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

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Reflections on scientific fraud

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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.