Thread

1. itvision · 1789800711 · focus · HN ↗

   What a way to oversell the discovery.

   The reality is:

       * Different brain regions have different functions: ancient knowledge.
       * Different regions contain distinct cell types and molecular programs: also well established.
       * Anterior and posterior brain structures may trace back to fundamentally separate progenitor lineages that were independently specified very early in evolution and development: that's the interesting new result.
   

   The headline should have been: "Human forebrain and hindbrain arise from distinct embryonic progenitor lineages" - not that we have "two organs" in the brain.

   1. Mistletoe · 1789804538 · focus · HN ↗

      It’s the PR arm of a university, they always do this.

      1. bell-cot · 1789807938 · focus · HN ↗

         Pretty much, and they've less shame than a British tabloid in how far they go.

         When submitting, one can try to replace the title with something honest. HN does not favor that, mostly due to submitters having their own biases.

         The best tactic is finding a higher quality article on the subject, to submit instead. That's uncertain, takes time, and may run into paywall issues.

         1. oivey · 1789808587 · focus · HN ↗

            Possibly making matters worse, this is from Stanford where they had the university president caught engaging in fraud on Alzheimer’s research.

            1. bell-cot · 1789820091 · focus · HN ↗

               Possibly, but I wouldn't assume any connection. In sociological terms, modern universities are mid-last-millennium noble houses*, locked in an endless competition for power, wealth, prestige, and influence. Adding a few stanzas of hyperbole when bragging about one of their knights vanquishing some infidel of ignorance? That's simply how things are done.

               *Yes, there's never really a king or duke or whatever. But consider the history of the word regent.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.