Rejections from journals are not uncommon and sometimes it's for somewhat questionable reasons.
replyUploading the manuscript to a preprint server and/or submitting to another journal, which Adamala is doing/planning to do, is the normal response.
Sending it to journalists beforehand is what I consider an overreaction.
It would only be effective if the significance of this work is clear. They certainly felt this message needed to reach people, and that it did work makes it self evident they were probably right.
replyJournalists believing what you tell them says nothing about if the underlying work is actually significant.
replyThe legacy of bad science being picked up is why this is a bad idea, even you personally don’t think it’s an issue the risk reward isn’t about just you.