Controversial Physics: Perfect Public Outreach Opportunity

The goal of public outreach is to excite and engage the public in physics. What can be more exciting than controversy? When OPERA announced their discover of superluminal neutrinos, controversy within the physics community quickly followed. This result could overturn a century of established physics. From a public outreach perspective there was no better way to bring people usually unaware of current research into the discussion of this result. If handled well this could be used as a gateway to interest in other physics research. The public drive to learn more about this particular result can be harnessed to create interest in other cutting edge physics research and drive the public to continue their informal physics learning. If the results of OPERA and eventually proven incorrect as many physicists believe they will, that will not erase the public's new-found interest in physics but hopefully continue to fuel it.