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Author | Topic: Scientists unveil fossil of 47 million-year-old primate, Darwinius masillae | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stile Member Posts: 4295 From: Ontario, Canada Joined: |
A new (to the press, at least) fossil makes big waves.
Missing Link The article writes: The unveiling of the fossil came as part of a carefully-orchestrated publicity campaign unusual for scientific discoveries. Strange. Even Google is showing a pre-rendered picture they obviously had ready for today. Makes my skeptical-meter rise somewhat. Or, maybe... is biological science starting to enter the propaganda arena? Is biology finally fed-up with being consistently out-classed by creationism in the media? Anyone know the science behind this? Is this really "so big"? Or just a media play? Possible hoax? Edited by Adminnemooseus, : Changed topic title from "Organized Scientific News?" to "Scientists unveil fossil of 47 million-year-old primate, Darwinius masillae"
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RAZD Member (Idle past 1435 days) Posts: 20714 From: the other end of the sidewalk Joined: |
Hi Stile,
Boy that video is a little over the top. This story was also linked on Message 112.
Or, maybe... is biological science starting to enter the propaganda arena? Is biology finally fed-up with being consistently out-classed by creationism in the media? The story is that it was bought by a museum, which then had the fossil studied - the museum wants to use it as a prime attraction, and museums are not immune from using hype to attract people.
Anyone know the science behind this? Is this really "so big"? Or just a media play? Possible hoax? You can check the credentials of the scientists in on the study. I would think that the museum had the study done in private to allow them to check that it is not a fraud. Enjoy. by our ability to understand Rebel American Zen Deist ... to learn ... to think ... to live ... to laugh ... to share. • • • Join the effort to solve medical problems, AIDS/HIV, Cancer and more with Team EvC! (click) • • •
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Stile Member Posts: 4295 From: Ontario, Canada Joined: |
RAZD writes: Boy that video is a little over the top. I didn't watch any video, but even just the article seemed a bit dramatic.
the museum wants to use it as a prime attraction, and museums are not immune from using hype to attract people. True. However, I've never seen such an organized presentation of a scientific find. Museums have had prime attractions and created hype before, but not like this. Or am I overstating the apparent drama?
I would think that the museum had the study done in private to allow them to check that it is not a fraud. I'm certainly leaning in this direction myself. It's just the large, overly-done, "orchastrated" media that seems new to scientific findings to me... which makes me raise an eyebrow slightly. In the words of Stewie Griffin: "I don't like change."
Now all we need to do is get some of that fossil bone to Schweitzer's lab to see if they can find some primate soft tissue ... and see whether this can confirm the primate vs lemur question? That would be really cool.
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Coragyps Member (Idle past 764 days) Posts: 5553 From: Snyder, Texas, USA Joined: |
Heh!
Page not found | ScienceBlogs though the principals in the paper are pretty big guns - Gingerich brought us half the proto-whales we've found.
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Dr Jack Member Posts: 3514 From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch Joined: Member Rating: 9.2 |
quote: from The Link? "Going Broad" with Darwinius masillae I'm not impressed by this. I think this kind of organised media stunt co-inciding with the release of the first paper on the subject does the presentation of science to the public no good at all. We need more considered science reporting, concentrated on work that has been properly established, not even more rush headline reporting.
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Stile Member Posts: 4295 From: Ontario, Canada Joined: |
Mr Jack writes: I think this kind of organised media stunt co-inciding with the release of the first paper on the subject does the presentation of science to the public no good at all. I do agree. It kinda-almost begins a path that may open the door to non-peer-reviewed type stuff slipping through and being viewed as mainstream science. This seems to advance the opportunities available for blurring of the lines between "good science" and "pseudo science." But it's hard to argue with Hurum's general point. Is it possible that science needs to enter this world of vast media presentation? Perhaps this wasn't the best way... but at least it was an effort, and further tweaking of the "scientific media presentation" can now begin? Without embracing the modern media and advertising in some way (just because it's "so big") is science somehow doing a disservice to itself? Maybe getting into modern media/promotions is a good thing, but this specific attempt wasn't quite right?
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Stile Member Posts: 4295 From: Ontario, Canada Joined: |
I thoroughly enjoyed that link
In other news, "thoroughly" is a rough word to spell.
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mark24 Member (Idle past 5225 days) Posts: 3857 From: UK Joined: |
a breakthrough that could finally confirm Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Why is science reporting so bloody crap? There are 10 kinds of people in this world; those that understand binary, & those that don't
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Percy Member Posts: 22505 From: New Hampshire Joined: Member Rating: 5.4 |
RAZD writes: Boy that video is a little over the top. The video was *WAY WAY WAY* over the top, but in its defense it's a History channel commercial for a documentary on the fossil. Quotes from scientists in the video:
Guess which one I made up. --Percy
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Son Member (Idle past 3860 days) Posts: 346 From: France,Paris Joined: |
Lol without looking at the video, it would look like the 1st would be the only 1 not made up.
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Percy Member Posts: 22505 From: New Hampshire Joined: Member Rating: 5.4 |
Incredibly, I only made up one of those quotes. You're right that the 1st one is genuine.
--Percy
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Stile Member Posts: 4295 From: Ontario, Canada Joined:
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Percy writes: Guess which one I made up. My guess is the asteroid one. It's not biology-related enough. They would have said something like: "This will be just like an asteroid hitting the Earth and raising Darwin's body from the dust."
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Huntard Member (Idle past 2325 days) Posts: 2870 From: Limburg, The Netherlands Joined: |
I'm guessing it's this one:
Percy writes:
Since this is a wholly different transitional then "Lucy" was. Ida will supplant Lucy on the world stage. I hunt for the truth
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cavediver Member (Idle past 3673 days) Posts: 4129 From: UK Joined: |
This fossil is probably the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next hundred years... sounds the most like Percy
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Stile Member Posts: 4295 From: Ontario, Canada Joined: |
cavediver Percy writes: This fossil is probably the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next hundred years... sounds the most like Percy ..but, it's not, it's real It may be in the original link in my OP, but I'm not sure. I've read a bunch of articles on the topic today. Each one including eye-rolling amounts of dramatic flair.
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