If you have trouble following the article on Physics Web, try the NPR coverage of the story, which includes a very useful graphic which will no doubt clarify the concept considerably. This is important because after 36 hours we will probably forget the story was ever there, so might as well get as much as out of it while the news is hot.
Warning: sarcasm ahead. (Dangerous curves. Falling rocks. Moose crossing.)
It's awesome that these guys are dedicating their careers to this kind of stuff, because really, we have way too many people now trying to find the cure for cancer, AIDS, and other human diseases, or trying to fight poverty, hunger, child and spousal abuse, drunk driving, etc. These things have gone past their expiration date. Old hat. Boooring. We need fresh research that will help Web marketers annoy innocent Web surfers who just want to download porn, check out naked pics, and then download some more porn. Hey, there's a solution for the problem of the limited half-life of a news story. Add plenty of smut to it.
