ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses to a qualitative analysis of how scientific findings communicated to the public by the media. On May 22, 2017, an article was published on the website of the journal Nature Genetics with the title: “Genome-wide association meta-analysis of 78,308 individuals identifies new loci and genes influencing human intelligence”. Nature Genetics is a prestigious scientific journal. According to its aims and scope: Nature Genetics publishes the very highest quality research in genetics. This article reported a meta-analysis of data from genome wide associated studies. Such studies look for associations between specific sites on DNA and specific conditions. Whereas the scientists involved in the S. Sniekers et al. study were eager to report their contribution to improving our understanding of the genetics of intelligence by identifying 40 new implicated genes to their peers, the media reports have the very different role of informing the public.