Football Crazy
”IT’S a question that’s been kicking about for thousands of years,’ according to Alok Jha, the Guardian’s science correspondent.
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| ‘Imagine I’m holding a football…’ |
The question to which he refers is, of course: is our universe infinite?
Scientist Jeff Watts believes he has found the answer, and in the process, he has cracked another problem: how can I get lots of publicity for my project?
The answer to the latter problem is simple: make sure you contrive a connection, however tenuous, with the f-word.
This he has duly done – hence the relatively prominent position of the story, and its sexy headline: ‘Universe is shaped like a football, says scientist’.
But there is a problem. Watts is based in New York, and American footballs are shaped like rugby balls.
His model resembles a soccer ball, which gets you page six of the Guardian, but is unlikely to excite the New York Times.
Back to the drawing board, guys. Maybe breastsÂ…’
Posted: 9th, October 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
