Mar 24, 2025 11:04 PM
Abuse of power at Germany's elite research institution (video)
https://www.dw.com/en/max-planck-institu...o-71904207
EXCERPTS: The Max Planck Society is a figurehead of scientific research in Germany [...] But there is a dark side to its facade. For months, DW's investigative unit, along with German news magazine Der Spiegel, has investigated allegations of misconduct perpetrated by senior scientific staff at Max Planck institutes... (MORE - details, video)
Tackling science’s ‘nasty photoshop problem’
https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2025...p-problem/
EXCERPTS: While the scale of the damage done is not easy to measure, we know that researchers trying to build on Dr. Masliah’s work have gone down blind alleys, unwittingly wasted perhaps millions in research funding [...] This is far from being the only example of images being falsified.[...] So it’s not surprising that concerns about image integrity have gained a lot of attention recently. [...] Today, stricter guidance and requirements around image handling are gradually becoming more common. [...] While there’s been a lot of progress, there’s also still some variance across publishers and journals... (MORE - details)
Fraud, blackmail, and the weaponization of integrity
https://fosci.substack.com/p/fraud-black...ponization
EXCERPTS: When I explain the research ecosystem—how it functions, where it breaks, and how bad actors exploit it—I often meet a mix of curiosity and disbelief. [...] For those who may not know, there is a loosely connected group of individuals [...] who dedicate their time to investigating research misconduct, scientific manipulations, and the like.
[...] This brings us to a disturbing example: an investigator ... receives an email [...] Investigate who I tell you to, or I'll fabricate accusations against you. This isn't about integrity anymore—it's a direct career threat, an act of blackmail using the same tools designed to uphold research credibility. Suddenly, the investigator becomes the target.
[...] The providers of these illicit services, often operating internationally, have evolved from targeting [the] vulnerable ... to employing increasingly aggressive tactics, including blackmail, intimidation of academic staff, and now, threats of violence. ... How do we protect both whistleblowers and legitimate researchers from bad-faith attacks? (MORE - details)
https://www.dw.com/en/max-planck-institu...o-71904207
EXCERPTS: The Max Planck Society is a figurehead of scientific research in Germany [...] But there is a dark side to its facade. For months, DW's investigative unit, along with German news magazine Der Spiegel, has investigated allegations of misconduct perpetrated by senior scientific staff at Max Planck institutes... (MORE - details, video)
Tackling science’s ‘nasty photoshop problem’
https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2025...p-problem/
EXCERPTS: While the scale of the damage done is not easy to measure, we know that researchers trying to build on Dr. Masliah’s work have gone down blind alleys, unwittingly wasted perhaps millions in research funding [...] This is far from being the only example of images being falsified.[...] So it’s not surprising that concerns about image integrity have gained a lot of attention recently. [...] Today, stricter guidance and requirements around image handling are gradually becoming more common. [...] While there’s been a lot of progress, there’s also still some variance across publishers and journals... (MORE - details)
Fraud, blackmail, and the weaponization of integrity
https://fosci.substack.com/p/fraud-black...ponization
EXCERPTS: When I explain the research ecosystem—how it functions, where it breaks, and how bad actors exploit it—I often meet a mix of curiosity and disbelief. [...] For those who may not know, there is a loosely connected group of individuals [...] who dedicate their time to investigating research misconduct, scientific manipulations, and the like.
[...] This brings us to a disturbing example: an investigator ... receives an email [...] Investigate who I tell you to, or I'll fabricate accusations against you. This isn't about integrity anymore—it's a direct career threat, an act of blackmail using the same tools designed to uphold research credibility. Suddenly, the investigator becomes the target.
[...] The providers of these illicit services, often operating internationally, have evolved from targeting [the] vulnerable ... to employing increasingly aggressive tactics, including blackmail, intimidation of academic staff, and now, threats of violence. ... How do we protect both whistleblowers and legitimate researchers from bad-faith attacks? (MORE - details)