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ILoveJimHarbaugh t1_itzhpih wrote

The study done to conclude this is cool and useful.

The way news outlets are framing it is a bit less useful.

Microbes surviving under the surface is contingent upon life having ever existed on Mars which is still just as unknown as it was before the study.

It's kind of like a headline saying, "Atlantis may have surviving buildings at the bottom of the ocean." But the study they are quoting is simply studying the longevity of structures underwater - NOT saying anything about Atlantis actually being real.

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Gravelsack t1_itznssf wrote

I always roll my eyes at any "life on Mars" article. It's always the same song and dance.

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froggison t1_iu074kq wrote

Yeah it's the point where they're going to find whole species of multicellular life still swimming around over there, and I'll still reflexively skip the articles. Lol for a solid week I'll still be rolling my eyes at "all the click bait".

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lobsterbash t1_iu0gdq1 wrote

Science is already fascinating and worthy of clicks without lying and baiting. I don't understand why mass media feels like it has to constantly take a steaming dump on science journalism.

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MadNhater t1_iu0vuax wrote

Because the majority of people don’t find science cool unless something blows up

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ti_84_plus t1_iu1k16m wrote

Myth busters is a good example of blowing shit up getting people very engaged in science topics.

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OCE_Mythical t1_iu1w9uc wrote

Yeah it's not the stories it's the low effort story telling online "journalists" use to convey them. I'd hate science too if my only exposure was daily mail.

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Aethelric t1_iu2rdwn wrote

>Science is already fascinating and worthy of clicks without lying and baiting

Sure! But, in a vicious media economy where very few people will actually pay you money directly for your product, sites will be heavily incentivized to seek clicks (i.e. ad revenue) at the expense of all else. Until that incentive is removed, expect this to keep happening.

Because the truth is: Everyone here complains about these sorts of posts ad nauseum, but they're still posted, still upvoted, and still generate a ton of discussion and eyeballs. We've voted with our clicks, and clickbait won.

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