[almcbean]

It's time to play Count the Fudge Words- "probably", "could have been", "would have been", "may have begun" "assumed". Let's also add some "Oops, Never Mind" words- "surprising finding", "alter the way many scientists think", "flawed", "incorrect" "blind assumption".

Help me Patrick, I'm confused. I thought that all this was figured out by the "scientists", and it was only ignorant religious types who questioned it.

[AndrewC]

Published in the April 7 issue of Science Express, the online edition of Science Magazine, the study concludes traditional models estimating hydrogen escape from Earth's atmosphere several billions of years ago are flawed. The new study indicates up to 40 percent of the early atmosphere was hydrogen, implying a more favorable climate for the production of pre-biotic organic compounds like amino acids, and ultimately, life.

I've got a question for the up to 40% hydrogen crowd. Where did the 80% nitrogen atmosphere come from? Remember this is a rocky planet between two other rocky planets. The hydrogen planets are big, gassy, and cold.

[From many - one.]

Count the "fudge" words in any scientific paper on any subject.

If it's any good there will probably be an ample supply. (note fudge word)

That's because in science a theory can never be proven, only disproven. So, you get sentences like: "Our data seem to support the procedures and interpretation of Whosits and Smith (2005 see ref 13) and, additionally appear to challenge the conflictng interpretion of Jones and Bones (2004 see ref 3)."

At any moment a new bit of data can turn a whole mess of interpretations upside down, paradoxically making a lot of scientists extremely happy. That's because they now haave a new playground.