(English intro to Spanish lang. post) After ten years following more than 40.000 people a study in Spain concludes that moderate, high and even very high consumption of alcohol is associated with less coronary heart disease in men (but not women). It’s not a study with mice and the...
Pere Estupinya's Tracker
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) After ten years following more than 40.000 people a study in Spain concludes that moderate, high and even very high consumption of alcohol is associated with less coronary heart disease in men (but not women). It’s not a study with mice and the methodology seems good enough to report about it. But.... how does the alcohol intake correlate with other ailments? The study didn’t look at that. Who published it? A magazine with an impact factor under 5. What do outsite experts tell journalists about the study? That it has limitations. Conclusion: better keep this research within academic circles. And don’t give way to temptations to encourage alcohol consumption as the path to a healthy heart.
“El alcohol protege el corazón” es una frase que ya...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Many Spanish language newspapers have mentioned controversy in US about guidelines proposing to postpone mammograms from 40 to 50 years old. Only a few have included data about the situation in their own countries. One exception is found in Spain, where...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Many Spanish language newspapers have mentioned controversy in US about guidelines proposing to postpone mammograms from 40 to 50 years old. Only a few have included data about the situation in their own countries. One exception is found in Spain, where recommendations have already been to start screening at 50 (for the low risk population), and do it every 2 years.
Ayer todos los medios estadounidenses discutían la polémica recomendación de que las mujeres sin antecedentes familiares de cáncer de mama, retrasen el inicio de sus mamografías a los 50 años. El papel de expertos que realizó el informe aseguró empezar a los 40 años es innecesario, y puede ser contraproducente. La sociedad americana del cáncer se ha posicionado en contra de esta recomendación,...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) An NGO from Peru has just won from the World Bank an award to - in theory - paint in white 3000 square km of Peruvian glacier terrain. The glaciers account for 60% of the country’s water reserves. Their area has decreased a 22% in the last 30 years due to...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) An NGO from Peru has just won from the World Bank an award to - in theory - paint in white 3000 square km of Peruvian glacier terrain. The glaciers account for 60% of the country’s water reserves. Their area has decreased a 22% in the last 30 years due to global warming. As the ice recedes, the dark rocks absorb more light and accelerate the process. The idea is that painting the rocks in white will slow its melting. Local people, with paint that doesn’t contaminate, will do the painting.
This is an example of adaptation measures now that mitigation agreements seem further. El País publishes a very critical story entitled “US and China make Copenhagen fail”, in which it denounces the passivity of the two more contaminant-spewing countries of the world. It says that nobody else is going to reduce emissions if the big actors don’t start first.
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(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Nature published yesterday an extremely critic editorial about R&D's drop in Spain's 2010 budget. Although the cuts, and scientists' distress, are real enough, Nature’s editorial...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Nature published yesterday an extremely critic editorial about R&D's drop in Spain's 2010 budget. Although the cuts, and scientists' distress, are real enough, Nature’s editorial is quite simplistic in several points. Yet, most journalists have reacted as though Nature is, as has been asserted, the “bible of European science.”
Nature publicó ayer un editorial muy crítico con el recorte presupuestario para la ciencia del gobierno español. De manera ligeramente simplista culpó sólo a la Ministra Garmendia, dijo que en los últimos 5 años se habían conseguido maravillas y ahora todo se echaba por tierra, parece ignorar el desequilibrio existente en España entre...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Several newspapers covered a PNAS paper about discovery of a “new” Maya pyramid in Mexico, with paintings showing individuals cooking and preparing a celebration. These images are important because they show regular clothes, behavior and common life of...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Several newspapers covered a PNAS paper about discovery of a “new” Maya pyramid in Mexico, with paintings showing individuals cooking and preparing a celebration. These images are important because they show regular clothes, behavior and common life of Mayan people 1350 years ago rather than the usual gods, wars and royalty. Mexican press explains this, and complains about international folks who are saying that a “new” pyramid has been discovered. “We have been studying it since 2004”, say anthropologists.
In Argentina, scientists have cloned a prize winning cow to preserve her excellent genome. The story is very well balanced and detailed. However it doesn’t explain if it makes real sense, given that clones are usually born with some late-life imperfections.
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(English intro to Spanish lang. post) A Guatemalan journalists explains well that, to preserve a rainforest, giving local communities concessions to exploit it non-destructively is more effective than creation of Natural Parks (especially when the government does not take care of them). In...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) A Guatemalan journalists explains well that, to preserve a rainforest, giving local communities concessions to exploit it non-destructively is more effective than creation of Natural Parks (especially when the government does not take care of them). In other stories, a didactic graphic in Peru reveals the effects of climate change in the country. A Chilean weekly magazine explains that sadness is natural but many in our society overreact to it. And in Spain, for 5 hours last night wind mills produced ind 53% of the electricity - an achievement that gives Spanish a notable position among nations turning to renewable energy sources.
Para luchar contra la deforestación en Guatemala, es más efectivo dar concesiones forestales a las...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Latin American journalists at the Climate Change meeting in Barcelona are making one thing clear: “we are already suffering the consequences of the global warming that you – rich countries -- have caused. You should mitigate – not us - and also give us quite a lot...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Latin American journalists at the Climate Change meeting in Barcelona are making one thing clear: “we are already suffering the consequences of the global warming that you – rich countries -- have caused. You should mitigate – not us - and also give us quite a lot of money for adaptation”. But as El Comercio (Peru) complains in a fabulously persuasive story, nobody paid attention to L.America in Barcelona. Spanish newspapers say that US is the key player and the country with most cumulative emissions. EU won’t start reducing if US doesn’t have a clear commitment first.
El comercio (Ecuador) cuenta con un enviado especial cubriendo de maravilla la reunión mundial sobre cambio climático que se está realizando en Barcelona, y de la que en teoría...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Where are the Mexican science journalists when needed? There is much to criticize in the poor reporting about newly approved experiments with GMO maize in Mexico. News outlets lost an opportunity to show what good science reporters are capable of doing, and why...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Where are the Mexican science journalists when needed? There is much to criticize in the poor reporting about newly approved experiments with GMO maize in Mexico. News outlets lost an opportunity to show what good science reporters are capable of doing, and why their expertise is so necessary in a world that is more and more embeshed in science and technology. Mexican society clamored for clear information. The main newspapers have given them only confusion with accounts biased to the pros or cons. Of course there are exceptions but too few in such an important topic. It should have been treated more carefully. This time, smaller magazines from universities or research centers have done much better work than professional journalists.
Tantos...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) A few weeks ago a Spanish nun with a PhD in Public Health became famous after recording a video (here with English subtitles) defending the hypothesis that H1N1 panic is due to exaggeration by WHO to favor...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) A few weeks ago a Spanish nun with a PhD in Public Health became famous after recording a video (here with English subtitles) defending the hypothesis that H1N1 panic is due to exaggeration by WHO to favor pharmaceutical companies, and that they are putting the population at risk with dangerous vaccines. Her conspiracy theory got great impact due to her excellent communication skills, the deep knowledge of the subject she showed, and her evident honesty. After so much about the pros an cons of her statements, El País finally takes a deep look. It finds plenty to criticize in the the arguments expressed by the newly, most famous nun in Spain.
Just today, as it happens, an article in El Universal (Venezuela) uses quotes from the sister as evidence to believe that the AH1N1 was created in a laboratory.
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(English intro to Spanish lang. post) A news story at El Universal (Mex) today explains that the Moon may have caverns that might be used for protection against radiation by visitors. Another very good story in El Pais implies this might only occur much further into...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) A news story at El Universal (Mex) today explains that the Moon may have caverns that might be used for protection against radiation by visitors. Another very good story in El Pais implies this might only occur much further into the future than we might expect ... Under the headline “Projects without Money” is a very good analysis of NASA’s Human Space Program. Another article about the Guinness record in Mexico by simultaneous telescopes observing the Moon, seems to suggest that to understand the Universe we might not need to spend so much money trying to travel around in it.
En El Universal (México) encontramos una interesante nota de...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Big controversy has spread in Mexico due to the government's decision to allow cultivation of the first genetically modified corn in the country. Environmentalists say it could ruin the nation's native crop. It’s difficult to balance risks and...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Big controversy has spread in Mexico due to the government's decision to allow cultivation of the first genetically modified corn in the country. Environmentalists say it could ruin the nation's native crop. It’s difficult to balance risks and opportunities in this issue. And here is where good journalism could have something to say. “La Jornada” is the newspaper with the most coverage. Yet none of the multiple stories it published explains a single positive side of this decision.
Menuda polémica en México sobre la reciente aprobación de 15 permisos para la siembra experimental de maíz transgénico. El gobierno asegura que todo está bajo control, mientras que grupos ambientalistas y académicos aseguran que dicha decisión pone en riesgo a la rica variedad de...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) On the prowl for original stories, the Spanish language tracker found a severe critique of mathematics education in Colombia, a great story in Puerto Rico about the origin of language, a suspicious new anti-aging therapy based on nanocapsules filled with...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) On the prowl for original stories, the Spanish language tracker found a severe critique of mathematics education in Colombia, a great story in Puerto Rico about the origin of language, a suspicious new anti-aging therapy based on nanocapsules filled with antioxidants in México, a south-south collaboration on biodiversity between Peru and Ethiopia, and a distinctly presented story about nutrition in Brazil.
El Rastreador científico ha estado buscando notas científicas en los periódicos latinoamericanos que se alejen de la rigurosa noticia, y encontró algunos ejemplos a compartir con vosotros
El Espectador (Colombia) - ...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Época (Brazil) has an excellent story that compares the political views of different countries regarding nuclear energy. It opens with Germany’s decision to extend the life of its nuclear power stations, and then extends its analysis to other regions. The...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) Época (Brazil) has an excellent story that compares the political views of different countries regarding nuclear energy. It opens with Germany’s decision to extend the life of its nuclear power stations, and then extends its analysis to other regions. The conclusion is that nuclear energy is gaining ground worldwide. Another story interviews the UK secretary of climate change, who now favors this source as a transition to renewable. And as for emissions, she says that if Obama doesn’t start doing something EU won’t reduce them significantly either.
La información sobre cambio climático y fuentes de energía nos suele llegar fragmentada. No podemos hacerlo de otra manera; es demasiado complejo. ¿os podéis imaginar una pieza que...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) The Argentine Página 12 has an excellent special on the 100 anniversary of the description of Chagas disease. The package includes very detailed stories about its biology, treatment, and evolution during this century, plus a biography of Carlos...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) The Argentine Página 12 has an excellent special on the 100 anniversary of the description of Chagas disease. The package includes very detailed stories about its biology, treatment, and evolution during this century, plus a biography of Carlos Chagas. Also in Argentina, Al Gore’s visit has received wide coverage although it seems he hasn’t said anything really new. And it’s been funny to see how the vegetarian spider is from Costa Rica if you go by La Nación, and Mexican if you read Milenio (very good story in this last outlet too).
Se conocen 40.000 especies de arañas en el mundo, y sólo una se alimenta principalmente de vegetales. El descubrimiento de Bagheera Kiplingi ha...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) In El Pais, one of the most widely read newspapers in the Spanish-speaking world, the Nobel Prize to Barack Obama is the third most read story. The first two today are from the science section. Can someone still argue that people are not interested on science?...
(English intro to Spanish lang. post) In El Pais, one of the most widely read newspapers in the Spanish-speaking world, the Nobel Prize to Barack Obama is the third most read story. The first two today are from the science section. Can someone still argue that people are not interested on science? Just a remark: one story is about food safety and the other about how the contraceptive pill affects partner selection. Both are topics intimately related to our daily life. We track also a story from Colombia that interviews a local scientist working in the NASA mission that today crashed two spacecraft into a crater of the Moon, a new study in Mexico saying that many people got infected with swine flu without knowing it, and a very pertinent interview of the Spanish Research Secretary on government cuts to research funding.
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