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Re: Berkeley lab found research fabricated
"Algutifan, Elizabeth K. (ELB)" wrote:
>
> Is it just me, or does this not add up? If I were putting my name on a
> professional publication and, subsequently, my professional reputation on
> the line, I would want to have a thorough understanding of the research
> conducted before I signed on to it. Sheesh.
Hi Elizabeth and All,
Unfortunately, it does add up, in some ways! This paper
had 15 authors, and many elementary particle papers have 50 or
more! Why? Because the complexity of modern physics experiments
demands a wide range of such a high expertise that it is only
found in a multitude of physicists!
I was once asked if I would participate in an experiment
that would measure neutrino life times (a finite lifetime means
that they have mass and decay into each other). It was a really
great experimental setup using a 1 GWe Swiss nuclear power plant,
and the result is now one of the fundamental facts of particle
physics. But the prospect of working with one or two Nobelists
and about 50 co-authors dampened my enthusiasm and I declined. You
work hard in your own field to contribute the very best you can to
the project and have too much to do to keep an eye on anything else!
That was what kept me from relying too much on too many others in
neighboring fields of physics. That is a sad fact of elementary
particle physics, and Nuclear Physics in Super-heavy nuclei is not
much different.
I agree with you that if my name is on the paper, I want to
understand every detail of that work. It may be old fashioned but
then so am I!
Fritz
************************
Fritz A. Seiler, Ph. D.
President
Sigma Five Consulting
P.O. Box 1709
Los Lunas, NM 87031, USA
Tel. 505-866-5193
Fax. 505-866-5197
e-mail: faseiler@nmia.com
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