Above: Whichever came first, they're equally delicious. Egg
photo by , licensed. Chicken photo by Today I read possibly one
of the dumbest science news articles of all time, or at least
the most condescending. Somewhere in here is news of an
interesting study. English scientists have isolated the protein
responsible for the formation of hard-shelled eggs in chickens,
a step forward in developmental science that could potentially
yield applications for materials science. So, how to make sure
this mildly interesting study grabs the attention of Joe Six-
pack? Put out a press release to every major media outlet
claiming to have solved the "age old problem" (really?) of which
came first, the chicken or the egg? The Chicken and the egg:
Ancient mystery solved? Not only is this silly eyeball-grabbing
headline a blatant attempt to pander to the lowest common
denominator and point out what a complete joke science reporting
has become, it assumes the absolute worst about the reader's
level of science comprehension and