Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Problems …

… How journalists and press releases rewrite science — MobyLives. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Maher is particularly concerned with the aftermath of the ENCODE project’s publication of its latest human genome results. The press mostly reported that what had been called “junk” DNA was not in fact “junk,” because the ENCODE scientists had found the biochemical functions for 80% of the genome. This figure failed to note that much of that “function” may not have any particular impact on human qualities.

Too many science journalists have axes to grind, especially regarding environmentalism and evolutionary theory. Actually, too many journalists have axes to grind, period.

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