James Fischer wrote:

> Do you think
> everyone involved is lying, that the photos are faked, that
> there is some sort of widespread conspiracy to get funding for
> research work 
 
> What would anyone gain from such a conspiracy?

Funding =  papers published = academic career advancement

Example: In 1999 an ASSISTANT entomology professor
at Cornell made headlines around the world over an issue
that ultimately turned out to be much ado about nothing:
http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May99/Butterflies.bpf.html
These alarming headlines generated SIX figure research grants.

Five years later that same assistant professor had advanced to 
FULL professor.  

Paul Cherubini
El Dorado, Calif.

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