The Biggest Science Scam Ever?

Disinformation and fake news are a cause for serious concern. This is true for the natural sciences as well—despite the abundance of peer-reviewed publications. From engineering and construction to the biomedical sector and beyond, this abundance of fakes can have significant consequences for the scientific community and policymakers alike. How can one discern what is fake and what is not in the sciences? Who benefits from the falsehoods? What are the implications of a prevalence of falsified scientific papers—for academics, scientists, policymakers, and the business community?

For answers to these questions, the American Council on Germany and American Friends of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation hosted a virtual discussion about fake scientific papers with neuropsychologist Prof. Dr. Bernhard Sabel, Director of the Institute for Medical Psychology at the Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg. He was joined by Dr. Elisabeth Malsch, a leader in the forensics practice at Thornton Tomasetti in New York.