In other news of the obvious...
Hey look - researchers have discovered the blatantly obvious: air travel helps spread flu:
Scientists have found what they call the first real evidence that restricting air travel can delay the spread of flu -- a finding that could influence government plans for battling the next influenza pandemic.
Air travel has long been suspected of playing a role in flu's gradual spread around the globe each year, but yesterday, Boston researchers said they finally have documented it: The drop in air travel after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks seemed to delay that winter's flu season by about two weeks.
In other news, the same crack research team announced that the sun rises in the east.
Technorati Tags: flu
Comments
That's how science works
[Ravi Venkataraman] September 12, 2006 12:48:40.569
While it is obvious that less air travel should help control the spread of flu, scientists (and the scientific method) prefer experiments whenever possible. The reduced air travel after the September 11 events provided that rare opportunity for scientists to test their hypothesis. Of course, the experiment can not be repeated at will!
What if the test had shown there was no correlation between air travel and the spread of flu? Scientists would have to discard the hypothesis. As you know, any scientific theory must have two properties in addition to explaining the observed facts: it must make some prediction; and it must be possible to disprove it.
This fortuitious test was an opportunity for the hypothesis to be disproved. That the result was obvious and expected is no reason for making fun of it. And admittedly it is not a great intellectual achievement.
thinking isn't enough
[Troy Brumley] September 12, 2006 19:00:52.402
I believe there was also an opportunity to study the environmental impact of contrails due to the multi-day period of no and then reduced flight. Thought experiments and hypothesis formation are good, but Ravi is right--experimental verification is important.