The Endless Thread, Undying Thread or just The Thread™ (occasionally also teh Thread) is, as the name indicates, a Pharyngula thread that refuses to die. The Thread is many things to many people. It began on February 24, 2009, when Alan Clarke, a particularly obtuse and persistent delugionist, carried a discussion from Titanoboa! to an unsuspecting thread about the film Watchmen, triggering Pharyngulites' SIWOTI syndrome like no one had ever seen before. Alan Clarke was eventually banned, but the Thread continued strong. As of January 2011, it comprised over 160 subThreads or 'episodes' containing more than 124,000 comments. The origin of the Thread has been celebrated in chapter and verse and the deep archives are available through the International Journal of Thread Studies. Occasional updates on the state of the Thread have been posted.
Today, the Endless Thread plays an important part in the community that is Pharyngula, and in the social life of many Pharyngulites. It offers a place where regulars can socialize, organise meetings and get-togethers, and share ideas, experiences, recipes, book and film recommendations, virtual hugs and chocolate, and much more. This being a Pharyngula thread, heated discussions are inevitable and passionate discourse between regulars occasionally erupts. Trolls or participants in long wrangles may be asked to take it to the Zombie Thread or TZT.
The Threadiversary (or Threadmas) is commemorated on February 24. Rumor has it that commemorations involve bacon, beer, carol singing, group hugs, naked lesbians masturbating with bibles, and all kinds of depravities that one would expect from a group of godless heathens. Gay Sex with Brownian may or may not be involved. A special issue of The International Journal of Thread Studies may also appear.
TET was renamed the Lounge on August 06, 2012, as part of the New Commenting Rules.