Inaccuracy in reporting astronomy and science |
Inaccuracy in reporting astronomy and science |
Jan 8 2007, 07:15 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 117 Joined: 7-December 06 From: Sheffield UK Member No.: 1462 |
I have just watched the BBC's report on the newly created 3D map of dark matter using Hubble data; and it made my heart sink.
I applaud the BBC for giving airtime to such discoveries, but for such a respected organisation their research was awful. It's no wonder the vast majority of people are either bewildered or disinterested the the universe as a whole when the facts they are given are completely wrong. It's a shame that tonight 60 million or so people in the UK and many other people around the world were told Hubble shone a beam of light out into the depths of the universe and studied how it was bent by the gravity of dark matter billions of light years away! And this was a report from the BBCs science correspondant! I remain downhearted that perhaps the most important story of the week was reported in such a shoddy manner. Does anyone else feel space is being let down by TV coverage? -------------------- It's a funny old world - A man's lucky if he gets out of it alive. - W.C. Fields.
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Jan 6 2008, 06:27 PM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1281 Joined: 18-December 04 From: San Diego, CA Member No.: 124 |
In my wild and impetuous youth I did this for my fiancee.... found out the real deal a few years after and was quite embarrassed. Still, it IS named after her, but the name is just not recognized officially by the IAS....
I agree with you 100% about the scamminess of the companies involved, especially if you are expecting to pay for an actual registration service. I would definitely steer people away if they have not done so yet. But if someone has already done it, I would phrase my critique a little more carefully before crushing their fantasy - since the act is undoubtedly tied in to emotions of some strength. We often go to a campsite and have special names for "our trail" - but that name is never going to be recognized by the Forest Service. The hopeless romantics among us have "our song," etc, so "our star" is not that off base. If you view them as more like the astronomical equivalent of the guy that goes around Saturday nights selling roses to all the couples during dinner, it makes more sense. Or else think of the fee as being paid to have someone record and remember that star in the name of someone.... just like "our tree." You do get a framed plaque.... and unlike selling real estate on the moon, I never really expected to get something REAL, any more than if I took my family to Medieval Times and was expecting to see "real" knights. The romantic and entertainment value was worth the cost, even if it was based upon a fiction, and many people pay much more for their frivolous date night excesses. The geek side of me is VERY upset that it is not the actual official agency recording, but I don't think that matters as much to most folks. I am not defending the practice of the companies, but rather think we can spin it a little better for the "victims." (Actually I am just trying to rationalize for myself since I fell for it...) EDIT PS - this whole discussion reminds my of Neil DeGrasse Tyson's essay, "Naming Rights." -------------------- Lyford Rome
"Zis is not nuts, zis is super-nuts!" Mathematician Richard Courant on viewing an Orion test |
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