Nope, it's never gonna die. It is now a common English phrase, detached from its original meaning. Nobel prize does not help. Being a biologist does not help either.
coturnix | Homepage | 01.06.06 - 1:52 pm | #

Wouldn't it be correct, though, to say that stress is "a cause" of ulcers? Most people infected with H. pylori, as I understand it, are asymptomatic. Therefore, it seems reasonable to assume that psychosocial factors are important.(?)
Matt | 01.06.06 - 5:50 pm | #

Ulcers, teach the controversy.
Joe Blough | 01.06.06 - 9:30 pm | #

Matt,

Stress certainly is still thought to play a role in disease development, and it's thought it can *worsen* ulcers--but it's not generally thought to be a "cause" anymore. Contributing factor, maybe. I'm even a bit skeptical of that--I think we use the "stress" excuse too much to just fill in the gaps in our knowledge.
Tara Smith | Homepage | 01.08.06 - 11:39 am | #

PZ is a biggot who is hurting science, not helping it.
Lev Bronstein | 08.04.07 - 2:03 pm | #

Lev Bronstein, contrary to what you may think, hating a bigoted belief system isn't bigotry.
Alex | Homepage | 05.29.08 - 11:17 pm | #