The NY Times has a fascinating story about a researcher, Charles Roselli, from the Oregon Health and Science University and the hot water he’s gotten into after his research on gay sheep got out into the public via newspapers and blogs. Animal rights activists, gay advocates and others have jumped all over him and his work (the biology of sexual orientation in sheep) after a newspaper report and bloggers distorted his work, or just got it plain wrong, drawing links to human sexuality and the potential for breeding out homosexuality in humans.

Roselli isn’t the only scientist who’s been burned after talking with the media and watching his research get twisted beyond recognition (see this Q&A we ran with a MIT hurricane researcher and his experience with the media post Katrina).

Unfortunately, it’s these kinds of stories that scare off scientists from talking with the media, which in effect helps to widen the already wide gap between science and the public and just exacerbates the problem.

What to do? Blame reporters and bloggers for sensationalizing and pledge never to deal with them again? Well, the media aren’t going away anytime soon, so it’s best to fight fire with fire. Set the record straight. That’s what Roselli and OHSU are doing.