Possible Science and Nature subforum changes

[Kyng]

Over the years, I've slowed down a bit with my layout changes: I used to move things around every couple of months, but now, the layout has settled down into something I'm largely happy with, that only gets tweaked every now and then to fit changing activity patterns . However, the 'Science and Nature' section has a couple of minor problems that bug me - and, this is an attempt to solve those.

1. Re-name "Flora, Fauna and Fungi" to "Biology and Wildlife"

This section has been through several re-namings over the years: it started as "Plants and Animals", then became "Living Things", and finally "Flora, Fauna and Fungi". However, I still have two problems with this section. First of all: it excludes any life that isn't a plant, animal, or a fungus (even though such threads wouldn't look out of place there). Secondly: it brings in threads that have nothing to do with science or nature. For example, we have a news story about "Pet tortoise in world's slowest police chase". This is in "Flora, Fauna and Fungi" because it involves an animal... but, there's no science or nature in this story. It's cute and funny, and it certainly has its place on the board - but IMO, 'Science and Nature' is the wrong place.

To fix this, I propose re-naming the sub-forum to "Biology and Wildlife". That way, it still covers plants, animals, and other lifeforms - but only the aspects that are relevant to science (and thus come under "Biology"), or are relevant to nature (and thus come under "Wildlife"). I'd also include zoos in this: while zoo animals themselves aren't 'wildlife', zoos do have clear connections to both science and nature through their educational and conservational work, so they earn their place in this sub-forum. However, I wouldn't include any goofy 'cute animal' news that has nothing to do with science or nature: those threads would all go into Current Events and Politics.

2. Re-name 'Earth and Space' to 'Astronomy and Aliens'

This section currently contains threads about the Earth's natural geographical features, and anything that can be found in space. However, there are two problems with this. First of all, this section is mostly space topics: if we exclude pinned threads, the first page contains 20 'space' topics and 7 'Earth' topics. Secondly, the 'Earth' stuff just feels bolted on: it has very little overlap with the 'space' stuff (if anything, it has more overlap with the plants/animals stuff than with the astronomy !)

To fix this, I suggest making it a solely space-focused sub-forum, and moving the 'Earth' topics into the main 'Science and Nature' board (or into 'Biology and Wildlife' if they fit in there). I propose calling this section 'Astronomy and Aliens' - for two reasons. First of all, if the other sub-forum is called "Biology and Wildlife", then something of the form "Astronomy and _______" would look better than just "Astronomy" on its own. Secondly, aliens are an area of overlap between biology and astronomy (possibly the only significant area of overlap), but I think topics about aliens would look more at home in a 'space' section than a 'biology' section, and calling the section "Astronomy and Aliens" would make this clear.

3. Thoughts about a potential new sub-forum

As part of this revamp, I did consider adding a new sub-forum for threads about materials science. These are quite awkward to place, since they straddle the border between 'science' and 'technology' - so I think a specific place for them would be helpful. However, 'materials science' on its own would be too small - so, my idea was to combine it with threads about chemistry, to create a "Chemistry and Materials" sub-forum.

However, after a bit more thought, I've decided I'm not very keen on this idea. First of all, it'd still be small: even if I'm generous with what I put into it, there would still only be 60-65 topics that would fit into it right now (and it'll always be a niche subject, so that number isn't likely to increase very rapidly). Secondly, it'd have quite a bit of overlap with astronomy, since astronomers often want to know what materials stars/planets are made of. I did consider broadening it to "Matter and Materials" (which would bring in particle physics) - but again, that has quite a bit of overlap with astronomy.

I have tried to think of other ideas for a sub-forum that would include materials science, but most of them are: a) small with little potential for growth, or b) overlap significantly with one of the other two sub-forums, and I don't want to add a new sub-forum that has either of those issues. I think it's unlikely that I'll add one, but I haven't completely abandoned the idea - and I'm throwing it out here in case anybody can think of a way to save it .

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So, what are people's thoughts?

[Photon]

Coming to first one, does it include Viruses? Since there is still no general consensus among scientists (As far as I am aware. It might be different though) as to whether it is a living or non-living thing. (Is that a silly question? )

For the second thing, I think that "Astronomy and Aliens" is not a good name because relating them both is odd. How about "Astronomy and Cosmology"? And I agree merging Earth into the Science and Nature.

[Kyng]

Coming to first one, does it include Viruses? Since there is still no general consensus among scientists (As far as I am aware. It might be different though) as to whether it is a living or non-living thing. (Is that a silly question? )

For the second thing, I think that "Astronomy and Aliens" is not a good name because relating them both is odd. How about "Astronomy and Cosmology"? And I agree merging Earth into the Science and Nature.

For the first one: yes, it'd include viruses. I'd consider virology to be a branch of biology .

For the second one: I guess that could work, but cosmology is a sub-field of astronomy anyway, so calling it "Astronomy and Cosmology" feels kinda redundant. And I don't think relating astronomy and aliens is too odd (and, like I said, it removes the ambiguity of "Do threads about aliens go in the biology section or the astronomy section?"). Admittedly, the name "Astronomy and Aliens" sounds kinda silly, and something like "Astronomy and Extraterrestrials" might be more in keeping with the tone of a serious science section - but, I think the idea is sound.

Or how about "Astronomy and Space Life?". First of all, that would look nice alongside "Biology and Wildlife" - and secondly, "Space Life" would cover possible future human settlements on other planets (which isn't something that "Aliens" would cover)

[Photon]

Yeah, Space life would look much better Kyng 

[Kyng]

In that case, that's what I intend to go with .

If nobody else has anything to say in the next 24 hours or so, then I'll implement these changes tomorrow morning .

[Detective Osprey]

Astronomy and Astrobiology would look better.

I don't care either way, so I say go for it. 

If nobody else has anything to say in the next 24 hours or so, then I'll implement these changes tomorrow morning .

[Kyng]

Astronomy and Astrobiology would look better.

I don't care either way, so I say go for it. 

Well, compared to 'Astronomy and Aliens', I think it would... but, compared to 'Astronomy and Space Life', I think there are two issues:

1. 'Astronomy and Space Life' would look better next to 'Biology and Wildlife' (since it follows the same basic template);
   
2. If we want topics about hypothetical future human colonies in space... then, 'Space Life' covers this, but 'Astrobiology' doesn't really.

Anyway, thanks !

[Kyng]

These changes have now been implemented.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone !