You know, I do think we need science news, as in bringing complicated science to the general public in a way that it is understood. No problem there. But turning science into clickbait is not the best way to do this. I'm getting really tired of seeing articles about how our understanding of the universe is going to be changed forever, or how biology's principles are about to be shattered, or how the whole field of chemistry is going down the toilet, etc. This does nothing to help science, in fact, it makes people less likely to think of science as a legitimate way to study the world, since it looks like the whole field is shattered and destroyed every time a potato farts.
I know most people are stupid, and have the attention span of a mosquito with Alzheimer's, but we should at least try to be factual. Of course, that's not going to get us clicks, likes, and retweets.
You’re right, of course. What’s more likely, the anomalies we caused by measurement error and sensor glitches, or that up is down, black is white and the second law of thermodynamics is more of a “sometimes thing?” While I won’t fault theoretical physics for indulging in self-serious thought experiments — especially when they’re trying to make a strong case for increased funding for a newer, bigger collider — this futurism.com article’s subhead is popsci red meat: “We’re about to lift the veil to a new universe.” New universe, same as the old universe.
You know, I do think we need science news, as in bringing complicated science to the general public in a way that it is understood. No problem there. But turning science into clickbait is not the best way to do this. I'm getting really tired of seeing articles about how our understanding of the universe is going to be changed forever, or how biology's principles are about to be shattered, or how the whole field of chemistry is going down the toilet, etc. This does nothing to help science, in fact, it makes people less likely to think of science as a legitimate way to study the world, since it looks like the whole field is shattered and destroyed every time a potato farts.
I know most people are stupid, and have the attention span of a mosquito with Alzheimer's, but we should at least try to be factual. Of course, that's not going to get us clicks, likes, and retweets.
Maybe I'm just blowing against the sandstorm :/
You’re right, of course. What’s more likely, the anomalies we caused by measurement error and sensor glitches, or that up is down, black is white and the second law of thermodynamics is more of a “sometimes thing?” While I won’t fault theoretical physics for indulging in self-serious thought experiments — especially when they’re trying to make a strong case for increased funding for a newer, bigger collider — this futurism.com article’s subhead is popsci red meat: “We’re about to lift the veil to a new universe.” New universe, same as the old universe.