Create a Physics Snopes Section for Insightful Discussions

[jobyts]

After reading ZapperZ's recent insight, I think a physics/science specific snopes section could be an interesting idea (obviously the posting should be allowed only by selected people or after reviewed by a selected few). Over the period, this could become a very resourceful database. And any crackpot idea that pops up in PF or in real life, we just need to point to the snopes thread. This should also make the moderator's life easier, than digging any old locked thread that discussed the same incorrect ideas.

Since my suggestion for the content is as a one page explanation, not a thread for discussion, the initial thread should be concise, complete and well drafted, with a predecided format. (like snopes.com content). (so posts could be rejected if it is not well drafted, eventhough the content is accurate)

It would be fun thing to revisit these pages, may be few decades later, to see what weird ideas people had in the past :)

 

[berkeman]

We generally try not to give crackpot ideas any PF airtime, other than to perhaps list them in the Forbidden Topics section of the PF Rules. That's why we have the Forbidden Topics, and don't allow debunking discussions. Still, we can see what the other Mentors and Greg have to say...

 

[jobyts]

We generally try not to give crackpot ideas any PF airtime, other than to perhaps list them in the Forbidden Topics section of the PF Rules. That's why we have the Forbidden Topics, and don't allow debunking discussions. Still, we can see what the other Mentors and Greg have to say...

All of them need not be crackpot ideas. It could be an incorrect common assumption physics naive people have. As an example, why light is slower in the non vacuum is explained in the FAQ. At present, all these information are scattered around FAQ, threads, insights.

 

[Orodruin]

All of them need not be crackpot ideas. It could be an incorrect common assumption physics naive people have. As an example, why light is slower in the non vacuum is explained in the FAQ. At present, all these information are scattered around FAQ, threads, insights.

The old FAQs are continually being moved to Insights. As for people's answers in threads, they are just that.