Written by PEG and SIC, but updated occasionally.

An Introduction to the Physics Newsgroups

The physics groups

The USENET hierarchy contains a number of newsgroups dedicated to the discussion of physics and physics-related topics. These include sci.physics, sci.physics.research, sci.physics.cond-matter, sci.physics.particle and alt.sci.physics.new-theories, to all of which this general physics FAQ is relevant. Some of the more narrowly focused physics newsgroups have their own FAQs, which can, of course, be found in the appropriate newsgroups.

sci.physics is an unmoderated newsgroup dedicated to the discussion of physics, news from the physics community, and physics-related social issues.

sci.physics.research is a moderated newsgroup designed to offer an environment with less traffic and more opportunity for discussion of serious topics in physics among experts and beginners alike. There is an archive copy of the charter for this group and also a regular administrivia posting.

alt.sci.physics.new-theories is an open forum for discussion of any topics related to conventional or unconventional physics. In this context, "unconventional physics" includes any ideas on physical science, whether or not they are widely accepted by the mainstream physics community.

sci.physics.particle is an unmoderated newsgroup dedicated to the discussion of all aspects of particle physics by people with all levels of expertise. There is an archive copy of the charter for this group.

sci.physics.accelerators is an unmoderated newsgroup for issues relating to particle accelerators and the physics of beams. There is an archive copy of the charter for this group.

alt.sci.physics.acoustics is an unmoderated newsgroup for issues relating to sound and acoustics. It has an FAQ and operates under a set of informal rules.

sci.physics.cond-matter is an unmoderated newsgroup dedicated to the discussion of the physics of condensed matter. There is an archive copy of the charter for this group.

sci.physics.computational.fluid-dynamics is an unmoderated newsgroup for discussion of computational fluid dynamics. There is an archive copy of the charter for this group.

sci.physics.electromag is an unmoderated newsgroup with its own FAQ dedicated to the discussion of topics pertaining to electromagnetics. There is an archive copy of the charter for this group, and an early FAQ.

sci.physics.fusion is an unmoderated newsgroup with its own FAQ dedicated to the discussion of nuclear fusion. There is a reconstructed charter for this group.

sci.physics.plasma is a moderated newsgroup serving the plasma science and technologies community. There is an archive copy of the charter for this group.

sci.physics.relativity is an unmoderated newsgroup for discussions about the theory of relativity. There is an archive copy of the charter for this group.

alt.sci.physics I don't know why it exists, but it does.

de.sci.physik is the German language group for physics discussions.

fj.sci.physics is the Japanese language group for physics discussions.

Posting guidelines

People from a wide variety of non-physics backgrounds, as well as students and experts in all areas of physics participate in the ongoing discussions on these newsgroups. Professors, industrial scientists, graduate students, etc., are all on hand to bring physics expertise to bear on almost any question. But the only requirement for participation is interest in physics, so feel free to post--but before you do, please do the following:

Read this FAQ. It contains good answers, contributed by the readership, to some of the most frequently asked questions.
Understand "netiquette." If you are not sure what this means, subscribe to news.announce.newusers and read the excellent discussion of proper net behaviour that is posted there periodically.
Be aware that there is a special newsgroup dedicated to the discussion of "alternative" physics. It is alt.sci.physics.new-theories, and is the appropriate forum for discussion of physics ideas that are not widely accepted by the physics community. sci.physics is not the group for such discussions. A quick look at articles posted to both groups should make the distinction apparent. The charter for sci.physics.relativity also allows for speculative subjects.
Be conservative with crossposting. It is almost always best to post a question in the one group that seems best suited rather than cross-posting it to several groups. Check which newsgroups a thread is cross-posted to before posting follow-ups. If it is inappropriately cross-posted you may wish to reduce the number of groups listed in the header. Be aware that if it is cross-posted to sci.physics.research or another moderated newsgroup, your follow-ups will be vetted by the moderators before being accepted. Posting the same message to many groups without cross-posting is even worse than massive cross-posting.
Read the responses already posted in the thread to which you want to contribute. If a good answer is already posted, or the point you wanted to make has already been made, let it be. Old questions have probably been thoroughly discussed by the time you get there--save bandwidth by posting only new information. Post to as narrow a geographic region as is appropriate. If your comments are directed at only one person, try email.
Get the facts right! Opinions may differ, but facts should not. It is very tempting for new participants to jump in with quick answers to physics questions posed to the group. But it is very easy to end up feeling silly when people barrage you with corrections. So before you give us all a physics lesson you'll regret--look it up.
Don't post textbook problems in the hope that someone will do your homework for you. Do your own homework; it's good for you. On the other hand, questions, even about elementary physics, are always welcome. So if you want to discuss the physics that is relevant to your homework, feel free to do so. Be warned that you may still have plenty of work to do, trying to figure out which of the many answers you get are correct.
Your postings will be read by thousands of people so it is worth taking a minute to read it back and check the spelling, grammar and punctuation before posting, but please don't waste bandwidth by correcting or criticising other peoples spelling or grammar unless their errors obscure what was being said. Pointless spelling corrections almost always draw responses that correct spelling errors in the correction!
Do not post picture binaries or other large files in the sci.physics.* hierarchy of newsgroups. If you want to show a picture post it in alt.binaries.pictures.misc and tell everyone where to find it. Better still, put it on a web page and post the URL.
Be prepared for heated discussion. People have strong opinions about the issues, and discussions can get a little "loud" at times. Don't take it personally if someone seems to always jump all over everything you say. Everyone was jumping all over everybody long before you got there! You can keep the discussion at a low boil by trying to stick to the facts. Clearly separate facts from opinion--don't let people think you are confusing your opinions with scientific truth. And keep the focus of discussion on the ideas, not the people who post them.
Tolerate everyone. People of many different points of view, and widely varying educational backgrounds from around the world participate in this newsgroup. Respect for others will be returned in kind. Personal criticism is usually not welcome.

Thank you for taking the time to read this page.