Comments on: Richard Smith: The editor thinks your paper is nonsense but will publish anyway

By: Richard Smith

Richard Smith — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:02:00 +0000

This response comes from one of the authors of the paper who kept trying to post this comment but for some reason couldn’t. So now I’m trying.

“Thanks for the great blog. As an author on this paper I can clarify that
the title was not taken from any song lyrics — not consciously anyway. Who
says that there is no art in science? Thanks for the interest. Best wishes
Douglas”

By: Douglas

Douglas — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 05:41:00 +0000

Thanks for the great blog.

As an author on this paper I can clarify that the title was not taken from any song lyrics — not consciously anyway. Who says that there is no art in science? Thanks for the interest.

Best wishes

Douglas

By: Douglas

Douglas — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:39:00 +0000

Thanks for the great blog. As an author on this paper I can clarify that
the title was not taken from any song lyrics — not consciously anyway. Who says that there is no art in science?

Thanks for the interest. Best wishes

Douglas

By: Anastassia Makarieva

Anastassia Makarieva — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Thank you for your question regarding the paper title, but to be honest, I do not know. Perhaps Douglas Sheil, our native speaker among the authors, might answer this question. He suggested this title and after some discussion we thought it was good as it could help us reach a wider readership. The full title of the paper is: “Where do winds come from? A new theory on how water vapor condensation influences atmospheric pressure and dynamics”.

While the conventional view is that winds are driven by temperature (when the warm air rises and the cold air sinks), we suggest that on Earth this process is globally insignificant. Instead, winds are driven by pressure gradients that arise when water vapor condenses (and so partial vacuum is formed because water molecules leave the gas phase).

To put it in a medical context, the effect is distantly akin to what happens in the cupping-glasses. Ethanol burning leads to a reduction in the number of gas molecules within the cupping-glass. In the result, there is a drop of pressure inside and the glass sticks to the patient “sucking” in their skin. In the atmosphere such a drop of pressure results from condensation.

By: Douglas

Douglas — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:59:00 +0000

Mike Taylor — I am one of the authors and can clarify that any
(conscious) similarity between our title and any song lyrics is
coincidental. Who says there is no art in science? Suggestions for
future titles welcome! Thanks for the interest.

By: Anastassia Makarieva

Anastassia Makarieva — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:46:00 +0000

Thank you for your question, but to be honest, I do not know. Perhaps Douglas Sheil, our native speaker among the authors, might answer this question. He suggested this title and after some discussion we thought it was good as it could help us reach a wider readership. The full title of the paper is: “Where do winds come from? A new theory on how water vapor condensation influences atmospheric pressure and dynamics”.

By: tukaram

tukaram — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 03:57:00 +0000

I agree completely. Peer review can be dangerously discouraging especially for less known researcher with novel ideas. I wonder whether purpose of research is to identify and test unanswered questions OR to convince reviewers? Open peer review is an important step towards demystifying research handling by journals.

By: Mike Taylor

Mike Taylor — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:26:00 +0000

This is excellent. Credit to the editor in question for doing the right thing and being completely transparent about it. Just one question: is the title “Where do winds come from” an allusion to Blue Oyster Cult’s song “Astronomy”.