4.05.2002

A further demonstration of the evolving nature of science:

Nature regrets publication of corn study -- The Washington Times

In an unusually bitter and public dispute among scientists, the journal Nature says it should not have published a study concluding that DNA from genetically engineered corn contaminated native maize in Mexico.

"Nature has concluded that the evidence available is not sufficient to justify the publication of the original paper," editor Phillip Campbell said in a terse message in the latest issue of the distinguished journal.

However, Mr. Campbell stopped short of retracting the original paper, which was peer-reviewed and published in November. Instead, Nature printed two harsh new criticisms of the work, as well as a defense by the researchers that included new data.
Scientists will always disagree. It just seems that more and more of them taken on "causes" and hang anything that contradicts the conclusion they want to make. It was probably always thus (and ever will be), but in this day and age you can be made to look pretty stupid real quick.

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