Carl Zimmer, an excellent science writer, has a great post on some additional hype about a scientific paper that didn’t pan out–the news that plants don’t produce lots of methane, after all. An excerpt:

“A group of Dutch researchers put the Max Planck team’s conclusions to the test by tracing carbon isotopes through plants. Their conclusion: “There is no evidence for substantial aerobic methane emission by terrestrial plants”….

I do not expect that Rush Limbaugh will bother mentioning this paper. The world of punditry leaves me generally baffled. But as a science writer, I’m disappointed that this paper is not getting reported more in the press. If the original paper was so important that it should go on newswires and appear in newspapers and magazines, then what makes this new one less so?” [emphasis mine]

I think the same thing about the bee and cell phone paper, Carl. The same thing.

Sigh.