I wonder if it's even really about the editing process. It seems possible to me that they intentionally start with a more provocative headline to get more early

I wonder if it's even really about the editing process. It seems possible to me that they intentionally start with a more provocative headline to get more early traction for an article, and then switch to the more neutral title as an article gains views. I could even imagine it being A/B tested early to see which headline will get them the most shares.