But the evening really kicks into high gear after the scientist's presentation ends, when the audience gets to start the conversation: "Is it still a question as to whether there is a lot more plant diversity in the Andes versus the Amazon?"

VOA: standard.2010.05.04

"But most of the people on Twitter that I see are actually trying to have a substantive discussion a real conversation about topics that are interesting to them.

VOA: special.2009.09.14

Some consider it an election ploy. But other surveys show the majority of French believe it is a useful conversation.

VOA: standard.2009.12.30

"There are people in the country who want to stop an honest,fair, civil and moral conversation about health care.

VOA: standard.2009.08.12

And the fact that you can just go up and engage in a conversation about what they're reading, that really reinforces the community."

VOA: standard.2010.05.12

The same message was conveyed by President Obama to Mr.Netanyahu during a telephone conversation on Monday.

VOA: standard.2009.06.09

He relates a conversation with the former Soviet leader's closest advisor, Alexander Yakovlev, about how top Kremlin officials came to view the system as permanently flawed."

VOA: standard.2009.11.03

It was more a general conversation about the capability and about the possibility."

VOA: standard.2009.05.06

"It's unlikely that as a consequence of me shaking hands or having a polite conversation with Mr.Chavez that we are endangering the strategic interest of the United States,".

VOA: standard.2009.04.20

"A science caf, it's a concept that actually started in Europe, and it was an idea to get scientists engaged in an informal conversation with the general public."

VOA: standard.2010.05.04

So what does it mean to be French today? President Nicolas Sarkozy has tapped another French staple the love of debate to launch a three-month, national conversation on the subject.

VOA: standard.2009.12.30

Wiman says part of what makes science cafs successful is where that conversation takes place: "We have it in the lower level of Herbie's restaurant in the Central West End."

VOA: standard.2010.05.04

Earlier in the day, the president spoke by phone with Russian President Medvedev, which the White House noted was the 14th direct meeting or phone conversation on the new treaty.

VOA: standard.2010.03.26

"So far,we have had a constructive conversation and my hope is that by the time the chairman and I meet on Wednesday that we have made sufficient progress and we can start actually seeing a structure that would be in place."

VOA: standard.2010.06.14