Possible SETI hit

[compilerbitch]

Original story:

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996341

Immediate retraction:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3621608.stm

I wonder what is going on here?

Comments

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

I suspect that it's something that's dubious but of possible interest within the field, and people realised just a little too late what the press would do with it, and hence retracted rather than have it turn into a huge hype that would damage the reputation of the whole enterprise.

[compilerbitch.livejournal.com]

That seems most likely. It was interesting that the first news I heard about this was the retraction -- I had to go looking for the original story.