Xref: utzoo sci.bio:1351 sci.misc:2111 sci.research:421
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!think!ames!hc!lanl!beta!dd
From: dd@beta.lanl.gov (Dan Davison)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.misc,sci.research
Subject: Re: Strange results in Nature article
Summary: polywater strikes again???
Message-ID: <20850@beta.lanl.gov>
Date: 23 Jul 88 02:14:18 GMT
References: <10465@lll-winken.llnl.gov>
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Lines: 39

In article <10465@lll-winken.llnl.gov>, colvin@mahler.llnl.gov (Mike Colvin) writes:
> 
> 	Has anyone read in the newsgroup read the article: "Human basophil
> degranulation triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE" in
> the June 30 Nature on page 816?  It's also discussed in an editorial
> entitled "When to Believe the Unbelievable" on page 787 of the same issue.
>   [much description deleted] 
> 	Anyway, I just wanted to point out this truly bizarre article and
> would like to hear what other people have to say about it.

I've been surprised by the lack of comment on the article in this
newsgroup.  I had to read the thing over 5 times before being
comfortable with it.  The extensive testing and reproducibiliy
help a lot.

This case appears to fall in one of two categories: (1) the famous
"polywater" class, where some Russian scientists reported finding
a state of water with very unusual properties, which eventually
turned out to be contaminants.  (2) A major paradigm breakdown.
The latter would have impressively widespread consequences;
my general feeling that any result that breaks that much physics
and chemistry needs to be extremely carefully checked out.

We will now have to endure years of extravagant homeopathic claims
to the effect that mainline science now supports homeopathic
theories; it may well turn out that they do, but a lot more
evidence will have to be accumulated.

This reminds me of the time (yes, Dizzy and Sam, I'm that old) when
evidence was accumulating that DNA and RNA were not necessarily
colinear.  It seemed very unlikely, then just unlikely, then
yeah maybe, then obviously true.  Splicing, though *fit*; the
current state of knowledge about the infinite-dilutibility of
antibodies doesn't.

-- 
dan davison/theoretical biology/t-10 ms k710/los alamos national laboratory
los alamos, nm 875545/dd@lanl.gov (arpa)/dd@lanl.uucp(new)/..cmcl2!lanl!dd
"I think, therefore I am confused"