A Big Part of Life Flies Under the News Radar

I just got through browsing the CNN.com website and after reading about vapid celebrity pregnancy stories, flight attendants venting about passengers, endless food discussions, weird sports stories, and — of course — the actual “news” (which seems to be topped by a story about Tiger Woods’s divorce), it struck me that there wasn’t one story about actual science. And no, the fact that a misguided federal judge threw out stem cell research permissions is NOT science news. It’s politics, as usual.

Oh, sure, there’s a “Tech” section on CNN — a sort of vapid ghetto of techie news that seems to be mostly around viral apps.  It supposedly has science — at least, that’s the excuse that CNN gave when it canned Miles O’Brien in order to give the stunningly self-aware Anderson Cooper a tech news segment on cable. But, the online news seems to cover such non-science stories as undoing bad emails, a Bieber remix going viral, and how tough it is to sell home viewers on 3D.

So, where’s the actual science?  You know, the stories about astronomy discoveries and physics breakthroughs and stuff like that?  It’s nowhere to be found in the morass of stories that are really advertising for techie stuff in disguise.  I  miss the old days when news outlets actually covered ALL the news, including the science.

Science is a big part of our lives, folks.  From the latest HST discoveries to in-depth stories about research finds in biology, archaeology, paleontology, chemistry, geology, physics, and so forth — science is an endeavor that people do — and one that actually advances our knowledge of the cosmos and how it ticks.  How is this NOT a rich field of news?

The good news is that there are outlets that do cover news — Science News — for example, is a good one.  And, it won’t turn you into a geek to read it. The stories are fantastic and fascinating.  I read it every week and have done so for years.  There’s also Science Daily, which is also readable and interesting and won’t transform you into a pocket-protector-wearing nerd.  And, Discover — which hosts a number of good writers of my caliber (and better) — who bring you all kinds of great science news. Reading THAT site won’t hurt you either. It’s good for your mental and intellectual health.

What science sites are YOU reading? Are any of them in the mainstream media? Do they cover more than tech apps? If so, let me know. I’ll compile a list and post them here.