Very frustrating. In practice the scientists are expressing uncertainty “we do no know/need to investigate further” not confusion or bewilderment

I can imagine the journalists asking them "are you completely baffled?".

"the mind that is not baffled is not employed

the impeded stream is the one that sings"

-- Wendell Berry

That’s a simple and lovely poem that speaks to me deeply. Thanks for teaching me it exists.

A snake, you see, Has no legs to flee. When frightened He does not dither, He slithers.

(high school poet me, neither lovely nor deep, but I can't help myself)

Berry's a good well for deep-speaking thought.

The essay from which it comes is pretty great too -- I don't think it's online in whole form but there are pieces discussed here:

https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/11/18/wendell-berry-poetr...

Yeah for real this is a major issue in news and science communication.

There's "we don't know" (and we have no idea why), there's "we don't know" (just because we didn't prove it yet, but our money is on that) or (we think it's because so and so but haven't looked into it) and in-betweens.