Scientists are baffled!

[alfaniner]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/12/12/acorn.shortage/index.html

Is there any other group that is baffled as often as scientists are? Seriously, I see that lead at least three times a year.

[Twiler]

The first step to knowing anything is to concede that you do not already know it.

[lomiller]

Is it just me or did anyone else find a lot of unintended humor in that article? For example

I have lived in the area my entire life and have never not seen any acorns!

But even he is surprised at the complete absence of nuts in parts of Virginia.

[Sefarst]

If scientists are baffled, that means God did it.

[Ziggurat]

Is there any other group that is baffled as often as scientists are?

Yes: journalists. And not just about science either, but about anything and everything. They just won't ever admit it.

[Harpyja]

Do people seriously think that the squirrel populations are going to drop to dangerous levels? Most small rodent populations are known for their resilience even in developed areas, and squirrels certainly aren't an exception.

[alfaniner]

We will soon be receiving a message from squirrels in deep space, stating "So long, and thanks for all the acorns!"

[GodMark2]

Headline "Scientists are baffled!"

halfway down the page
Last year Garris reported a bumper crop of acorns, which scientists say may be one clue to this year's scarcity. Virginia extension agent Adam Downing said acorn production runs in cycles, so a lean year is normal after a year with a big crop.

"It fits with the physiology of seed reproduction. The trees are exhausted, energy wise, from last year," Downing said.
Downing said recovery from last year's big crop, combined with a much wetter-than-usual spring, probably accounts for the acorn absence.
Even though this acorn shortage has not risen to the level of a crisis, scientists say it is important to watch closely. If the shortage continues for several years, other forces might be at work.

This doesn't sound 'baffled' to me. Baffled should sound like "There is no rational explanation, it's just not possible." This sounds more like "This is unusual, but here's a plausible explanation. It might not be completely correct, and we're still investigating."

[Kotatsu]

Is it possible that God ate all the acorns? That would explain quite a lot, I'd say.

[shadron]

Poetry is often very hard o understand because the author not only wants to get a point across, but also has to work within the constraints of rhyme and meter vs the words that he chooses to use.

Likewise, media editors have to express an idea within the constraints of space, column width, some perceived priority with other articles on the page, attention getting and good taste. And time - one can't sit and consider synonyms for very long. So one often gets a headline that only glances off the main subject of the article. Worse, sometimes one gets an editor who actually wants to be a poet, and so confuses his aims as editor with those of poesy, and we get alliteration or humor where it is not called for. And sometimes the editor is just plain wrong about a field that isn't one he's comfortable with.

I think some of the Yahoo and other online editors are kids just out of college who can work a computer, but haven't gone the traditional route through writing to become editors, and don't have the depth to know when their headline is inappropriate.

Then again, I put up an article about Seth Shostak being called in to advise on the remake of "The Day the Earth Sood Still". He reports that a lot of his consulting played around how real life scientists work together and act.

The former sported some techno-babble that – while approximately accurate – was as stiff as an I-beam. Real scientists don't describe an object entering the solar system as "notable for the fact that it was not moving in an asteroidal ellipse ... but moving at nearly three times ten to the seventh meters per second." More likely, they would say that there was "a goddamned rock headed our way!" (Real scientists might also note, in passing, that any object encountering the dust of the inner solar system at 0.1 times the speed of light would burn up faster than a bug in a blast furnace. But that's Klaatu's problem.)

In addition to making dialogue suggestions, I tried to wean the filmmakers from the cliche image of scientists as clipboard-carrying, labcoat-wearing ciphers. Rather than addressing one another as "Dr. Rodney" or "Professor Furball," I suggested that they do what real scientists do, and use first names (or in the case of men, last names) without the honorific. Stuff like that.

It is amazing to me that writers could be that wrong about how scientists are any different from mechanics or candy store clerks, but cliches die hard.

[neutrino_cannon]

I could have sworn that this was figured out some time ago; something about overpopulation of white tailed deer.

[casebro]

Is it possible that God ate all the acorns? That would explain quite a lot, I'd say.

If acorns affect his digestion like raw peanuts do mine, that would explain all the 'gas giants' in the galaxy. ;)

I guess Sefarst may be right. :)

[kane42]

Is it possible that God ate all the acorns? That would explain quite a lot, I'd say.


God hates grays(quirrels)!

[alfaniner]

[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]It is amazing to me that writers could be that wrong about how scientists are any different from mechanics or candy store clerks, but cliches die hard.



But I'm sure they are accurate in the fact of every female scientist wearing glasses and her hair done up in a bun, until a crisis happens -- then the glasses, hairpins, and lab coat are no longer needed, but a clingy black dress and ability to control a car like a NASCAR driver are suddenly evident.

[articulett]

Squirrels are resourceful.

4ikH9ZRcF2Q

When god eats the acorns, he still provides for his little creatures.

[Molinaro]

I went to youtube to see how much attention that video has had and saw that it was up to 3333331 views. Squirrels are very popular and rightly so :)

[Eos of the Eons]

Without scientists, everyone would be baffled by...

That would make a more accurate headline.

Squirrels are soooo cute! However, they were becoming a nuisance in Calgary not too long ago. They probably ate up all the excess food and the next generation probably suffered for it. Nature has a way of getting things back into "balance". A nut shortage now may mean that squirrels won't be nuisance next year. I doubt that they are in any danger of going extinct.

So, less nuts, maybe less squirrel babies. Oh well. Unless there are 3 years of conscutive nut shortages, then people shouldn't be too worried. They factored weather and last year's nut surplus as reasons for this year's nutlessness. Most squirrels should have had a bunch of nuts stored from last year. If not, then their laziness will bite em in the tooshie this year :p

[cj.23]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/12/12/acorn.shortage/index.html

Is there any other group that is baffled as often as scientists are? Seriously, I see that lead at least three times a year.


The Police. The police are baffled about once an issue of any newspaper! :D

cj x

[biomorph]

But I'm sure they are accurate in the fact of every female scientist wearing glasses and her hair done up in a bun, until a crisis happens -- then the glasses, hairpins, and lab coat are no longer needed, but a clingy black dress and ability to control a car like a NASCAR driver are suddenly evident.

not to mention the impractical high heels, makeup that never runs or smears, and jewelry that never gets lost or broken.

anyway, whats wrong with a little multitasking now and then, NASCAR? no problem.......I just cant find the pit lane, thats all......:p