There was an interesting article in the Guardian today about 'Dr' Gillian McKeith...

"McKeith is a menace to the public understanding of science. She seems to misunderstand not nuances, but the most basic aspects of biology - things that a 14-year-old could put her straight on."

Call me an optimist if you will, but occasionally I like to tune in to "science" programmes on the tv in the hope that they might make me interested rather than angry. Wrong again.
I watched the Equinox special on Avian Influenza tonight and athough parts of it were very interesting, some of it fell into the easy traps of science reporting.


I don't mind so much when it is adverts that contain bad science, after all it is in the interests of the company to promote certain aspects of their product. But programmes which exist to inform the public should make sure that they nail the basic facts first.

Ok, I'm done ranting now, it's safe to come out from behind the sofa.