re: "the scientific community tends to be self-policing."
That is certainly the ideal but as more than a few recent articles and academic scandals have shown, the scientific community is no more safe from the problem of confirmation bias than any other small community. When added to the recently-exposed problems of "pal-review" and the distortions introduced by the "publish or perish" model in combination with the economic incentives of the journals themselves, it is arguable that the scientific community might be even more susceptible than the population at large.
That's why I value the open and vigorous debate here at BEE-L. As Peter said, you all are ruthless when challenging sloppy science. You won't hear this often enough but let me offer a sincere thank you for the rigor and diligence shown by the regulars on this board. The intellectual integrity demonstrated here is extraordinary.
Mike Rossander
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