More scientifically literate world, "Chariots of the Gods" falls flat?

http://www.skepticblog.org/2012/12/11/wonderful-phenomena-demand-wonderful-evidence/

' . . . usually given to astronomer Carl Sagan, with many sources clarifying that Sagan paraphrased this slogan from an earlier saying attributed to sociologist (and founding Skeptical Inquirer editor) Marcello Truzzi. A few sources, looking deeper, note that similar sentiments were earlier expressed by French mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace6 and Scottish philosopher David Hume.

'All that is roughly true, but the devil (and the fun, for nerds like me) is in the details. To begin with, it was not clear to me when Sagan first used the exact phrase “extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence,” as he preferred throughout his career the formulation “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Like “billions and billions,” he did eventually use the “demand” phrase that is now commonly attributed to him, but not often, and not (it seems) early in the game. . . '
And from the really neat Close Encounters of the Third Kind, this rather brings us back down to Earth.
 
Aliens might have lived on the Moon, scientists say

Independent [UK], Andrew Griffin, Science Editor, July 24, 2018

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...-lunar-surface-extraterrestrial-a8460506.html

' . . . The same conditions might have arrived during a peak of volcanic activity 3.5 billion years ago, claim the researchers.

'During that time, the Moon was spewing out vast amounts of very hot gases, including water vapour. Those gases might have formed into liquid water on the surface as well as creating an atmosphere that could keep it there. . . '

Notice how the headline way over-hypes the body of the article.
 
Fuzzy Kittens, Fuzzier Science
Claims of hypoallergenic cats continue to go unchallenged by press

Columbia Journalism Review, Jonah Comstock, Sept. 6, 2011.
https://archives.cjr.org/the_observatory/fuzzy_kittens_fuzzier_science.php

' . . . a Time magazine cover bearing the headline “GOD vs. SCIENCE,” which leads to a blurb listing the cats among Time’s picks for “Best Inventions of 2006.” . . . '

' . . . National Geographic in June 2006 . . . . . almost as uncritical as the blurb in Time. . . '

' . . . missed was that Brodie has no background in genetics—but he does have a well-recorded background in running scams. He was arrested in England, his native country, for selling shares in a non-existent hot-air balloon company. In the United States, he has left a wake of evictions, unpaid loans, and suits by unpaid employees. . . '
So, the guy's just a straight up-and-down con artist. There are no hypoallergenic cats!! At least not intentionally bred that way. Which is a shame, because it would be a pretty neat animal. And would open the door for a lot of people with allergies. So, what happens?

1) We the reading and viewing public are not willing to pay for good investigative journalism, and

2) most journalists seem to be language arts type, which is okay. Many of them might even be plenty good enough in science, but that is not their primary comfort zone, and

3) the defense of "Hey, we're just reporting a claim!," which is not in this article, but which I have seen in other contexts. And think how much more that claim's going to be present in something that doesn't really affect people, such as claims about UFOs, extraterrestrials, etc.
 
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