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Zombie Science

This trend of worthless science has been exacerbated by the media spotlight, political pressure and, presumably, the strong human impulse in the face of an emergency to do something, anything, even if it is sheer lunacy. This way, zombie scientists get not only peer-review recognition but also the public’s impression that they are doing important work. Zombie science not only pollutes science and generates noise; it also contributes to the hype of miracle cures and false hopes that end up in the press. 

Science for resume-boosting sounds a lot like other resume-boosting exercises that people in other professions do. There is a whole art form involved in staying in a role just long enough to create the appearance of having produced results and riding the wave of such illusion to get promoted, rinse and repeat the same pattern and move some more until people catch on to the scheme. By that time the person has moved up several levels and is ripe for a big job in another company. The only difference between such activity and producing zombie science research papers is the level of consequences for all concerned. 

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