Why do scientists sometimes falsify experimental results? How do they do it, and how do they get caught? Elisabeth Bik, the scientist who gave up a research career to fight this type of fraud, speaks about the battle for scientific integrity

From a young age we are taught that cheating and copying in tests and essays is forbidden. It starts with gentle warnings in elementary school, becoming highly reinforced during final exams in highschool and moreover so in university. This rule of ethics relies on the premise that copying is the same as stealing, and the ten commandments clearly state: “Thou shalt not steal”. However, just as there are those who challenge fundamental social understandings between fellow men, steal horses or counterfeit bills, there are also those who specialize in theft and falsification of scientific and academic research findings.

This phenomenon is probably as old as scientific writing, but it was only during the 19th century that it began receiving serious attention. Though it became significantly simpler in the digital age and with the development of the internet, vigilant and critical scientists have been able to capture such harm-doers and denounce them from time to time.

Several initiatives, designed to promote clarity and integrity in the system of academic publication, have been established over the years. The most prominent of these are the websites Retraction Watch, founded by “The Center for Scientific Integrity”, and PubPeer.com, an American non-profit organization that aims at conducting unmediated peer review.