plural of paraffin test

(computing, robotics) The observation that, contrary to traditional assumptions, reasoning (which is high-level in humans) requires very little computation, but sensorimotor skills (comparatively low-level in humans) require enormous computational resources.

(probability) A problem within the classical interpretation of probability theory, illustrating how the principle of indifference may not produce definite, well-defined results for probabilities if it is applied uncritically when the domain of possibilities is infinite.

(programming) a parameter that is passed by position, rather than by name, in a function call

(programming) a parameter that is passed by name, rather than by position, in a function call

plural of parachute roll

A rolling manoeuvre performed by a parachutist at the point of impact in order to distribute the physical shock and reduce the risk of injury.

A city in Los Angeles County, California, United States.

(pharmacology) A colorless, odorless oily liquid consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum, used chiefly in medicine for treating constipation and especially formerly as a demulcent and solvent for nose and throat medication.

The observation that, because of the very large number of degrees of freedom in an unfolded polypeptide chain, the molecule has an astronomically large number of possible conformations, and therefore sequentially sampling all the possible conformations is not practical, yet most small proteins fold spontaneously on a millisecond or even microsecond timescale.