For Once, some Scientific Fraudsters Have to Pay Their Money Back to the Government.
Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute agreed to pay $15 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it submitted false certifications on six NIH research grants between 2014 and 2024. The institute admitted that researchers reused and altered images in 14 grant‑linked publications, and that unallowable expenses were charged to the grants. Dana‑Farber also acknowledged a supervising researcher failed to provide adequate oversight. The settlement notes the institute’s extensive cooperation, including voluntary disclosures and remediation efforts, which earned it credit under DOJ guidelines.
An Economist Writes: “The Fulminations over the #1 Pick Seem Overheated to Me.”
Economist Jonathan Falk argues that the hype surrounding the #1 draft pick is overstated. He notes that assessment errors and the prevalence of busts compress the expected advantage over the #2 slot. Falk also stresses that team fit and positional...
Show Me Science
The piece argues that AI reviewers, especially large language models, are reshaping scientific publishing by treating papers as data sources rather than narrative summaries. It notes a growing call for “show me” guidelines—plots, raw outputs, prompts, and failure cases—to replace...
If that CDC Report Had Just Included some Fake Citations and some Crazy Dietary Advice, the Boss Would Surely Have...
The acting head of the CDC canceled a study that found Covid‑19 vaccines cut emergency‑room visits by 50% and hospitalizations by 55% during the last winter. The research, cleared by agency scientists, was slated for the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly...
Fraud and the False Optimism of AI for Science
The article debates whether AI‑generated research constitutes fraud or a legitimate productivity tool. It contrasts optimistic views that see AI as a natural extension of scientific methods with pessimistic concerns that outsourcing idea generation erodes judgment and misattributes credit. The...
“Making Your Research Free May Cost You”
The NIH’s new policy, effective July 1, requires that all research funded by the agency be made freely and immediately available, eliminating the previous one‑year embargo. Major for‑profit publishers such as Springer Nature and Elsevier have responded by making open‑access article‑processing...
The Bayesian Workflow Book Is Coming!
Statistical pioneers Andrew Gelman, Aki Vehtari, Richard McElreath and colleagues have announced the upcoming release of “Bayesian Workflow,” a new textbook that expands on the classic “Bayesian Data Analysis” by adding practical guidance on model building, computation, and validation. The...
“The FTC Does Not Have Our Backs, that Much Is Clear”
The FTC reached a settlement with Match Group’s OKCupid over the app’s undisclosed sharing of user photos with facial‑recognition firm Clarifai. The agreement imposes a permanent ban on misrepresenting data practices but carries no monetary penalty, despite executives holding financial...
An Application for Training Deep Learning Models in Your Browser
Jordan Anaya has launched a web application, aleaaxis.net, that enables users to train deep learning models directly in their browsers. The tool is positioned as an educational platform to introduce students to AI without requiring local installations. Early user feedback...
Updike in Tehran
The author reflects on John Updike’s two‑volume collected stories, highlighting the early‑2000s tale “The Varieties of Religious Experience.” The story uniquely frames the 9/11 attacks from multiple viewpoints, including an elderly Updike‑type narrator, a hijacker, and a plane passenger. While...
My (Uninformed and Completely Speculative) Theory About Jeff Bezos and the Washington Post
In 2013 Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post, a move that sparked debate about billionaire motives in a shrinking newspaper market. While the acquisition offered prestige, a potential political shield, and a possible digital‑media upside, the paper has become a...
How Do Political Organizations and Politically-Minded Rich People Translate Money Into Media Influence? Differently than They Used To.
The article traces the evolution of political money flowing into media, from early partisan newspapers to modern right‑wing ownership of TV networks, digital outlets, and social platforms. It notes that the removal of the Fairness Doctrine and rising polarization enabled...
Black and White, Gray and in Between: What Color Is the Media?
The article examines the limited media coverage of ETH Zurich professor Tom Crowther’s tenure denial after bullying and harassment complaints, highlighting his use of lab funds for crisis‑communication services. It draws parallels to the reopened Noma restaurant under chef René Redzepi, noting...
Frank Harrell on Why and How to Do Bayes for Clinical Trials and the Recent FDA Draft Guidelines
Frank Harrell, a former FDA statistician, responded to recent JAMA commentary on the agency’s draft guidance promoting Bayesian methods for clinical trials. He highlighted that while the guidance is a step forward, FDA reviewers still rely on traditional frequentist approaches...
Claimed “100% Sensitivity and Specificity in Differentiating Autistic Individuals From Typically Developing Controls Using Retinal Photographs” . . . Yeah,...
Two recent JAMA Network Open studies report near‑perfect diagnostic performance for autism using retinal photographs and video‑based deep‑learning models. The retinal study claims 100 % sensitivity and specificity across 958 participants, while the video study reports an AUC above 0.99. Critics...