Credibility Crisis in Science with Thomas Plümper and Eric Neumayer
4/7/202639 min
In this episode, Thomas Plümper and Eric Neumayer explore the hidden challenges in modern science, from outright fraud to the subtler practice of “tweaking” data that distorts results. They examine why the self-correcting nature of science often falls short, how incentives and academic pressure drive misconduct, and the double-edged role of AI in both enabling and detecting fraud. The conversation also tackles debates around p-values and statistical reasoning, shares cautionary case studies, and proposes solutions like greater data transparency and stronger verification standards.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Fraud in Research
06:21 The Nature of Fraud...
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsNoah Giansiracusa· Host0:01
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Autumn Phaneuf· Host0:58
What if the biggest threat to science isn't that it's wrong, but that it looks right? And what if the results we trust most, statistically significant, peer-reviewed, beautifully modeled conclusions are sometimes the product of something far more subtle than fraud, something harder to detect, easier to justify, and far more common? I'm Autumn Phaneuf, and as always, I'm joined by my co-host,