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Panel Confirms S. Korean Cloning Fraud

Posted by Zonk on from the sad-day-for-science dept.

mmell writes "South Korean cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk created a stir when he claimed to have successfully cloned human stem cells, claims which were almost immediately viewed with skepticism in the scientific community. Now an article on the BBC's website chronicles the doctor's final fall from grace as nine scientists empanelled at Seoul University conclude that Doctor Hwang's sensational claims were in fact an elaborate fraud (although they have also confirmed that Doctor Hwang's prior claim to have cloned a dog appears to be valid)." Confirmation of the investigation begun last week.

2 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. Defrauding for Dollars by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The worst bit of the fraud, as I heard on the BBC this morning, is it lead to considerable investment in Cell Research in S. Korea because Hwang was not at the periphery, but at the forefront of the field. Now S. Korea will be relegated to backwater status in the field of Stem Cell and Cloning Research (which will in all likelihood severly diminish their chances for a spot in the 2008 Olympics Tailored Stem Cell competition.)

    However, Don Asmussen of San Francisco Datebook notoriety has again nailed it and skewered bystanding bigwigs in Washington DC and Hollywood on his followthrough.

    But will he try out for the 2008 Olympic Political/Social Commentary squad, that's the big question

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  2. Re:Why? by bw_bur · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Maybe he believed that he could do it, but that things were taking too long. I think that this is when the temptation to fake results arises: when you're "certain" that the experiment can be done, and equally sure that you will be able to do it, but things aren't moving fast enough and you think that someone else might beat you to it.

    A serious problem, even a fundamental flaw can seem to be nothing more than an annoying technical hitch -- and the pressure gets to you -- so you fake it.