Scientific Article = Opinion Piece?

[bob_kark]

CNN has an article on a gamma-ray burst from GRB130427A, which is a farily intereresting read:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/06/opinion/urry-gamma-ray-burst/index.html?hpt=hp_t4

However, it is categorized as an opinion piece. I thought this was a little odd, so I looked through it to see if there was discussion of additional funding needed to research it, a policy that is affecting our ability to study the gamma-rays, or well, any opinion stated in the article. I didn't see anything of the sort (okay, she did state "nature smiled on the Earth's astrophysical community in the form of GRB130427A," a little poetic, but I've heard much worse in a "scientific-ish" article). So, is CNN stating that science is now an opinion or am I simply being overly critical?

 

[jj]

Please. Scientists have opinions, and the article in question appears to be their opinion. What's more, this isn't even a scientific paper or a paper written by a scientist on his opinion, rather it is a news report written about findings that are waiting for confirmation. It's not even an opinion piece, it's journalism.

Trying to conflate that with science itself is simply inane.