Charles Piller

It's the honest work of people who are deeply committed to finding the truth in these matters. Do they make mistakes sometimes? Sure, of course, all of us do. But I think we should understand that even though it's only a tiny percentage of research in the field that may have been based on doctored images or on other improper scientific approaches or on outright fraud,

It's the honest work of people who are deeply committed to finding the truth in these matters. Do they make mistakes sometimes? Sure, of course, all of us do. But I think we should understand that even though it's only a tiny percentage of research in the field that may have been based on doctored images or on other improper scientific approaches or on outright fraud,

even though it's only perhaps a very small percentage of the overall body of research, even that small amount in certain locations in the thinking of the field can skew scientific thinking, can lead to dead ends, can waste important funding. that we don't have nearly enough of, that we desperately need to help patients by finding better approaches to finding a cure for the disease.

even though it's only perhaps a very small percentage of the overall body of research, even that small amount in certain locations in the thinking of the field can skew scientific thinking, can lead to dead ends, can waste important funding. that we don't have nearly enough of, that we desperately need to help patients by finding better approaches to finding a cure for the disease.

And so it's that wasted thinking, it's that wasted funding, and the tragedy of it that I think the field needs to take more seriously, even though Myself and I think everyone should understand that most scientists are honest, even if they're pursuing things that don't ultimately pan out. They're trying their best.

And so it's that wasted thinking, it's that wasted funding, and the tragedy of it that I think the field needs to take more seriously, even though Myself and I think everyone should understand that most scientists are honest, even if they're pursuing things that don't ultimately pan out. They're trying their best.

I do feel that way, Dylan. I feel optimistic for a couple reasons. Um, well, first of all, I think, uh, Over the last few years, there's been a much greater effort to detect improper research, to find doctored images in scientific research. And I have to say that it's been stimulated by something that I think many listeners would maybe even be unsurprised by, a kind of crowdsourcing.

I do feel that way, Dylan. I feel optimistic for a couple reasons. Um, well, first of all, I think, uh, Over the last few years, there's been a much greater effort to detect improper research, to find doctored images in scientific research. And I have to say that it's been stimulated by something that I think many listeners would maybe even be unsurprised by, a kind of crowdsourcing.

So you have a small army of these people who call themselves image sleuths, and they are forensic image experts who know how to use software and who have a good eye for seeing when some improper duplication of an image or change in an image may have occurred using software tools to examine it carefully. And until these folks entered the fray a few years back,

So you have a small army of these people who call themselves image sleuths, and they are forensic image experts who know how to use software and who have a good eye for seeing when some improper duplication of an image or change in an image may have occurred using software tools to examine it carefully. And until these folks entered the fray a few years back,

You had enormous amount of complacency on the part of journals and other institutions who are, again, the gatekeepers of science and should be all over this. They should be vigilant about it. But unfortunately, we're very complacent and we're not paying close attention. And so much improper science slipped through. That's harder to do now because you've got thousands of eyes on it.

You had enormous amount of complacency on the part of journals and other institutions who are, again, the gatekeepers of science and should be all over this. They should be vigilant about it. But unfortunately, we're very complacent and we're not paying close attention. And so much improper science slipped through. That's harder to do now because you've got thousands of eyes on it.

people who are posting their images, some to social media and some to a website called Pubpeer that listeners may want to look up just for fun and take a look at. It looks at scientific studies and where perhaps mistakes or improper manipulation of images might have taken place. And it doesn't necessarily conclude that bad things have happened, but it asks questions.

people who are posting their images, some to social media and some to a website called Pubpeer that listeners may want to look up just for fun and take a look at. It looks at scientific studies and where perhaps mistakes or improper manipulation of images might have taken place. And it doesn't necessarily conclude that bad things have happened, but it asks questions.

It shows the apparent flaws in the images. it requests that the scientists behind the work take a close look at it. And often, it gives fodder for an examination by the journals that published the work. So this is one way in which I feel optimistic. It's forcing a greater concern about making science the most powerful, the most reliable it can be. And that's the forensic image sleuths.

It shows the apparent flaws in the images. it requests that the scientists behind the work take a close look at it. And often, it gives fodder for an examination by the journals that published the work. So this is one way in which I feel optimistic. It's forcing a greater concern about making science the most powerful, the most reliable it can be. And that's the forensic image sleuths.

The other thing is I think that as much as the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer's has been dominant for many, many years, has received the most attention, Yet in recent years, there have been a few other ideas that I think are potentially fruitful and interesting that I have my eye on. And I would certainly encourage people who are interested to think about and examine.

The other thing is I think that as much as the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer's has been dominant for many, many years, has received the most attention, Yet in recent years, there have been a few other ideas that I think are potentially fruitful and interesting that I have my eye on. And I would certainly encourage people who are interested to think about and examine.

And I can give a couple of examples of those. One is right now, the kind of the GLP-1 inhibitors. These are the drugs like Wegovy and others that have hit the world by storm of late. And whatever pros and cons there are of these things, they have become very important drugs in our world.

And I can give a couple of examples of those. One is right now, the kind of the GLP-1 inhibitors. These are the drugs like Wegovy and others that have hit the world by storm of late. And whatever pros and cons there are of these things, they have become very important drugs in our world.