Just flag it. If HN doesn't put a downvote on stories, then it must be by design. If they don't like the concept of it being used as a downvote button, that's their problem, with an easy solution.

The reason for the trend of removing the downvote button/count it to let "enragement" content raise to the top, a trend HN should have known better than to take part in.

> it’s not spam

I'm pretty sure it highjacked the back button and showed me a chumbox. I clicked it again and but it didn't happen again.

It's livescience... they're a spam site owned by British "publishing" house, Future. They also own TechRadar, PC Gamer, Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, Marie Claire, GamesRadar+, How it Works, Creative Bloq, CinemaBlend, Android Central, IT Pro, BikePerfect, Truly, Windows Central, Chat

The machine optimizes for clicks. Do not question the machine. /s

"After three years in the field, I've found some scratches on pottery that I'm pretty sure might be evidence of trading from places really far away. Or they might be random scratches."

Editor's note: "Sorry, but we can't print this. We're going to have one of our junior writers jazz it up a bit..."