It's a personal judgment call as to what sidebar you want to use -- subject to being overridden by the mods, of course. I don't think a science thread is an "editorial," but that's just my opinion. When I post a science thread, I click on the topics of "philosophy" and "culture/society." I've always done it that way. Every now and then they get dumped into "chat," but that's up to the mods.
BTW, Thank you!