Vox.com is a new news site that aims to do things a bit differently. Led by Ezra Klein, formerly of the Washington Post “Wonk Blog,” news stories at Vox are supposed to rely more on data, and actually provide the data behind stories so that readers can judge for themselves.
Klein is undoubtably a liberal voice, but seems to value data above ideology, and policy above politics. As a scientist, this approach warms my heart, but from the beginning, I suspected that the biggest test of this position would be the debate around genetically modified organisms.
It’s easy for liberals to take principled stands about data when it comes to global warming, since the science is on the side of the liberal position. But GMOs are a hot-button issue for liberals, with many on the left skeptical or downright hostile to GMO, taking stands and believing facts in clear contradiction of scientific evidence. I was a bit worried about how Klein’s outfit would treat the issue.
Happily, they’ve stood up to the test, rightly declaring that GMOs currently on the market are safe, but spelling out dissenting opinions and providing nuanced analysis about potential problems.
Read the full, original article: Vox Off to a Good Start on GMOs
