Crisis in cloning & stem cell research....

[Dr Mordrid]

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18825313.600

Nawwww....scientists don't lie, do they?



Dr. Mordrid

[Gurm]

Sadly, especially when a lot of money is on the line if they produce results FAST, scientists ... well, I won't say that they all fudge data. But they have a tendency to take shortcuts. Let's say that the scientist KNOWS that the results are good. They all add up. But y'know making pictures and graphs takes a LONG time. But hey, there are a boatload of graphs that all LOOK PRETTY GOOD that were produced over the course of developing the technique, right? And they look a LOT like the ones that he'd need to generate for the report...

Sadly, I've seen this happen a LOT with the scientists I've worked with. Or the preparation of the report is left to a student, or an intern, or even in some cases a graphic designer who knows NOTHING about the science involved!

I'm not entirely defending this guy, just saying that I've seen it happen and it doesn't NECESSARILY invalidate the science.

[cjolley]

I remember reading an article in which the guy attributed his success to the fact(?) that Koreans use metal chopsticks, and are therefor extra deft at manupulation.

[Dr Mordrid]

Not a fact except for maybe the rich SK's. The SK physicians I've worked with use bamboo or finely carved wood.

Dr. Mordrid

[cjolley]

Amazingly though, it may be true*:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chopsticks

Styles of chopstick used in different cultures

• Chinese: longer sticks made of different materials that taper to a blunt end.
• Japanese: short to medium length sticks that taper to a pointed end. This may be attributed to the fact that the Japanese diet consists of large amounts of whole bony fish. Japanese chopsticks are traditionally made of wood and are lacquered.
• Korean: medium length stainless steel rods that taper to a square blunted end, traditionally made of silver or brass. Many Korean metal chopsticks are ornately decorated in the untapered end.
• Vietnamese: long sticks that taper to a blunted end; traditionally wooden, but now made of plastic as well. Đũa cả is a large, flat chopstick that is used to serve rice from a pot [2]

* the metal part, not the dexterous part

[Dr Mordrid]

Weird....but then again I learned on Chinese and Japanese sticks.

Dr. Mordrid