Is there an enumeration of complete chess games? [more inside]
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:31 PM - 10 answers

Is there a website that would show the world sorted by elevation? I recently enjoyed reading Plague Year, a post-apocalyptic thriller. The main conceit of this science-fiction novel is that a nanotechnology plague that kills any warm blooded animal (including humans), but the disease self-destructs at altitudes above 10,000 feet. How much territory would this be across the whole planet? [more inside]
posted by seasparrow at 5:56 AM - 6 answers

Physics question - involving cars, air, momentum, force, etc... Basically - how can I calculate the side force from a crosswind on my car at any given speed? [more inside]
posted by krisak at 8:22 PM - 24 answers

bicyclefilter: Are there any sites or books that break down the science of a bicycle? [more inside]
posted by bluelight at 6:49 AM - 9 answers

Science! How can I use my excessive tech / management / leadership background to enable science (while still getting paid a living wage)? [more inside]
posted by TheOtherSide at 6:31 AM - 3 answers

Save Our Planet Filter: My girlfriend is doing a "green energy" engineering project and needs inspiration. This is a project for an electrical engineering class in college so give us your coolest ideas for green energy projects. [more inside]
posted by thekiltedwonder at 6:45 PM - 11 answers

Anyone know why the Ares rocket is that shape?
posted by Idcoytco at 4:28 PM - 7 answers

What is the graph or plot called which: - is an equilateral triangle - has three axes - each axes is perpendicular to a side of the triangle? [more inside]
posted by Peter Petridish at 10:59 AM - 10 answers

What are some smaller-scale global warming tipping points that would radically alter everyday life? [more inside]
posted by jefficator at 6:32 AM - 14 answers

I have to write this big research paper for my cultural anthro class, and I'm looking for recommendations for cool/ interesting groups to study. I've got to write ten pages on them, so I don't want to get bored! It's got to be a fairly specific group, but one that is not too obscure - I need to be able to find material. Thanks!
posted by howgenerica at 8:19 AM - 31 answers

How quickly do porcini grow? [more inside]
posted by quasistoic at 3:20 PM - 6 answers

How to simultaneously exchange information? [more inside]
posted by deadweightloss at 2:27 PM - 40 answers

What would happen if spacesuit helmet was removed for 10 seconds on the moon? [more inside]
posted by swiffa at 11:08 AM - 22 answers

If I'm sitting on the terraformed surface of a Culture orbital, what does the horizon look like? [more inside]
posted by reverend cuttle at 8:09 AM - 12 answers

I need some academically credible synonyms for same-sex erotic activity that are less ambiguous than "gay sex" and less clinical-sounding than "homosexual contact." [more inside]
posted by Jon_Evil at 7:16 AM - 16 answers

I understand that noise can become overwhelming rapidly to those in the autism spectrum or with ADD/ADHD syndromes due to increased sensitivities of all the sense perceptions, but I have also heard of research that suggests a certain measure of white noise and some kinds of music can help both ADD and autism spectrum young people focus their brains. [more inside]
posted by bonsai forest at 6:20 AM - 13 answers

Can I buy a hardcopy of the IPCC's "Climate Change 2007 Synthesis Report?" [more inside]
posted by ZenMasterThis at 2:16 PM - 4 answers

Back about a decade ago, I happened to be watching in early evening as the moon went from thin sliver to complete disappearance. It was one of those unexpected and somewhat wondrous moments of my life (due to many circumstances of the time, and the unplanned coolness of it). I'd like to see it again. Is there some schedule for me to tell when this is going to happen again visible from my area? [more inside]
posted by Kickstart70 at 10:27 PM - 8 answers

What happened to my Shampoo? I mixed two different Shampoo brands about 70/30 and liked the resultant mixture. The next time I mixed them 50/50 and overnight the mixture lost all it's "thickness" (viscosity, I guess) and still works fine, but is as thin as milk if not thinner. [more inside]
posted by Rafaelloello at 6:30 PM - 6 answers

In a talk (at TED) by Brian Greene on string theory he says that there are "there appear to be about 20 numbers that really describe our universe..." He lists a few in his talk, but what are the rest of of those numbers? [more inside]
posted by bigmusic at 2:13 PM - 7 answers