Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Like the article says, the authors didn't claim the differences they found actually have any impact on health. They just claim they measured a difference, and the difference was significant (unlikely to be explained by chance).

That's fine, but this really doesn't inform consumer decision making in a valuable way. Many consumers would hear this and immediately assume that consuming organic food is safer, which isn't well-supported.

Note that low levels of toxic chemicals can often be completely harmless (if you want a better explanation than that, buy http://www.amazon.com/dp/0815340761 and read the section on the Ames test, dose response relationships, and why tests aren't useful predictors of risk at low concentrations.



Science: clearly doesn't matter unless it informs consumer decision-making in a valuable way.


Data without context is low information content. Your snark is misplaced.


Then go read the context. You're not required to make life-altering decisions when comprehending data. That's for people who cite single studies as justification for their latest hare-brained scheme to do.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: