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208

I am Chris French, head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, and author of “The Science of Weird Shit: Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal." Ask me anything!

Hello! I am Chris French, Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths, University of London. For those unfamiliar with the field, anomalistic psychology attempts to explain paranormal and related beliefs. I have been involved in skepticism for years, including a nine-year stint as the Editor-in-Chief of The Skeptic Magazine, the UK's foremost and longest-running skeptical magazine. I recently published The Science of Weird Shit with the MIT Press, which examines why people come to believe in improbable things like alien abductions, hauntings, and ESP, and shows there are plausible scientific explanations for even the most mysterious of otherworldly phenomena. Proof it's me.

As I explained in a recent interview, while I personally believe that genuinely paranormal phenomena do not exist, I may be wrong. For me, an important part of proper skepticism is to always be open to the possibility that one may be wrong. We would also be ignoring an important part of human experience if we made no attempt to understand “the weird stuff.” By taking such experiences and beliefs seriously, we can learn important lessons about the human mind.

I can’t wait to answer your questions. Please feel free to ask me anything, including sleep paralysis, ghosts, UFOs/alien abductions, reincarnation, out-of-body and near-death experiences, coincidences, precognition - in fact, pretty much anything weird and wonderful!

79 Comments
2024/04/08
15:23 UTC

195

I am a pityrosporum folliculitis (fungal acne) researcher who works with a dermatology clinic in South Korea. My job entails analyzing the triggers of fungal acne in order to create fungal acne-safe skincare. Ask me anything!

Hello IAmA!

I'm Kathiana Mejias (proof here), I am a researcher dedicated to understanding and treating pityrosporum folliculitis (commonly known as fungal acne) and other skin conditions stemming from Malassezia overgrowth and microbiome imbalances. Whether you're struggling with stubborn breakouts, curious about fungal acne, or seeking advice on managing Malassezia-related skin issues, I am here to answer your questions.

Ask us about:

- Understanding the causes and triggers of fungal acne

- Effective treatments and skincare routines for managing Malassezia overgrowth

- Identifying symptoms and differentiating between fungal acne and other skin conditions

- The role of diet and lifestyle in managing fungal acne

- Latest research and developments in skincare for Malassezia-related skin concerns and more!

I am here to share our knowledge, experiences, and recommendations to help you achieve clearer, healthier skin. Don't hesitate to ask me anything!

I will begin answering your questions on April 05th, 2024 at 8pm ET.

Visit the r/FungalacneSkincare subreddit (post your story with photos) for more personalized skin care suggestions and skin counseling.

Ask away! 🍄✨

PS: I wanted to address some of the questions that were asked in the previous post

“How can someone tell if it's fungal acne?”

Fungal acne usually appears as small clusters of bumps and pimples on the face, chest, and back. Some of the common signs are itchiness and inflammation but they are not usually painful. Some individuals do not experience itchiness. That heavily depends on your skin and how your immune system reacts to yeast overgrowth.

“Fungal nail conditions are notoriously hard to treat. Is fungal acne the same?”

Not really. Once you know you have fungal acne the treatment is fairly easy. An antidandruff shampoo with antifungals such as ketoconazole or zinc pyrithione usually works in getting rid of the fungal breakouts. The only problem is that the antidandruff shampoo treatment tends to be quite drying on the skin, especially if you are trying to treat fungal acne on the face. That is why it is recommended to use a fungal acne-safe skincare.

“Doxycycline was a miracle treatment for me and OTC options.”

Doxycycline is an antibiotic used to treat acne vulgaris, commonly known as topical acne. It will not treat fungal acne, it might actually make it worse. Sadly, there are no substitutions that could be found OTC, at least not in America. The best OTC treatment that might help will be sulfur or tea tree oil. However, the effectiveness of the treatment might be reduced since you will be changing from an oral medication to an over-the-counter topical treatment.

“Does candida albicans play a role in fungal acne?”

When we talk about fungal acne we are talking about a folliculitis (a hair follicle infection) caused by the yeast Malassezia. This tends to look similar to topical acne, hence the name. On the other hand, a candida infection, rather than acne-like bumps, looks more like a rash which can include blisters. We call a candida infection on the skin “cutaneos candidiasis”. Although candida can also be found within the skin microbiome, when we talk about fungal acne or pityrosporum folliculitis we refer to those pimples and breakouts that look like acne but no acne treatment can seem to help, which are caused by an overgrowth of Malassezia.

“What is fungal acne? Is it a ploy of skincare brands to sell more products?”

Pityrosporum folliculitis, commonly known as fungal acne, is a yeast infection caused by a yeast called Malassezia. It commonly appears as small clusters of pimples and bumps on the face, chest, and back. Is it a real thing? Sadly, yes and ironically the increment in cases have been attributed to the excessive utilization of ingredients containing fatty acids.

46 Comments
2024/04/08
00:46 UTC

166

[AMA] I'm Steve, solo indie dev of Beat Hazard. BH is 14 years old today! Ask me anything.

1 Comment
2024/04/06
16:20 UTC

183

We’re a planetary astronomer and a USA TODAY weather reporter here to discuss the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Ask us anything!

Hey Reddit! We’re UCLA planetary astronomer Jean-Luc Margot and USA TODAY weather reporter Doyle Rice. Like millions of Americans, we’ve been preparing for the total solar eclipse that will cross North America on Monday, April 8, and we’re here to chat with you about this rare celestial event.

Here’s a little bit more about us:

Hello, I am Jean-Luc Margot (u/jeanlucmargot) with UCLA. I teach planetary astronomy and I have hosted total solar eclipse trips in Oregon (2017) and Chile (2019). I am headed to Texas for Monday's eclipse. My research interests include the dynamics and geophysics of planetary bodies, radio and radar astronomy, and SETI. [Proof]

And I’m Doyle Rice (u/usatoday) from USA TODAY. For the past 20 years, when weather, climate or science makes the news, I’ve written about it for USA TODAY. From blizzards and tornadoes to hurricanes and floods, the USA's wild weather keeps me busy. Weather will play a huge role in how much people enjoy the eclipse. [Proof]

Wondering what kind of glasses are safe to use to view a solar eclipse? Curious about what even happens during the eclipse? Will you even be able to see it? Something else? Ask us anything!

Edit: That's all the time we have today, thank you for joining us! If you're curious how the eclipse may look in your city, check out our interactive map here. For the latest weather updates, go here.

96 Comments
2024/04/04
15:43 UTC

0

We're Size Specialists at MyONE® Custom Fit™ Condom Condoms. On Foreskin Day (4/4/24), AMA!

We’re back again, just in time for everyone’s new favorite holiday…Foreskin Day! We're the team of Size Specialists at MyONE® Custom Fit™ Condoms. MyONE makes 52 condom sizes, and every day we spend hours chatting with customers about penis size and condom fit. Under our ONE® brand, you’ll also find Foreskin Favorites like UltraFeel and Pleasure Plus.

We’re celebrating Foreskin Day this year because we love education and providing resources for people to find their perfect condom. Inspired by customer questions, we started to dive deep into foreskin education – and quickly realized the “Foreskin Gap” in safer sex education, visuals, and resources. In Early February we sent out our Foreskin Action Plan (F.A.P.) survey to inform our resources and prepare us for 4/4. You can learn more here, and add your voice here

We’re pros with AMA’s at this point so don’t be shy. Got a question about your foreskin or someone else's? Maybe you want to know more about foreskin hygiene, foreskin pleasure, or foreskin science? We’re also happy to answer questions about penises and condom fit in general, foreskin or no — so ask away!

Proof here

141 Comments
2024/04/04
15:18 UTC

399

I am Deirdre McCloskey and have written twenty books and some four hundred academic articles on economic theory, economic history, philosophy, rhetoric, statistical theory, feminism, ethics, and law.

I am a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Economics and of History, and Professor Emerita of English and of Communication, at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I am currently a Senior Fellow at Cato Institute.

Proof: https://imgur.com/a/botMrsi

Looking forward to your questions, Reddit.
UPDATE: I'm going to wrap up at 8:30pm Pacific, but thank you for your questions. It's been interesting.

Update on 4/1 (and no, this is not an April Fool's joke): I enjoyed this exchange and will do another one in a few months.

277 Comments
2024/04/01
01:07 UTC

159

[crosspost r/politics] I'm an anthropologist who studies the origins of extremism, political violence and genocide as well as paths to conflict resolution. I did fieldwork for many years in Cambodia before turning to more recently to do research on the United States. AMA!

1 Comment
2024/03/29
17:23 UTC

104

We’re Emma Sarappo, Gal Beckerman, and Ellen Cushing, editors at The Atlantic. Ask us anything about The Atlantic’s Great American Novels list.

We’re Emma Sarappo, Gal Beckerman, and Ellen Cushing, editors for The Atlantic, and we’re here to talk about our just-released Great American Novels list.

In seeking to identify a new American canon, we defined American as having first been published in the United States and within the past 100 years: a period that contains all manner of literary pleasure and possibility, including the experimentations of postmodernism and the satisfactions of genre fiction. Then we approached experts—scholars, critics, and novelists, both at The Atlantic and outside it—for their suggestions. From there,

we added and subtracted and debated and negotiated and reconsidered until we landed on these 136 titles.
The list includes 45 debut novels, nine winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and three children’s books. Twelve were published before the introduction of the mass-market paperback to America, and 24 after the release of the Kindle. At least 60 have been banned by schools or libraries. Together, they represent the best of what novels can do: challenge us, delight us, pull us in and then release us, a little smarter and a little more alive than we were before.

Read the full list here: https://theatln.tc/V57bT2jO

70 Comments
2024/03/28
16:30 UTC

0

I’m John Matze, an engineer and experienced social media founder. You may remember me from Parler, but times have changed! We just launched Hedgehog, a news-forward social platform that pokes fun at all points of the political spectrum. AMA.

I’m John Matze, an engineer and entrepreneur who founded Parler in 2018. I was everywhere in late 2020 and early 2021 – first in good ways, and then in bad. After the chaos stopped and fewer people were (literally) calling for my head, I had a choice to make: Lean into the chaos, or step back from it and reboot.

I chose the latter, and for the last 2+ years I’ve been working on Hedgehog, a news-forward community for healthy, respectful, and productive conversations online – though we will call out idiots when we see them. You can check us out here.

I also started a podcast, Greater Perspectives, as an example of the kind of in-depth conversation we want people to have on Hedgehog.

I’m an amateur pilot, a gardener, human to five chickens (didn’t see that coming, did you), and a dad.

Happy to talk about all that and more. Ask me anything.

Proof

Update: I'm stepping away but will be checking in throughout the day!

97 Comments
2024/03/28
15:14 UTC

0

We're the team of medical and machine learning researchers behind the Baby Translator app Nanni AI. Our goal is to use Baby Cry Sound Analysis for early detection of brain injury, a leading cause of death in newborns. Ask us anything!

Edit: That's a wrap! Thanks everyone for all the questions. If you have any more, drop by for a chat anytime at /r/NanniAI!

 

Hi reddit!

We're a Montreal-based group of medical researchers and machine learning experts who created the NanniAI app. Since crying is directly controlled by the brain and lungs, analysing a baby's cry sounds can give unique insights into their neurological and respiratory health.

To help reach this goal we made Nanni AI, a completely free app that has already translated over 1,000,000 cries and represents a huge step in our journey towards establishing the infant cry as a new Vital Sign.

 

Nanni AI Features:

  • Baby Cry Translator that tells you the reason why your baby is crying
  • Unusual cry detection
  • Baby Tracker to track diaper, sleep, and feedings, and important milestones
  • Baby-focused AI chat assistant
  • Practice Zone to learn how to decipher cries yourself
  • Exportable reports to share development patterns with other caregivers and pediatricians (coming soon!)

 

With your help, our research can arm parents and healthcare professionals with a brand new tool that could make a world of difference for newborns across the globe.

 

From our algorithms to parenting advice, and everything else -- whether you're a tech geek like us into the application of AI in healthcare, a new parent bewildered by your brand new screaming potato or none of the above, shoot us your questions!

 

We'll be answering questions today (March 28th), from 1pm-5pm EST on -- see you then!

 

Proof 1: https://reddit.com/r/NanniAI/comments/1bp5ua0/were_medical_researchers_and_machine_learning

Proof 2: https://twitter.com/ubenwa_ai/status/1773378388612247747

Jean_NanniAI verification: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jean-marc-aguilera-057aa91b0_from-the-nanniai-community-on-reddit-activity-7179123077602009089-hH-v

Flo_NanniAI verification: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/florentvoumard_from-the-nanniai-community-on-reddit-activity-7179149852168069122-YThE

Khaled_NanniAI verification: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/khaled-said-160a883b_from-the-nanniai-community-on-reddit-activity-7179154737819189249-Q7DB

Shrieda_NanniAI verification: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shriedajain_from-the-nanniai-community-on-reddit-activity-7179155963659063296-FET_

51 Comments
2024/03/28
14:12 UTC

0

I just published a book about fasting (THE FAST, available now from Simon & Schuster). I'm actually fasting right now, so I guess I'm an expert! AMA!

Hi, Reddit. Here we are closing in on the end of both Lent and Ramadan, and I am on Day Four of a weeklong liquid-only fast and feeling a bit spacey but fine. My first book has just been published. It's called The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy, and Promise of Doing Without. For many years I have been a book editor and book publisher.

After Trump's term ended I felt the need to purge myself, and so I undertook a weeklong fast, something I now do on a regular basis. In the middle of that first fast, I became curious about what was happening to my body, and that led to me doing some research. This became an all-consuming (ha!) project, and I ended up interviewing doctors and religious leaders, philosophers and activists, and reading many books and articles.

I learned about anorexia mirabilis ("holy anorexia"), cachexia, hunger strikes and the amazing history of fasting celebrities. I learned fasting may provide us with a kind of cellular reboot, and that something called the "faster's high" is real--after a few days, your body releases all these cool chemicals (orexin-A, endocannabinoids, serotonin, etc.). And once upon a time, long before David Blaine, beginning in the 18th century and on up through the first part of the 20th century, people paid good money to watch other people not eat (Kafka's "A Hunger Artist" captures the tail end of that era). U.S. presidents used to regularly declare National Fasting Days--Lincoln did so at least three times, once right after the Union defeat at Vicksburg, when he called for a national day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer."

We fast all the time, whether we know it or not--the act of holding back is a kind of fast that allows room for creation, as the philosopher and activist Simone Weil wrote. People as varied as Cesar Chavez, Mark Twain, Catherine of Siena, and Achilles were fasters.

And fasting-as-protest is regularly in use all over the world--activists for civil rights, for the environment, for all sorts of things, have used hunger strikes. In ancient Ireland, there were "stomach duels" between accusers and the accused, and fasting was seen as such a powerful spiritual weapon that there was a fine for illegal fasting!!

Proof

I'm stepping away, but I'll be back to answer any more questions. Thank so much for your interest!

19 Comments
2024/03/27
19:30 UTC

212

I am Susannah Fox. I wrote a field guide to the patient-led revolution in medical care. Ask me anything!

Signing off for now - thanks for all the questions!

Hello! I am Susannah Fox, former Chief Technology Officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where I ran a data and innovation lab. I recently published Rebel Health, a field guide to the patient-led revolution in medical care and the four types of health rebels who connect online, hack their own medical devices, conduct personal science, and help each other when the system fails them. My book draws on twenty years of tracking the expert networks of patients, survivors, and caregivers who have navigated the cracks of the health care system and built up our collective capacity for better health. From diabetes to ALS to Moebius Syndrome to chronic disease management, my book shows how the next wave of health innovation will come from the front lines of this patient-led revolution. Here's proof it's me!

The health rebel alliance is comprised of four archetypes: seekers, networkers, solvers, and champions. Lessons from each archetype demonstrate how people can come together and tap into their collective resilience to address health challenges. Here are just a few examples of the community at work discussed in Rebel Health:

- Long Covid patients documented, named, and got international attention for their condition as it emerged, before any health authorities were tracking it.

- People with Type 1 diabetes were so frustrated with the clunky, patient-keep-out tech they were given that they hacked into their own medical devices, freed the data, and built the tech they needed (including a DIY, open-source, artificial pancreas system).

- People with rare conditions who may never meet anyone in their town or region with the same disease can connect online for support, practical tips, and to pursue new treatment options together.

That's a brief introduction. I am here from 1 - 3 pm EST, so please feel free to ask me anything, including what it was like to work in the Obama Administration, the most useful question to ask at the end of a survey, or the deep history of radical health movements in the U.S.

You can get Rebel Health through your local bookstore or wherever books are sold!

105 Comments
2024/03/27
16:28 UTC

35

I’m Ryan J. Brown, creator of BBC’s comedy horror series 'Wreck'. AMA!

Hi reddit, I’m Ryan J. Brown, creator of BBC’s comedy horror Wreck. Here's my proof. Wreck is a series filled with comedy, conspiracy and a slice of slasher.

Thank you for all your questions! Wreck Series 2 is available now on BBC iPlayer.

36 Comments
2024/03/26
19:12 UTC

278

I created the real-world travel & exploration game Zonder, and I’m back this year to answer more of your questions! AMA about travel gaming, upcoming features, or game design in general!

Update: We're still going strong! I love hearing from our community so I'll be answering your questions pretty much all week - so don't worry if you're a few days late!

Hey everybody,

I’m the creator of Zonder, the real-world exploration & travel game where people can earn XP and level up for visiting places like restaurants, shops, parks and landmarks. We’ve currently got over 100 million places to collect in 150+ countries around the world.

My goal is to finally combine two of the most popular hobbies in the world, travel and gaming. We’re hoping to help people have more fun on their travels and motivate them to explore more of the world around them.

I had a great AMA back in 2022 and I’m returning this year to answer more of your questions, as well as get feedback and ideas from travelers, gamers and Zonder explorers! As the only developer in this genre (that we know of), we’re committed to doing the best possible job we can for the entire world to enjoy.

Ask me anything you want about Zonder, app development, game design, startups, upcoming features or anything else!

P.S. You can learn more about Zonder at https://zonderapp.com/. Or check us out on the App Store:

Apple App Store

r/IAMA doesn't allow Google Play links so you can find our Play Store app on the main website.

Proof (In my previous IAMA here): https://old.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/u81wl8/my_name_is_harry_and_i_created_zonder_the_first/

58 Comments
2024/03/26
17:45 UTC

106

We are Tuta (formerly Tutanota), we just launched the world's first post-quantum encryption for email & are turning 10 years old! Celebrate these milestones with us, ask us anything!

Hello Reddit, we are the team of privacy and encryption experts who built Tuta (formerly Tutanota)!

Today is a special day as our service turns 10. We want to celebrate with you by answering any questions you might have about Tuta Mail, Tuta Calendar or Tuta Contacts (which now has sync on mobile)!

A lot has changed over the last decade from our first beta release of encrypted email to our growing encrypted suite of features that are now quantum-secure (and support unlimited email addresses for your custom domain with Revolutionary).

We're here to answer your questions about encryption, privacy, global surveillance, and possibly our favorite ice cream flavors.

We'll be answering questions across multiple time zones and will respond to as many as we can.

Join the privacy revolution and ask us anything!

If you have further questions after this AMA, head over to the Tutanota subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/tutanota/

Our proof is here: https://imgur.com/a/8O6wje2

Signing Off: Thank you everyone! After 5 hours of questions and comments we will be closing our AMA. We would like to thank everyone for the fun and constructive conversations. This was a great experience with the Reddit community and we are looking forward to our next AMA. Stay safe and happy encrypting!

!lock

120 Comments
2024/03/26
12:29 UTC

339

We are Wikipedia editors ranking within the top 0.1% of users in terms of edit count. AMA.

I am A09 (u/DaSecretSlovene), a Slovene Wikipedia administrator and checkuser as well as global rollbacker active in crosswiki antivandalism work. Ask me anything! I edit Wikimedia projects as my hobby for about four years as of 2024 and have about 120k edits. As said I am a Slovene Wikipedia administrator and checkuser, these actions also presents most of my editcount. Been active for four years and mostly dealt with handling vandalism as well as detecting and removing copyright violations on various Wikipedia projects and recently received global rollback rights for this. Admin rights allow me to block/unblock users and delete/restore/protect pages as well as delete log entries. As far as my checkuser right goes it helps me detect forbidden alternative abusive accounts on Wikipedia.
Proof: link to my account is on Reddit profile, however here is also the link to my global account view: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAuth?target=A09 My Reddit username is also mentioned on my Wikipedia userpage (https://sl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Uporabnik%3AA09&diff=6190538&oldid=6188235).

_______

Hi! I am Prodraxis (u/thatwikipediangirl), a Wikimedian since 2023 with experience in anti-vandalism/anti-spam, writing content, checking new pages to make sure they meet Wikimedia policies, participating in internal project discussions and more! As of right now, I have 8000+ edits on the English Wikipedia and more than 10000+ globally, which put me in the top 0.1% of all editors on the English Wikipedia. As you can see, I mostly edit the English Wikipedia, but more recently, I've been involved in Wikimedia Commons (a free image depository) dealing with logo copyright and in Wikidata (a knowledge database that serves as an "integration hub" for articles regarding the same subject that exist on multiple language wikis) updating outdated descriptions. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about editing Wikipedia; I will be happy to answer them! (Proof: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Prodraxis/Proof\_for\_Reddit\_AMA)

_________

We both spend a significant amount of our free time editing this website to help improve its quality, often devoting 9+ hours a week dealing with malicious actors that compromise the neutrality of the website, copyright issues, trolling, corporate spam and more! Not only do we maintain the encyclopedia, but we also spend a good amount of time writing new articles (and even nominating them to be on the Main Page at times) in addition to this.

This AMA will be held for about 10 hours.

Thanks in advance, A09 and Prodraxis

EDIT: Thanks for everyone that participated in this AMA, it is over now! It was fun doing this and maybe who knows, we might do this again in the future. :)

246 Comments
2024/03/24
21:07 UTC

174

[Crosspost /r/Politics] We’re Washington Post reporters who found that school hate crimes quadrupled in states with laws targeting LGBTQ issues. Ask us anything.

1 Comment
2024/03/22
18:05 UTC

951

I'm a professional cheap flight finder, here to talk mistake fares (like $230rt to Paris), myths (do cookies matter?), and Going's long-awaited mobile app (!)

One great thing about finding cheap flights is, unlike say pharmacists or divorce lawyers, I get to encounter people at their best. Nobody who books a $258 roundtrip flight to Paris is having a bad day.

Backstory: Nine years ago I flew from NYC to Milan for $130 roundtrip and posted about it on reddit. My friends kept asking me after to send them deals like this, and pretty soon strangers were asking too.

It was originally an email list called Scott’s Cheap Flights; today we’re a company of 75 cheap flight lovers called Going. (It's free to signup and it’d be our honor to uncover cheap flights from your home airport, but zero pressure honestly.)

The best part of my job is hearing from members who we helped get a cheap flight, like these redditors from 2023 (all prices roundtrip, not Spirit):

  • u/kurtofour Barcelona for $480
  • u/DragonflyTop4556 Ecuador for $205
  • u/nutellatime Scotland for $400
  • u/Snarffalita Spain, London, and Vietnam all under $500
  • u/-cupcake Tokyo for $460 (2018)

Going’s Mobile App (!!)

The single most frequent request I’ve gotten for years is “Scott when’s the mobile app coming?” Well I’ve finally got the answer it’s next week :-))) Yes yes the “official” date is April 8 but I bet we get it out sooner, including for Android users like me.

Two things about the app we’re hoping folks love:

  1. the globe view of great fares currently available from your airport(s)
  2. push notifications so you never miss a great deal

The mobile app is free, you don’t have to transfer anything (just login with your existing account), and email alerts will continue for those who want them.

Thousands of redditors helped testing out the beta—a huge debt of gratitude for yall’s help!

Cheap Flights Stuff

If you’re just here to talk cheap flights i couldn’t be more thrilled. Here’s some cheap flight stuff on my mind below, but honestly ask me anything.

  • the best flight deals of 2023 (all roundtrip, not Spirit):
    • Paris- $230
    • London- $252
    • Lima- $161
    • Japan- 50k points (Going now sends points deals to Premium and Elite members)
  • best deals so far in 2024
    • Hawaii- $181
    • Galapagos- 18k points
    • Madrid- 68k points in business class
  • my 2024 travel predictions (sad that the increased check bag fee one already came true)
  • my 2023 travel predictions
  • airfare myths like clearing your cookies or “the cheapest fares” on Tuesdays at 1pm
  • the best way to get cheap flights when you have flexibility: reverse your search
  • the best way to get cheap flights when you don’t have flexibility: goldilocks windows
  • how to get cheaper hotels and car rentals

Proof I’m Scott: imgur

Proof I’m a professional cheap flight expert: Appearances last year on/in Good Morning America, the Today Show, Live with Kelly & Mark, NPR, New York Times, Washington Post.

Love,

Scott

P.S. You can pre-register for the mobile app right now on iOS. People who pre-register will get the app first.

Android: no pre-registration but if you have a Going account we’ll ping you next week when the app is ready to download.

UPDATE (1:50pm ET): Poring through hundreds of your comments, y'all are so awesome!! Trying to respond to each one, forgive me if I'm slow getting to yours. I'll be here all dang day so if you haven't submitted a question, throw it in there!!

UPDATE #2 (4:10pm ET): Still going strong and nearly out of the backlog. If I missed your question twas not my intention—please repost it and I would love to chat cheap flights with you!!

UPDATE #3 (6:06pm ET): The mistake fare gods have smiled upon us—a $299 roundtrip *summer* flight to Iceland just dropped!! Check your emails Premium and Elite members.

UPDATE #4 (7:21pm ET): Going to grab my first meal of the day. I'll hop back on in an hour or two and take any new questions that've popped up in the meantime :)

UPDATE #5 (11:21PM ET): Answered the backlog of questions tonight and gonna grab a few hours of sleep—will be back first thing in the morning to take whatever overnight stuff yall have got! Amazing questions everyone!!

UPDATE #6 (9:45am ET): Back at it—drop any questions you've got and I'll be answering throughout the day :)

649 Comments
2024/03/21
12:00 UTC

81

[Crosspost]Reuters reporter Will Dunham answering questions about dinosaurs on ELI5 3-4PM EST, thread open for questions now, AMA!

1 Comment
2024/03/20
16:06 UTC

124

I’m Dan Vergano, senior opinion editor at Scientific American. I’ve spent 7 years reporting on Havana Syndrome and I'm one of the few journalists who has gone to Cuba to cover the story. AMA!

Hi, Reddit! I’m Dan Vergano, an editor at Scientific American. For the last seven years, I’ve spent a fair amount of time reporting on Havana Syndrome, including finding public records hidden by the government and even visiting Cuba to investigate. Initial reports in 2017 blamed a “sonic weapon” attack for the syndrome, tied to high-pitched metallic noises reported by victims, then microwaves and finally pulsed microwaves. This last one was deemed the most plausible explanation in a 2020 NASEM report.
However I reported real skepticism about this explanation among health physicists, and uncovered emails showing discord among the researchers investigating the injuries, a buried CDC report casting doubt on its ever being solved, and finally a classified State Department report, kept from the NASEM panel, that blamed the noises on crickets and casting doubt on an electromagic effect explaining the injuries.
Last year, an Intelligence Community report emerged assessing the injuries as unlikely to have resulted from deliberate attacks, seeing them as more likely reflecting past injuries, stress and “social factors”, the role of group psychology in spreading maladies in high-pressure, enclosed social settings. Supporting this, NIH studies were released Monday showing that people with syndrome’s symptoms lack any sign of medical injuries or the brain damage suggested in some initial studies.

Proof

I'll be here at 3:30 ET on 3/19/24. Ask Me Anything!

48 Comments
2024/03/19
17:51 UTC

0

Hi! We're adult film performer Kazumi and director Erika Lust and we're here to answer all your questions about g*ngbangs

Hi Reddit!
We’re here to discuss one of the most controversial topics in porn: gangbangs. Ask your questions to the queen of gangbangs and sex parties, KAZUMI.

Whether it's to get tips & tricks to try it yourself, to know how we manage these scenes in porn productions, to dispel myths, or to understand gangbangs from different perspectives... Ask us anything!
We also invite you to watch a free scene from the gangbang we shot together so it may inspire you to ask any questions that come up:

Watch Kazumi’s Party scene FOR FREE here

Thanks :)

Here's our proof photo

219 Comments
2024/03/19
17:02 UTC

1,180

We are 70 bipolar disorder experts & scientists gathered for the world's biggest bipolar AMA! In honor of World Bipolar Day, ask us anything!

Hello Reddit! We are psychiatrists, psychologists, scientists, researchers, and people living with bipolar disorder representing the CREST.BD network.

This is our SIXTH annual World Bipolar Day AMA! We hope that this AMA can contribute to advancing the conversation around bipolar disorder, and to help everyone connect and share ways to live well with bipolar disorder.

This year, we've come together as the largest global team of bipolar disorder experts: 70 panelists from 13 countries with expertise into different areas of mental health and bipolar disorder. We'll be here around the clock answering your questions from multiple time zones and will respond to as many questions as we can!

Our 70 panelists (click on a name for our proof photo and bio):

  1. Dr. Adrienne Benediktsson, 🇨🇦 Neuroscientist & Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  2. Alessandra Torresani, 🇺🇸 Actress & Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  3. Andrea Paquette, 🇨🇦 Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  4. Dr. Andrea Vassilev, 🇺🇸 Doctor of Psychology, Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  5. Anne Van Willigen, 🇺🇸 Librarian & Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)
  6. Dr. Annemiek Dols, 🇳🇱 Psychiatrist & Researcher
  7. Dr. Benjamin Goldstein, 🇨🇦 Child-Adolescent Psychiatrist
  8. Catherine Simmons, 🇨🇦 Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)
  9. Dr. Chris Gorman, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist
  10. Chris Parsons, 🇨🇦 Lived Experience (Lives w/ bipolar)
  11. Christa McDiarmid, 🇨🇦 EPI Peer Support Worker & Bipolar Support Group Facilitator (Lives w/ bipolar)
  12. Dr. David Miklowitz, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & Researcher
  13. Debbie Sesula, 🇨🇦 Peer Support Coordinator (Lives w/ bipolar)
  14. Dr. Delphine Raucher-Chéné, 🇫🇷🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Clinician-Researcher
  15. Dr. Devika Bhushan, 🇺🇸🇵🇭🇮🇳 Pediatrician, Public Health Leader (Lives w/ bipolar)
  16. Dr. Elizabeth Tyler, 🇬🇧 Clinical Psychologist
  17. Dr. Elvira Boere, 🇳🇱 Psychiatrist & Researcher
  18. Dr. Emma Morton, 🇦🇺 Senior Lecturer & Psychologist
  19. Dr. Eric Youngstrom, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & Researcher
  20. Dr. Erin Michalak, 🇨🇦 Researcher & CREST.BD founder
  21. Eve Mair, 🇬🇧 Bipolar UK Senior Public Policy Officer (Lives w/ bipolar)
  22. Evelyn Anne Clausen, 🇺🇸 Writer & Artist (Lives w/ bipolar)
  23. Dr. Fabiano Gomes, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist
  24. Prof. Fiona Lobban, 🇬🇧 Clinical Psychologist & Academic
  25. Georgia Caruana, 🇦🇺 Neuropsychiatry PhD Candidate
  26. Dr. Georgina Hosang, 🇬🇧 Research Psychologist
  27. Dr. Glorianna Jagfeld, 🇬🇧 PhD Graduate
  28. Prof. Greg Murray, 🇦🇺 Psychologist & Researcher
  29. Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin, 🇺🇸 U.S. Army retired, Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  30. Dr. Guillermo Perez Algorta, 🇺🇾🇬🇧 Senior Lecturer in Mental Health
  31. Heather Stewart, 🇨🇦 Sewist (Lives w/ bipolar)
  32. Dr. Ivan Torres, 🇨🇦 Neuropsychologist
  33. Dr. Jasmine Noble, 🇨🇦 Researcher & National Sustainability Director of Mood Disorders Society of Canada
  34. Jean-Rémy Provos, 🇨🇦 Executive Director of Relief (formerly Revivre)
  35. Jeff Brozena, 🇺🇸 Human-computer Interaction/Digital Health PhD Student (Lives w/ bipolar)
  36. Dr. Joanna Jarecki, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  37. Dra. Joanna Jiménez Pavón, 🇲🇽 Mood Disorders Psychiatrist
  38. Dr. John-Jose Nunez, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Clinical Research Fellow
  39. Dr. Josh Woolley, 🇺🇸 Psychiatrist & Researcher
  40. Dr. Jill Murphy, 🇨🇦 Global Mental Health Researcher
  41. Dr. Jim Phelps, 🇺🇸 Mood Specialist Psychiatrist
  42. Dr. June Gruber, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & Researcher
  43. Dr. Kamyar Keramatian, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist & Researcher
  44. Dr. Katie Douglas, 🇳🇿 Psychologist & Researcher
  45. Laura Lapadat, 🇨🇦 CREST.BD Trainee & Psychology PhD student
  46. Dr. Lauren Yang, 🇺🇸 Clinical Psychologist (Lives w/ bipolar)
  47. Leslie Robertson, 🇺🇸 Marketer & Peer Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)
  48. Dr. Lisa O’Donnell, 🇺🇸 Social Worker & Researcher
  49. Dr. Madelaine Gierc, 🇨🇦 Psychologist & Researcher
  50. Dr. Manuel Sánchez de Carmona, 🇲🇽 Psychiatrist
  51. Maryam Momen, 🇨🇦 Dentistry student (DMD candidate) & Mental health advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  52. Dr. Maya Schumer, 🇺🇸 Psychiatric Neuroscientist Researcher (Lives w/ bipolar)
  53. Dr. Meghan DellaCrosse, 🇺🇸 Researcher & Clinical Psychologist
  54. Melissa Howard, 🇨🇦 Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  55. Dr. Nigila Ravichandran, 🇸🇬 Psychiatrist
  56. Dr. Paula Villela Nunes, 🇧🇷🇨🇦 Psychiatrist
  57. Pepe Bakshi, 🇨🇦 Lived Experience (Lives w/ bipolar)
  58. Dr. Rebekah Huber, 🇺🇸 Psychologist & Researcher
  59. Robert “Coach V” Villanueva, 🇺🇸 International Mental Health Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  60. Dr. Roumen Milev, 🇨🇦 Psychiatrist
  61. Ruth Komathi, 🇸🇬 Mental Health Counsellor (Lives w/ bipolar)
  62. Prof. Samson Tse, 🇭🇰 Counsellor, Academic and Researcher
  63. Sara Schley, 🇺🇸 Author, Filmmaker, Speaker (Lives w/ bipolar)
  64. Dr. Sarah H. Sperry, 🇺🇸 Researcher
  65. Shaley Hoogendoorn, 🇨🇦 Speaker, Content Creator, Mental Illness Advocate (Lives w/ bipolar)
  66. Dr. Steven Barnes, 🇨🇦 Instructor & Artist (Lives w/ bipolar)
  67. Dr. Tamsyn Van Rheenen, 🇦🇺 Researcher
  68. Dr. Thomas D. Meyer, 🇺🇸🇩🇪 Clinical Psychologist & Researcher
  69. Dr. Thomas Richardson, 🇬🇧 Clinical Psychologist (Lives w/ bipolar)
  70. Twyla Spoke, 🇨🇦 Registered Nurse (Lives w/ bipolar)

People with bipolar disorder experience the mood states of depression and mania (or hypomania). These mood states bring changes in activity, energy levels, and ways of thinking. They can last a few days to several months. Bipolar disorder can cause health problems, and impact relationships, work, and school. But with optimal treatment, care and empowerment, people with bipolar disorder can and do flourish.

CREST.BD approaches bipolar disorder research from a unique perspective. Everything we do–from deciding what to study, conducting research, and publishing our results–we do hand-in-hand with people with bipolar disorder.

We host a Q&A podcast with many of the bipolar disorder experts on this panel all year round through our talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast - we hope to stay in touch with you there. You can also find our updates, social media and events at linktr.ee/crestbd!

Final note (March 25th): Thank you all - We'll be back again next year on World Bipolar Day! We still have activities all year round, including new episodes of our talkBD bipolar disorder podcast - hope to see you there! Take care everyone :)

1759 Comments
2024/03/19
16:37 UTC

11

[CROSSPOST] - AMA with Julian Dorey Today (3/14)

Hey r/IAmA!

r/espionage is hosting an AMA with u/juliandorey!

Proof: https://www.reddit.com/r/espionage/comments/1bedfew/ama_tomorrow/

UPDATE - Julian will be live at 6pm EDT tonight

Please join us for the AMA with Julian here: https://www.reddit.com/r/espionage/comments/1bep8ma/ama_with_julian_dorey_today_314/

Julian hosts the Julian Dorey Podcast.

Julian started out on wall street, before he launched his podcast that is available on every podcasting platform.

His guests include elite spec ops operators, intelligence agents, high-profile criminals, highly influential scientists, conservation/humanitarian experts and many others who have done high-impact work around the world:

. . . and MANY others!

On behalf of the moderation teams of so many subreddits we've cross-posted this to, including the moderation team of r/r/IAmA, we'd like to thank Julian and his rockstar social media guy for making this happen!

Thank you!

2 Comments
2024/03/14
16:31 UTC

259

IAmA Recruiter who’s worked with over 1,700 companies. Struggling with the job market or on the hunt for your next gig? Trying to hire? AMA!

Hey Reddit! I’m Patrick Cahill, President of #twiceasnice Recruiting. I've been recruiting for positions in various sectors for about 7 years, overseeing a team that's searched for more than 1,700 employers, I’ve reviewed thousands of resumes, and have personally spoken with thousands of company leaders who are hiring. The job market is tough right now, and I want to help Redditors looking for their next job/career move.

Feeling overwhelmed by your job search? Wondering what recruiters are really looking for? Maybe you're a hiring manager yourself and have some burning questions. Looking for resume feedback? Need help to determine if an ask during an interview process is legit? Just curious about what a recruiter does? Whatever your job-related question is, AMA!

Here's my proof.

403 Comments
2024/03/14
14:53 UTC

559

I spent three years investigating Russian spies within the Australian spy agency ASIO. AMA!

EDIT

Thanks heaps for all the questions. I'm keen to keep answering questions over the next few days so keep them coming!

In the meantime, here's a link to the podcast btw.

Joey

....

Hi Reddit. I’m Joey Watson, an investigative journalist and host of a new investigative podcast series called Nest of Traitors. Three years ago, I found out about the ultimate spy story: During the Cold War, the Australian spy agency ASIO was infiltrated by a Soviet mole.

For decades the mole’s identity remained a mystery and the damage they caused unknown. I became obsessed with the story. Who was the mole? What was the ASIO up against? Was the mole problem deeper than just one mole?

I have spent the last three years trying to answer these very questions. I’ve spoken to the Australian Federal Police, and to the AFP’s main suspect, who was taken to court to answer for his alleged betrayal.

I’ve spoken to ex-spies, and found out more about the person who likely recruited the mole inside ASIO.

I’ve even travelled to Woomera, a defence town in South Australia built in the 1940s. It was here I found out about the rockets and nuclear weapons that were tested to use in the Cold War and caught the interest of the KGB.

My investigation is the subject Nest of Traitors, which is available to listen to now wherever you listen to podcasts. But there was plenty that didn’t make it into the podcast, so AMA! I'll be back at midday to answer questions.

(Proof)

89 Comments
2024/03/12
23:35 UTC

369

We’re scientists from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK’s national metrology institute. Ask us anything!

Hi Reddit!

We’re Matthew (Higher Scientist in Optical Frequency and Metrology) and Saskia (Assistant Scientist in Nuclear).

As part of British Science Week and its theme of ‘time’, we want to answer your questions on the measurement of time. We’re also happy to answer your questions on careers in STEM and what it’s like working at NPL.

Proof of who we are + here

More about NPL

Update: That’s a wrap! Thank you for all of your questions, we’ve had an absolute blast answering them and we’d love to come back and do this again sometime. We'll keep an eye on any further questions and will be posting a full Q&A page on our website soon.
In the meantime, if you want to find out more about NPL’s work with time, you can visit our website: https://www.npl.co.uk/time-frequency

84 Comments
2024/03/12
14:38 UTC

398

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything!

Hello! I am Karl Widerquist, Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University-Qatar. Here’s proof it’s me. I recently published Universal Basic Income for the MIT Press's Essential Knowledge series. It is a short, solid introduction to UBI that answers the fundamental questions about it; What is UBI? How does it work? What are the arguments for and against it? What is the evidence?

In addition to these general questions, my book also considers:

• What is the history of UBI?

• What can we learn about UBI from UBI experiments?

• What can we learned a out UBI from the Alaska Dividend and other similar policies?

• How do AI and automation figure in the argument for UBI?

• How will UBI affect incentives?

• Is UBI good for workers?

• Is UBI good for women and people of cover?

• Does UBI conflict with the work ethic or the market economy?

That's a brief introduction. Please feel free to ask me anything, specific or general.

You can get my book, Universal Basic Income, through your local bookstore or wherever books are sold!

194 Comments
2024/03/11
18:29 UTC

908

UPDATE- 21 year old diagnosed with kidney failure- Finally got my transplant!

As the title of my post says, I finally got my transplant! I received a kidney from a deceased donor, typically these types of donors are pulled from life support. Due to confidentiality I won't be able to know any actual information regarding the donor.

As my original post received so much attention, I thought people would be interested in an update.

Link to original post https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/a4157a/21_year_old_recently_diagnosed_with_end_stage/

103 Comments
2024/03/11
05:32 UTC

49

I am a upper level gymnast, coach, and judge in training, AMA!

I have been a gymnast for around a decade, a coach for several years, and take the first judging test in 3 months. I am a state champion and have qualified for regionals. As a coach, my girls are state champions and members of the top 100 lists.

Proof

I'll start answering questions at 3:30 EST!

77 Comments
2024/03/10
19:08 UTC

383

I am the Nerd from Netflix's 'Lover, Stalker, Killer' -- IAmA hacker, cyber crime investigator, digital forensics examiner, geek multi-tool, and/or meat popsicle

THANKS FOR ALL THE FISH: Thanks, all of you who took part, and especially those who donated to the Cari Farver Memorial Scholarship. I hope you got some answers and a look into modern policing. Take care! .,-~={ 2024-03-13 0254 hrs UTC }=~-,.

/*****************************************************************************/

Hi, I'm Anthony Kava, and I'm the nerd investigator from the Netflix documentary film, Lover, Stalker, Killer, which tells the story of the disappearance of Cari Farver. I work at a Sheriff's Office where I investigate cyber crime, perform digital forensics examinations, and do anything else nerdy the Sheriff requires. I spent upwards of three years and 3000+ hours working this case as part of the investigation team and doing digital forensics. That led to a 1000-slide PowerPoint exhibit in court and three days on the stand for me to explain all the crazy electronic stuff that happened.

Cari Farver lived in Macedonia, Iowa, and went missing in November 2012. >!For the next three years, her killer impersonated her by texts, emails, and online profiles on social media and dating sites. The defendant also stalked, vandalised, set their own house on fire (killing their pets), and even shot themselves to cover-up the murder. The suspect used VPNs, proxies, and apps to schedule texts and hide their IP address. The successful prosecution, owing to years of work by dedicated public servants in two states, relied heavily on digital evidence to prove a premeditated, no-body homicide.!<

I've gotten a lot of questions since the show began streaming last month, and I'm happy to answer them to better inform the public on how these things work. My ulterior motive is to promote the Cari Farver Memorial Scholarship which helps an IT student each year in Cari's memory. If you have the means to give a few dollars to keep it going, it's very much appreciated!

DISCLAIMER: Anything I write on Reddit represents personal views only. I am not representing my employer or any of the agencies or organisations with whom I work. I'm doing this off-duty and wearing sweatpants. I am not providing legal advice, and I cannot advise on civil matters, do outside forensic work, or help with cases outside my day job.

PROOF

^(SHA-256: 982b07e93177c0f0ea259383ef14a9328027091e025edaa43e3ab16abeca7e9f)

Would you like to know more?

180 Comments
2024/03/10
00:43 UTC

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