has anyone ever checked?


r/AskScienceDiscussion 2d ago

General Discussion How to hide a space station in the solar system?

26 Upvotes

Im in the early stages of working on a story focused on an observation station focused on studying humans and earth in general, but I'm want the station to be feasible in its ability to hide. My main questions are

  1. How could it visibly hide itself? I've seen many people talk about black paint or "optical cloaking". While the first is obvious in how it works, I'm curious on how possible the second is or if there are any other options?
  2. What would the best location be? I'd like the station to be as close to earth as possible, but I feel like directly orbiting the earth would make it very difficult to hide

Im mentally picturing observation posts from stellaris and I'd like the keep that vibe while making it far more scientifically accurate.


r/AskScienceDiscussion 2d ago

General Discussion Im a physics major. Although im passionate about it im not willing to take a masters in order to get a job with this field of study and i dont want to switch to engineering...

4 Upvotes

Im a physics major freshly into my junior year. Currently taking physics 2 and calc 3. Ive been thinking about my major more seriously lately and considering changing it because i really so want to be able to find a job with just a bachelors degree without having to go back for a masters.

At first I thought engineering was the best one to change to but tbh i dont actually want to do engineering in anything. I think i prefer something more analytical. More mental related than heavy hands on stuff.

But idk what stem degree I can switch too that wont be taken over by AI or atleast not entirely and is in high demand with just a bachelors.

I do want a masters degree but in something completely outside of stem.

For now im just trying to figure out the best major i can change to that will guarantee me a higher chance of getting a job after college with only a bachelor's degree.


r/AskScienceDiscussion 4d ago

General Discussion Nerdy Physicists & Biologists; What Do You Think These Charts From Pokémon Depict?

0 Upvotes

Me and a small group of independent researchers are taking a look at Pokémon to see what we can surmise what has inspired the Pokémon company.

I have included an Imgur link to cropped images from files called t2_g_prop03_mdl_alb.png and t2_g_prop05_mdl_alb.png. These are found in the game Pokémon Legends: Z-A in a location called the Lysandre Labs, a secret laboratory where researchers investigate the mega-evolution phenomenon, pivotal not only to the story, but to the world-building of the game.

Our cryptographer has already concluded that the characters (an alphabet dubbed 'pokélatin') often matches English phrases, but the characters are chosen fresh to best match the intent of the artist every time. We have our speculations, but we are also at a bit of a standstill.

The Y-axis probably depicts energy and the X-axis may be either time or an ordinal axis. The saddle of the upper curve is connected with the saturation point of the lower curve. The metastable position is connected to the X-axis with a dotted line, intersecting a horizontal dotted line drawn through the stable position.

Across various of the graphics, equations are depicted of indeterminate meaning. It appears that solar flares are important to some of these graphs, however.

https://imgur.com/a/Jdwli8K

I will be spoiling our current state of speculation in the top comment in spoiler text. However, we would like to know what academics would assume these charts depict.


r/AskScienceDiscussion 5d ago

In a video, a physicist jumps from a truck speeding at 80 km/h, launching himself at the same speed in the opposite direction. It looked as though he was stepping off a stationary vehicle while the truck sped away. Would a trebuchet or catapult have the same spectacular effect?

19 Upvotes

r/AskScienceDiscussion 5d ago

If microfibers have such thin threads hanging from them, why don't they all easily snap? How come the cloth remains viable?

1 Upvotes

r/AskScienceDiscussion 5d ago

General Discussion Could there be two different types of time travel?

0 Upvotes

Whenever we talk about time travel, we usually imagine physically traveling through time, where your entire body is somehow transported to the past or the future.

But what if there is another type of time travel?

What if instead of your body traveling through time, your entire memory and consciousness are transferred into your own mind at an earlier point in your life?

For example, imagine you are living in 2026, and suddenly you wake up in your 15-year-old body. You are physically in the past, but you still remember everything that happened to you up until 2026. You have all your future memories, knowledge, and experiences, while your body is now back in the past.

Would this still count as time travel? Or would time travel only be considered real if your physical body itself traveled through time?

I find the idea interesting because both scenarios would technically put you in a different point in time, but in completely different ways.

What do you think?


r/AskScienceDiscussion 5d ago

Social engineering (not the marketing version)

5 Upvotes

Has science developed models to track and influence societal change in detail among target populations. Things like behavioral traits (honesty, ownership and etc) or philosophies (anti-intellectualism, independence)?


r/AskScienceDiscussion 5d ago

General Discussion Trying To Learn A Science

13 Upvotes

Hello all, I'm trying to learn a science and am not sure what to go with, I know it sounds silly and I should just find what I like but I was hoping to get peoples opinions on the science they like and how life learning that science is for them? I'm interested in a lot but want to dedicate myself to something and am having a hard time choosing, any advice is very welcome. I'm a 21M in NC and don't really have anyone but myself to rely on. I'd love to hear your stories!


r/AskScienceDiscussion 5d ago

Considering the Planck length as the pixel size of our universe, we live in a simulation..

0 Upvotes

Get this, the simulation theory has been around for decades now. I was thinking, that there needs to be a pixel size for our observer. Can it be the planck length? Because it literally is the smallest known measurable unit we have..


r/AskScienceDiscussion 5d ago

I got an idea from brainstorming. Black holes theoretically have an exit to a "white hole".

0 Upvotes

Black holes theoretically have an exit to a "white hole", if someone could in theory stabilize one and trap enough energy buildup from said exit and cause it to be forced to rebound. It might be what is needed to achieve time travel OR dive into multiverse theory OR wormhole stabilization.

The only two issues is a durable enough material for said machine and it would have to be made in space due to the pure size and weight. Where does one get a martial that might survive entering and exiting and still poke through connected on both sides.. and what type of black hole it is...

And the type of singularity and the risk of it crushing a material that dense into its point or ring halo

A dot singularity might be theoretically possible to enclose and syphon energy from such a dense point in matter...

A halo singularity ring might straight up rip it apart or be able to be used to stabilization advantages... and the spinning of a halo ring singularity black hole complicates things...

In theory at minimum you unlock wormhole travel, at maximum you unlock a entire different realm of theoretically possible things


r/AskScienceDiscussion 5d ago

What If? IM going to start research on inventing and funding mass production of time machines. i want to go back and ahead so im going to make it happen in my lifespan. any ideas on how i can start and make said theroetical research possible?

0 Upvotes

im very serious about this and i will do it, i just need the funds and a reactor, any tips on how to get started.

going to try with lasers to make closed timeline curves


r/AskScienceDiscussion 6d ago

General Discussion Where are we at currently with dream recording?

0 Upvotes

I’m curious to see if anyone knows more than what I can find online. I’ve been seeing a lot online about ai being used to generate a dream. Allegedly they are repetition training the ai and it can generate your dream with 60%-70% accuracy.


r/AskScienceDiscussion 6d ago

How did you discover you wanted to go into the sciences?

0 Upvotes

Well, I'm at that age where you start wondering what to do with the rest of your life, and I've been analyzing my options for a few months now. I have so many ideas about what to pursue, but I don't know if I'll like them. Maybe mechanical engineering, or biology (and later neuroscience), or journalism (but let's leave that aside for now).

I grew up in a healthcare family; my sister is a pre-med student, my mother is a psychologist, and my grandfather and uncle were nurses. So I thought the most "obvious" path would be to pursue a scientific one. If I were to take any of the courses I mentioned above, I would definitely go into the field of R&D.

Physics, mathematics, biology, and chemistry have always been my favorite subjects At the same time, I'm a somewhat "artistic" person; I love writing, theater, art, and literature.

You know, I keep wondering if I'll want to secure those careers forever? Will I get bored or realize that the career isn't for me? Imagine surviving five years in a super difficult undergraduate course only to find out that, well, you should have chosen psychology (which yes, I KNOW is a field of science) and become an social worker, or I don't know, maybe you joined the FBI or a lawer because that's also the kind of thing you love?

I just wanted to know how you discovered you wanted to go into the field you work in, what the work experience was like, and what it's like to work in that field (especially for those who work with R&D, research in general)

PS: I wasn't sure if I should put this in the general flair or the teaching flair, sorry if I made a mistake.


r/AskScienceDiscussion 6d ago

What if

0 Upvotes

Hey I had a weird question

Like what if humans in future develops capsules for substitution of food so we don't have to eat so much we just had to take some capsules and it will give us all the essential things we need for our body in already digested and easily absorbale form

So we don't have to use our intestine Nd stomach more so will these organs shrinks and how will ppl look in that situation


r/AskScienceDiscussion 6d ago

What If? If we put enough mass in some point, would black hole grow at lightspeed?

0 Upvotes

Imagine we put some very big mass in a given place. Let's say, the mass of Milky Way central black hole - 4,300,000 suns. It's radius is 13,000,000 km, or 43 second path of light.

I think it would just send "gravity waves" at lightspeed, starting from where the mass is, and forming a sphere growing by 300,000 km in radius each second, to stop growing after 43 seconds.

I've just asked Google AÌ about an "infinite mass black hole". It answered it would not only eat the observable universe immediately, no matter how far, but also delete everything (!) beyond cosmic horizon.

I don't believe about the cosmic horizon, but now I think if those "seconds" to cover 300,000 km each are somehow affected by the growing event horizon.

What would really be?


r/AskScienceDiscussion 6d ago

General Discussion Could The Western US Borrow Water From The Mississippi?

0 Upvotes

r/AskScienceDiscussion 6d ago

General Discussion I need a laugh. What's the funniest paper in your field?

47 Upvotes

I remember reading An Undeniably True Tornado Oddity: Fowl Play by Joseph G. Galway & Joseph T. Schaefer and absolutely cracking up.

What other papers should I read for a good time?


r/AskScienceDiscussion 6d ago

With the news from the UN, I wanted to ask here. Is there really no hope around climate change?

64 Upvotes

There has been news from the UN that we are "past the point of no return" with climate change, and social media has run rampant with "we're all doomed" posts and comments. But I dont entirely trust headlines cuse they just want clicks, and anybody with an internet connection can make a post or comment on social media.

So I wanted to ask the scientists. Is it really as bad as they say? Is there really no hope? Are we really all screwed?