Access

Opinion

Nature 419, 417 (3 October 2002) | doi:10.1038/419417a

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

Reflections on scientific fraud

Top

An exhaustive investigation has revealed significant contamination of the physics literature by a researcher. Such incidents are difficult to prevent, but all involved can try harder.

Long gone are the days when scientific frauds could be dismissed as the work of the mad rather than the bad. The unhappily extensive record of misconduct suggests that many fraudsters believe their faked results, so attempts at replication by others represent no perceived threat.