Why does it take so long for scientific discoveries to be mentioned to the public?

Question

I've noticed that when many articles are run on new "discoveries" they actually reference back to findings several years ago. Why do they wait so long to publish their findings? Or is it that the news takes longer to put a story out on it?

Answer 1

I started taking psychology in college and the thing is that before scientific breakthroughs get to the public they have to become theories after having been tested over and over and ran with by other scientists and published. Also, as it might seem hinted, scientists take other scientist's ideas and progress what they were doing so that is why things are referenced back to findings several years ago because they were beeeeennnn done. =)  

Answer 2

There is so much junk science that a protocol has developed to deliver reliable, truthful science news (which does not always work)

Science institutions (the government, universities, research labs, etc.)  do not publicize incremental or unverified findings.  When things have progressed far enough on a line of research or discovery and has been repeated or verified, then an announcement can be made.  The facts of such announcements are often obscure and incomprehensible, so the emphasis is on the implications - what the discovery or research means to peoples lives, or if not relevant there, then the implications to common understanding and conventional wisdom.  And of course, information on where we go from here.

So there can be a lot of time between the finding of something new and when the public generally hears about it.  But that helps assure that what we hear is real.  For a classic example of when the protocol was not followed and the results ruinous for the scientists involved, check out the Stanley Pons Cold Fusion story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_fusion

Answer 3

Scientists don't take that long to publish their findings. Depending on the journal, you can usually go from manuscript to editor to reviewer(s) to editor to author(s) to editor to compositor to print in less than a year. However, 99% of what is published in the primary literature is of no interest to the general public. It is only when someone finds a way to use the knowledge that there may be some interest. For example, getting powder to stick to a glass plate sounds pretty esoteric. It became of interest to laymen only when the knowledge was used to make a Xerox machine.

Answer 4

Since it is a new discovery, it takes awhile to validate the findings.

Answer 5

Newspapers don't generally print a lot of science related stories unless it's a hot button topic which will generate readership for them.  For what's going on in the wonderful world of science, take a look at Scientific American magazine for up to date info.