<p>In this episode, Thomas Plümper and Eric Neumayer explore the hidden challenges in modern science, from outright fraud to the subtler practice of “tweaking” data that distorts results. They examine why the self-correcting nature of science often falls short, how incentives and academic pressure drive misconduct, and the double-edged role of AI in both enabling and detecting fraud. The conversation also tackles debates around p-values and statistical reasoning, shares cautionary case studies, and proposes solutions like greater data transparency and stronger verification standards. </p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Introduction to Fraud in Research</p><p>06:21 The Nature of Fraud Detection</p><p>08:56 Incentives and Motivations for Fraud</p><p>10:43 Self-Correction in Science</p><p>12:13 Understanding Statistical Significance</p><p>13:04 The Role of Replication in Research</p><p>14:32 Bayesian vs Frequentist Approaches</p><p>23:09 Understanding Bayesian Statistics and Its Implications</p><p>26:24 The Humility of Empirical Science</p><p>27:16 Concrete Examples of Scientific Fraud</p><p>32:52 Proposed Solutions to Scientific Fraud</p><p>34:50 The Reality of Scientific Fraud and Human Nature</p><p></p><p>Guest Links</p><p>You can purchase their book here (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://amzn.to/3Ole3lY">https://amzn.to/3Ole3lY</a>)</p><p>Follow Eric Neumayer on LinkedIn - (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linkedin.com/in/ericneumayer">https://linkedin.com/in/ericneumayer</a>)</p><p></p><p>Follow Breaking Math on </p><p>Substack (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://breakingmath.substack.com/">https://breakingmath.substack.com/</a>) </p><p>Twitter (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/breakingmathpod">https://x.com/breakingmathpod</a>) </p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/breakingmathmedia/">https://www.instagram.com/breakingmathmedia/</a>) </p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/breakingmath.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/breakingmath.bsky.social</a>) </p><p>Website (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.breakingmath.io/">https://www.breakingmath.io/</a>) </p><p>YouTube (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingMathPod">https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingMathPod</a>) </p><p></p><p>Follow Noah on </p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/profnoahgian/">https://www.instagram.com/profnoahgian/</a>) </p><p>Twitter (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/ProfNoahGian">https://x.com/ProfNoahGian</a>) </p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/profnoahgian.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/profnoahgian.bsky.social</a>) </p><p></p><p>Follow Autumn on </p><p>Twitter (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/1autumn_leaf">https://x.com/1autumn_leaf</a>) </p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/1autumnleaf.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/1autumnleaf.bsky.social</a>) </p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/1autumnleaf/">https://www.instagram.com/1autumnleaf/</a>) </p><p>Substack (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://substack.com/@1autumnleaf">https://substack.com/@1autumnleaf</a>) </p><p></p><p>email: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></p>