Science and Jan Hendrik Schon Essay

Submitted By passmoregarrett
Words: 407
Pages: 2

Scientific Fraud

The article, “Big trouble in the world of ‘Big Physics”, discusses the topic of scientific fraud and how it will impact studies and the credibility of scientists. In 2001 a promising young scientist named Jan Hendrik Schon, received an award for scientific breakthrough of the year. Schon’s claims were described as revolutionary. As one
Princeton professor put it, Schon had “defeated chemistry.” He had become a modern alchemist, apparently conducting electricity where it had never gone before. Schon’s study was so successful that it could have been in contention for the nobel prize. With the study being so popular and groundbreaking, scientists world wide attempted to repeat the results. With no scientists being able to do so a scandal broke out in the world of physics. Scientific fraud impacts studies negatively because if the results of the study cannot be repeated it instantly gives doubt to the authors. Scientific fraud is becoming more known and widespread. As the article states, “younger physicists may have jeopardized the unreliability of the whole system”. With the idea the scientists publish untrue studies it becomes a thought to the public that will occur as response to any study. The fraud of one study or experiment willl cast a doubt on all research that is done. Another issue with scientific fraud is that it impacts the credibility of scientists, not only individually but world wide. Credibility is a huge factor in the publishing of studies and cases.
In order to be successful or believed