30th September 2010, 10:51 PM
Agreed Weltall, that's why I linked to an astronomer's site there. He makes a strong point on that.
For that matter, another really annoying habit is any time any astronomer team discovers a possible earth-crossing object, the headlines all say "Earth destroyer discovered! Will hit earth in 20XX scientists say!" or some such thing, instead of actually reporting that it's simply POSSIBLE and as it gets closer they'll be able to determine with greater accuracy what it is likely to do. As a result, the public at large just laughs off ALL such stories getting the impression that scientists don't know what they're talking about, when one day such a deadly object might actually show up and people will need to be aware of it if they're going to pressure the government to put money into saving our arses from the thing (it's become clear that world-ending catastrophe isn't even enough to get politicians to agree on something unless they decide it's politically expedient, today's world is a very short-sighted one).
For that matter, another really annoying habit is any time any astronomer team discovers a possible earth-crossing object, the headlines all say "Earth destroyer discovered! Will hit earth in 20XX scientists say!" or some such thing, instead of actually reporting that it's simply POSSIBLE and as it gets closer they'll be able to determine with greater accuracy what it is likely to do. As a result, the public at large just laughs off ALL such stories getting the impression that scientists don't know what they're talking about, when one day such a deadly object might actually show up and people will need to be aware of it if they're going to pressure the government to put money into saving our arses from the thing (it's become clear that world-ending catastrophe isn't even enough to get politicians to agree on something unless they decide it's politically expedient, today's world is a very short-sighted one).
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)