Is Science Self-Correcting? A Sleuths’ Point of View

Science in the Grey Zone is a podcast dedicated to explore error correction and the intricate pathways of the scientific publishing system.

In season 2, we dive into the fascinating world of “sleuths” also known as data or science detectives. Across three exciting episodes, we will explore their endeavor - spotting errors and even fraud in the scientific literature, or, as they say, cleaning and correcting science.

We interviewed 17 sleuths at the “Scientific literature decontamination” symposium held in Paris in September 2024. They revealed how they catch errors —especially cases of fraud— hiding in plain sight.

In this first episode, we explore the common maxim that science is self-correcting. We asked sleuths how they see the issue of correcting errors in science; Can they diagnose the size of this problem? Are certain fields or countries facing these challenges more than others?

We’ll be hearing from Fidelia, David Sanders, Ivan Oransky, Nick Brown, John Carlisle, Anna Abalkina, Kevin Patrick, Elisabeth Bik & David Bimler.

Speakers (listed in order of appearance):

• Fidelia - pseudonyme
• David Sanders – science sleuth & Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Purdue University
• Ivan Oransky - journalist at New York University’s Arthur Carter Journalism Institute and co-founder of Retraction Watch
• Nicholas Brown – science sleuth. BA in Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Cambridge (UK) & a PhD in Health Psychology from the University of Groningen (Netherlands).
• John Carlisle - consultant anaesthetist at Torbay Hospital in Devon and a critic of dubious data in medical trials
• Anna Abalkina - research fellow at Freie Universität Berlin (Germany). She was recently named one of Nature’s 10, a list of people who shaped science in 2024
• Kevin Patrick – science sleuth and a financial adviser in Seattle
• Elisabeth Bik – science sleuth/ research integrity consultant & microbiologist who has worked for 15 years at Stanford University and 2 years in industry.
• David Bimler – science sleuth & retired psychologist formerly based at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand

Datasheet

• Narration: Masha Matalaev
• Plot: Mady Barbeitas
• Production: Guillermo Vargas Quisoboni - Chakalaka Medialab
• Recording and editing: Guillermo Vargas Quisoboni & Guillaume François
• Visual ID: Guillermo Vargas Quisoboni

This podcast has been financially supported by 'NanoBubbles: how, when and why does science fail to correct itself', a project that has received Synergy grant funding from the European Research Council (ERC), within the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, grant agreement no. 951393.