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. xg15 · 1789808816 · focus · HN ↗

      > "Human forebrain and hindbrain arise from distinct embryonic progenitor lineages"

      I'd have never clicked that headline nor understood why this finding is important.

      If you think the original headline is not "truthful" enough, at least do something like "Researchers found the reason why hindbrain cells cannot be grown in a lab and found a way to overcome it"

      > not that we have "two organs" in the brain.

      Depends what the definition of "organ" actually is. What speaks for different organs here is that the cells both have a different pathway from stem cells and have different evolutionary histories. That is different from other brain regions that may have separate functions but still evolved together.

      1. savolai · 1789809054 · focus · HN ↗

         To me, this suddenly turned the discussion into a fascinating exploration and demonstration of different standards of truthfulness in marketing.

         1. xg15 · 1789809111 · focus · HN ↗

            I still don't see how the original headline was not truthful.

            1. UnknownBanana · 1789809473 · focus · HN ↗

               It's as truthful and useful as "75.6% of humans who ingest oxygen end up dead".

               1. grebc · 1789811187 · focus · HN ↗

                  That’s only wrong because it’s 100%.

                  1. wongarsu · 1789811780 · focus · HN ↗

                     Isn't it more like 93%? On the other 7% data is still inconclusive, they never died

                     1. actionfromafar · 1789813186 · focus · HN ↗

                        Depends on if the study is ongoing
                  2. romanows · 1789822281 · focus · HN ↗

                     75.6% die is right, it's just that the other 24.4% do too.
                  3. zdragnar · 1789833608 · focus · HN ↗

                     Past results are not an indicator of future performance. YMMV.
            2. wolfy1993 · 1789809478 · focus · HN ↗

               I think it's less about what was said (it is truthful) and more what isn't mentioned in the title which leaves ambiguity.

               I don't necessarily think it's intentional. For those with knowledge in the field I suspect it resonates the appropriate reaction.

               For those outside of the field, I think the perception of what being 2 organs means does a lot of leg work in invoking a response which seems exaggerated, but is probably caused by incorrect assumptions of what the title is trying to convey.

               I hope that makes some sense, I feel that was a lot of word vomit but I'm struggling to find the right words, it's somewhat meta

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.