The Ötzi embargo

The Ötzi embargo

Dienekes has some harsh words for the way some science is produced, focusing on the genome of Ötzi the Iceman as a case in point:

Yesterday, I twitted in exasperation that Otzi’s genome, which must have been available in at least some sort of draft form since at least the beginning of this year, has been under lock and key, presumably because of the need to make a big splash with the simultaneous Bolzano conference, TV special, likely imminent journal publication, and all the media stories that will follow.

What I don’t understand: how come no one is editing the Wikipedia entry ahead of time? I wonder in hindsight if there’s no there, there, though I hope I’m wrong about this. Going by the lack of media mention of ahead of the NOVA documentary I do suspect we’re seeing the calm before the embargo explosion.

Razib Khan