I normally find the Economist excellent throughout, but this comment (registration required) on the Summers affair left me speechless.

The Economist:

Worse, from a scientific viewpoint, Mr Summers may have compounded the problem by mentioning it. A slew of scientific research shows that if people are told they will fail, they will do so.*

First of all, he didn't tell all women that they will fail. Second, if presenting a testable hypothesis that might explain observable phenomena is not "scientific" then what is? Keeping your mouth shut or parroting whatever the conventional wisdom is? That is no way to increase understanding of the world.

* "Birdbrained: Are Women Naturally Bad Scientists?" The Economist, 22 January 2005.