Human Nature: Science, Technology, and Life.

Got Spin?

Writing about contrarian research reminds me of a report I saw on EurekAlert this morning. The headline said, "New study shows children benefit from drinking chocolate/flavored milk." "Wow!" I thought. EurekAlert generally relays press releases from journals or academic institutions about peer-reviewed research. I was about to post the report as news. Then I started reading the release. "Children who drink flavored or plain milk consume more nutrients and have a lower or comparable body mass index ... than children who don't drink milk," it said. Oh. Kids who drink any kind of milk get more nutrients than kids who drink no milk. You don't friggin' say! In other words: Milk has nutrients.

Nowhere does the release compare the garbage intake from a glass of plain milk to the garbage intake from a glass of chocolate milk. That's because the release was issued by the National Dairy Council. Next I'll be getting alleged research reports about the benefits of drinking ethanol.

I've posted a link to the chocolate-milk study in the Hot Topics page. Feel free to fire away at it, between chugs of Yoo-hoo.