Science has all the answers

[Gonz]

I wish they'd quit predicting the end is near on the front page & then retracting their story on page 14 in the C section.

Scientists are excited about a vitamin again. But unlike fads that sizzled and fizzled, the evidence this time is strong and keeps growing. If it bears out, it will challenge one of medicine's most fundamental beliefs: that people need to coat themselves with sunscreen whenever they're in the sun. Doing that may actually contribute to far more cancer deaths than it prevents, some researchers think.

Source

 

[chcr]

I wish they'd quit predicting the end is near on the front page & then retracting their story on page 14 in the C section.

It's not the scientists who do that, Gonz. It's the editors and publishers of the pop media that do.

 

[Winky]

Talk about, pop musik
Talk about, pop musik
Pop pop pop pop musik

 

[Liliandra]

It's not the scientists who do that, Gonz. It's the editors and publishers of the pop media that do.

agreeing with you there, whatever will sell, as always.....

 

[Gonz]

It's not the scientists who do that, Gonz. It's the editors and publishers of the pop media that do.

Ultimately, yes. The scientific community does do the "Press Release" though.

 

[Winky]

I gots yer "Press Release" and guberment grant right cheer!

 

[chcr]

Ultimately, yes. The scientific community does do the "Press Release" though.

Not even that. Usually it's a media liason for the lab or universtity writes and distributes the press release (A Special interest magazine such as "Astronomy" might ask for further info from the scientists). Again though, no control over where it lands.

 

[Gonz]

So then, we have to question virtually all scientific information, since it was likely disseminated thru the press? How can we seperate speculation from theory?

 

[Luis G]

So then, we have to question virtually all scientific information, since it was likely disseminated thru the press? How can we seperate speculation from theory?

It is speculation when the have results or evidence, it is theory when they have proof.

Works for me at least.

 

[Winky]

Since when did the average Joe Sixpack have the ability
to make educated determinations regarding cutting edge scientific advances from "Press Releases"?

 

[Luis G]

Since when did the average Joe Sixpack have the ability
to make educated determinations regarding cutting edge scientific advances from "Press Releases"?

Most don't even understand the press release

 

[Winky]

Yep

 

[BeardofPants]

Any given piece of research can be traced back to a hopefully reliable journal. Science in the media is glorified at best - if you're interested in the validation of the data, ALWAYS go back to the primary data. I thought this was a given.

 

[Winky]

Pick one...

 

[Mare]

*medicine's most fundamental beliefs: that people need to coat themselves with sunscreen whenever they're in the sun. Doing that may actually contribute to far more cancer deaths than it prevents.


So another words: Your Damned if you do & your Damned if you don't!

 

[chcr]

Any given piece of research can be traced back to a hopefully reliable journal. Science in the media is glorified at best - if you're interested in the validation of the data, ALWAYS go back to the primary data. I thought this was a given.

Well, there's the real point, isn't it? Most people don't care enough to find out what the actual facts are.They just react to what they think they read. You ever see the Penn and Teller show where they had people signing a petition to ban "dihydrogen monoxide?"

 

[Gonz]

if you're interested in the validation of the data, ALWAYS go back to the primary data.

Given the complexity of scientific work, most people don't have the time, the inclination or the innate ability to understand 99% of the primary data, which is why they invented press releases. That being said, if people would go back to the original work, there'd be no argument in favor of the Global Warming Theory, as an example of pop science taking over our psyche.

 

[SouthernN'Proud]

Global warming my ass. This planet has survived everything for thousands of years. Some uptight anal retentive aerosol-phobic nutcase's rantings are laughable.

Man can really do very little indeed to alter an entire planet, and even less to improve what was created originally. Sure, we build stuff, move stuff around, even put up a wall that can be detected from orbit. But in the grand scheme of things, what we do is a drop in the ocean, and this ol' planet will be here just as long as God intends it to be here and not one second longer.

 

[Luis G]

Given the complexity of scientific work, most people don't have the time, the inclination or the innate ability to understand 99% of the primary data, which is why they invented press releases. That being said, if people would go back to the original work, there'd be no argument in favor of the Global Warming Theory, as an example of pop science taking over our psyche.

And most people don't have tons of money to spend on those magazines.

 

[chcr]

Global warming my ass. This planet has survived everything for thousands of years.

Billions, acually. The climatalogical fluctuations have only been going on for tens of millions though. Note that we're still in a cold phase. When the planet's in a warm phase there are no ice caps. The geological record shows that this has happened numerous times.