Comments on: Caffeine hallucinations: Why "Letters to the Editor" matter in science http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 22 May 2013 09:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Doug Black http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1238090 Doug Black Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1238090 [smacks forehead] I *knew* there was something I was forgetting to pick up last time I was in Canada!  [smacks forehead] I *knew* there was something I was forgetting to pick up last time I was in Canada! 

]]> By: Jonathan Badger http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1236258 Jonathan Badger Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1236258 Not exactly. There are really two types of things called "letters" in scientific journals. One is just a normal paper with all the rigor that just happens to be short (as the Watson-Crick paper was), and the other is more analogous to the types of letters that newspapers and magazines print. Not exactly. There are really two types of things called “letters” in scientific journals. One is just a normal paper with all the rigor that just happens to be short (as the Watson-Crick paper was), and the other is more analogous to the types of letters that newspapers and magazines print.

]]> By: snowmentality http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1236123 snowmentality Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1236123 I'm actually interested in the panic attack study, as I have experienced panic attacks out of dreamless sleep. (Aside from the actual panic part, they were incredibly weird experiences -- waking up with an overwhelming sense of dread for absolutely no apparent reason. The first time it happened, I seriously thought I must be having a temporal lobe seizure.) I'm a little surprised this is so uncommon that it wouldn't have been observed in some regular sleep studies of panic disorder patients, without the caffeine bolus. (P.S. I'm better now.) I’m actually interested in the panic attack study, as I have experienced panic attacks out of dreamless sleep. (Aside from the actual panic part, they were incredibly weird experiences — waking up with an overwhelming sense of dread for absolutely no apparent reason. The first time it happened, I seriously thought I must be having a temporal lobe seizure.)

I’m a little surprised this is so uncommon that it wouldn’t have been observed in some regular sleep studies of panic disorder patients, without the caffeine bolus.

(P.S. I’m better now.)

]]> By: Katie Eaton http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1235073 Katie Eaton Wed, 05 Oct 2011 21:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1235073 Interesting side note: Watson and Crick originally announced their discovery of the double helix in a letter to the editor. Interesting side note: Watson and Crick originally announced their discovery of the double helix in a letter to the editor.

]]> By: Paul Renault http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1234670 Paul Renault Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1234670 Always read the letters to the editor - before you read the articles.  Always.  Always read the letters to the editor – before you read the articles.  Always. 

]]> By: yeah ben whatever http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1234662 yeah ben whatever Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1234662 Um, they're probably tasting the caffeine they were injected with. Nearly any IV injection will result in registering the taste of the compound you've injected, usually at the back of your throat / base of the tongue.  It's not far off from a smell, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if some compounds do result in registering a smell as well. Caffeine in particular has a very strong bitter / plasticky taste. Um, they’re probably tasting the caffeine they were injected with.

Nearly any IV injection will result in registering the taste of the compound you’ve injected, usually at the back of your throat / base of the tongue.  It’s not far off from a smell, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some compounds do result in registering a smell as well. Caffeine in particular has a very strong bitter / plasticky taste.

]]> By: User 100 http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1234630 User 100 Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1234630 Thank god politicians and cops drink coffee themselves, otherwise this'd be the next target in the "War on Drugs"... Coffee-injection induced hallucinations! We can't have that stuff around here! Thank god politicians and cops drink coffee themselves, otherwise this’d be the next target in the “War on Drugs”…
Coffee-injection induced hallucinations! We can’t have that stuff around here!

]]> By: digi_owl http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1234618 digi_owl Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1234618 Makes me wonder about what i ingest every day... Makes me wonder about what i ingest every day…

]]> By: xzzy http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1234604 xzzy Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1234604 Mmm, HP sauce.  Shame it's treated as a novelty here in America.  Mmm, HP sauce. 

Shame it’s treated as a novelty here in America. 

]]> By: Ronald Pottol http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1234602 Ronald Pottol Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1234602 Plus, people are less likely to lie, or distort their findings, after all, it's just a "I found this while I was looking for other stuff, perhaps it is of interest to someone". Plus, people are less likely to lie, or distort their findings, after all, it’s just a “I found this while I was looking for other stuff, perhaps it is of interest to someone”.

]]> By: DonE http://boingboing.net/2011/10/05/caffeine-hallucinations-why-letters-to-the-editor-matter-in-science.html#comment-1234597 DonE Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121827#comment-1234597 Good stuff, Maggie. I'm also down with other bits of science journals that are not so focused on formal presentations of findings, such as the policy forum pieces that regularly appear in Science. Good stuff, Maggie. I’m also down with other bits of science journals that are not so focused on formal presentations of findings, such as the policy forum pieces that regularly appear in Science.

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