The Less You Know, Part One
Leading news outlet can't tell difference between before and after, defies science
By Richard Whittaker, 1:11PM, Wed. Apr. 23, 2008
There are many, many, many problems with Yahoo! News (like the way that crypto-fascist rants on a sub-literate open forum can, somehow, end up as a recommended news story). But today, the "Putting the yahoo into Yahoo!" award goes to whoever it is that writes their news headlines. The story was a balanced and well-written report of a study, to be published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. In it, research is reported that indicates that glucose levels around the time of conception may have a role in zygote viability (as the article puts it, "While men's sperm determine a baby's gender, it could be that certain nutrients or eating patterns make women's bodies more hospitable to sperm carrying the male chromosome.")
What was the headline that Yahoo ran?
"Study: Mother's diet while pregnant may determine sex of child"
Wow. So close, but so wrong. As seemingly perceived by Yahoo's sub-editors, having too few Krispy Kreme means a fetus will suddenly, mystically, switch from XY to XX.
Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
Maggie Quinlan, May 12, 2023
Mary Tuma, March 13, 2017
