Opinion: Broadcasting misconduct

March 24, 2011

Last July, an unknown agitator using the pseudonym Marco Berns interrupted an investigation of scientific misconduct with e-mails and online posts accusing researcher Silvia Bulfone-Paus of the Research Center Borstel in Germany — whose lab was the focus of the investigation — of scientific fraud. The media dubbed the actions an outrageous smear campaign, but if this person had reason to believe that the local commission investigating the case might delay, play down or even suppress incriminating evidence, perhaps going public was the only way to see that justice was served. (The Scientist)