Back in March, a team of Harvard scientists claimed to have found the first direct evidence of gravity waves from the Big Bang. Within a matter of hours, their story had made its way around the Internet, spreading across blogs, news sites, and social media.
While many met the news with excitement and curiosity, others were more skeptical that the announcement had been made too soon and without enough firm evidence.
Needless to say, the scientists’ decision to go public so quickly has raised some new questions about modern science and the role of the Internet in disseminating scientific information.
This hour, we hear from some scientists and science reporters who help us answer some of these questions.
We also talk about some of the challenges of science journalism. And, later, we get the story of a Connecticut bull with a pretty fascinating -- albeit complex -- genetic history.
GUESTS:
- Priya Natarajan - Professor of Astronomy and Physics at Yale University
- Patrick Skahill - WNPR reporter and host of The Beaker
- Virginia Hughes - Science journalist in New York; author of the blog Only Human, which is hosted by National Geographic Magazine
This show originally aired on June 27, 2014.
