This Is How Science Headlines Should Be Done

Most proper scientists regard publicity as something of an affliction. After years of specialized and outwardly incomprehensible labors, when it comes time to go public with their findings, their hard-won conclusions are always twisted by illiterate newsmen to fit the crass demands of sensationalism. Alcohol cures PTSD! Coffee is good for the spleen! Women are biologically programmed to be sadistic toward their partners—like some ex-wives I could mention, am I right? Poor science. It never actually said any of those things, but they are at the mercy of their idiot headline writers.

So National Geographic deserves three cheers for this header/teaser :

‘Liliger’ Born in Russia No Boon for Big Cats

A liliger—the offspring of a liger mother and lion father—born in Russia may be cute, but it has no relevance in helping save big cats, experts say.

So you want to see a freak-of-nature big-cat kitten, you peasant? Fine. But we’re not going to pretend it means anything. You don’t deserve the flattery.

The kicker quote at the bottom of the article is also a nice bit of science-article cynicism: “In terms of conservation, it’s so far away from anything, it’s kind of pointless to even say it’s irrelevant.”