BBC Reporting <sigh>

[Sam Plusnet]

Kosmo mentioned the BBC website (and its deficiencies) in a recent post
, and it reminded me of this article:

"Scientists discover new part of the immune system"

<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpv4jww3r4eo>

The first two sentences of the story are:

"A new part of the immune system has been discovered and it is a
goldmine of potential antibiotics, scientists have said.

They've shown a part of the body known to recycle proteins has a secret
mode that can spew out an arsenal of bacteria-killing chemicals."

"a secret mode that can spew out an arsenal of bacteria-killing
chemicals"???
(I stopped reading at that point.)

Is this a serious report, or some kind of video game?

[Kosmo]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Kosmo mentioned the BBC website (and its deficiencies) in a recent
"Scientists discover new part of the immune system"
<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpv4jww3r4eo>
"A new part of the immune system has been discovered and it is a
goldmine of potential antibiotics, scientists have said.
They've shown a part of the body known to recycle proteins has a secret
mode that can spew out an arsenal of bacteria-killing chemicals."
"a secret mode that can spew out an arsenal of bacteria-killing
chemicals"???
(I stopped reading at that point.)
Is this a serious report, or some kind of video game?

I think that those two sentences are somewhat of an overstatement - the
report a little lower down is slightly less sensational. Claiming a
"goldmine of potential antibiotics" is not supported by the details
further on. It seems likely that the body has protective mechanisms
which were previously unknown but the claims made in those sentences go
far beyond the detail in the report.

It brings to mind the failure to make progress with Alzheimers which has
happened.

https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/faked-beta-amyloid-data-what-does-it-mean

Apparently about 30 years ago a hypothesis of the cause was identified
subsequently driving research - except that the hypothesis may have been
supported by some fake graphs.

One lab in Israel spots something "new" and the BBC hype it up as a
goldmine of antibiotics - could we lose 30 years of research as a result?

And if I forget something it is probably to do with what ever it is that
affect the brain of older people - oh yes umbrellas.

[Nick Odell]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Kosmo mentioned the BBC website (and its deficiencies) in a recent post
"Scientists discover new part of the immune system"
<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpv4jww3r4eo>
"A new part of the immune system has been discovered and it is a
goldmine of potential antibiotics, scientists have said.
They've shown a part of the body known to recycle proteins has a secret
mode that can spew out an arsenal of bacteria-killing chemicals."
"a secret mode that can spew out an arsenal of bacteria-killing
chemicals"???
(I stopped reading at that point.)
Is this a serious report, or some kind of video game?

It's fake news.

If it had been genuine they would have described the discovery as a
gamechanger.

Nick