David Sanders
@davidsanderssci.bsky.social
Yale, '83. Molecular Biochemistry & Biophysics. UC-Berkeley, 1989. Biochemistry. Associate Professor Biological Sciences, Purdue University. Research Ethics. Gene Therapy. Biodefense. Ebola Virus. Retrovirus. Viral Entry.Pandemic. COVID-19
Continued refusal of NASA, Arizona State U. & others to admit that the retracted #arseniclife article was bad science. liebertpub.com/doi/10.1177/... Article claims that "past controversial scientific revelations" include "arsenic-based life discoveries." It was not a "revelation" nor a "discovery."
Communicating Discoveries in the Search for Life in the Universe Workshop Report | Astrobiology
The potential discovery of life beyond Earth presents unique communication challenges for astrobiology. These include ambiguous data, public misconceptions, and the dynamics of social media platforms. Building on National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s 2021 Standards of Evidence (SoE) workshop, a diverse group of experts—scientists, science journalists, content creators, and scholars—were convened during February and March of 2024 for the Communicating Discoveries in the Search for Life in the Universe workshop. This report summarizes structured discussions focused on how to responsibly share findings with different public audiences. Key themes that emerged from the workshop included the following: communicating uncertainty, reaching consensus, and building trust between the scientific community and the public. Such efforts will involve navigating the rapidly evolving landscapes of social media and academic (peer-reviewed) journal publishing. Workshop participants emphasized the need for proactive communication, early-career training in science communication, and interdisciplinary partnerships, all of which can foster sound public understandings of astrobiology research and its myriad of practices, mitigate misinformation, and sustain ongoing support for the search for life. In brief, this report includes the workshop rationale and structure, insights gleaned from past case studies and hypothetical future scenarios, common themes that emerged from the breakout groups, a discussion of the relationship of workshop outcomes to SoE, and guidance for individuals, agencies, and institutions. Key Words: Astrobiology—Science communication—Biosignature detection. Astrobiology xx, xxx–xxx.
liebertpub.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Continued refusal of NASA, Arizona State U. & others to admit that the retracted #arseniclife article was bad science. liebertpub.com/doi/10.1177/... Article claims that "past controversial scientific revelations" include "arsenic-based life discoveries." It was not a "revelation" nor a "discovery."
“This is the time to abolish the IEDC. It cannot be repaired. … But we need to make our voice louder to say we don’t want anything from the IEDC. We want the IEDC abolished.” www.indystar.com/story/news/i...
November 5, 2025 at 1:57 PM
“This is the time to abolish the IEDC. It cannot be repaired. … But we need to make our voice louder to say we don’t want anything from the IEDC. We want the IEDC abolished.” www.indystar.com/story/news/i...
&recent reporting about deals that netted companies under officials with ties to the IEDC – including the current head of Purdue Research Foundation, Chad Pittman – contracts worth tens of millions of dollars.
“We need to reassess our relationship with the IEDC,” Sanders said.
“We need to reassess our relationship with the IEDC,” Sanders said.
He said dealing with issues stemming from the IEDC had been like game of whack-a-mole. He listed the agency’s past attempts to pump&take millions of gallons of water from western Tippecanoe County to feed LEAP District near Lebanon,a state audit that revealed lax oversight&questionable spending
City councils wrap:Limits on data centers.
Wherein I call for abolition of Indiana Economic Development Corporation(IEDC)."Council member Sanders said proposal raised bigger issues with city’s relationship with IEDC, the driver in recruiting data centers" www.basedinlafayette.com/p/city-counc...
Wherein I call for abolition of Indiana Economic Development Corporation(IEDC)."Council member Sanders said proposal raised bigger issues with city’s relationship with IEDC, the driver in recruiting data centers" www.basedinlafayette.com/p/city-counc...
November 5, 2025 at 1:55 PM
&recent reporting about deals that netted companies under officials with ties to the IEDC – including the current head of Purdue Research Foundation, Chad Pittman – contracts worth tens of millions of dollars.
“We need to reassess our relationship with the IEDC,” Sanders said.
“We need to reassess our relationship with the IEDC,” Sanders said.
He said dealing with issues stemming from the IEDC had been like game of whack-a-mole. He listed the agency’s past attempts to pump&take millions of gallons of water from western Tippecanoe County to feed LEAP District near Lebanon,a state audit that revealed lax oversight&questionable spending
City councils wrap:Limits on data centers.
Wherein I call for abolition of Indiana Economic Development Corporation(IEDC)."Council member Sanders said proposal raised bigger issues with city’s relationship with IEDC, the driver in recruiting data centers" www.basedinlafayette.com/p/city-counc...
Wherein I call for abolition of Indiana Economic Development Corporation(IEDC)."Council member Sanders said proposal raised bigger issues with city’s relationship with IEDC, the driver in recruiting data centers" www.basedinlafayette.com/p/city-counc...
City councils wrap: Limits on data centers, gas stations, nursing home runs
A lot of ground to cover from Lafayette and West Lafayette city councils, with more on the way.
www.basedinlafayette.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:54 PM
He said dealing with issues stemming from the IEDC had been like game of whack-a-mole. He listed the agency’s past attempts to pump&take millions of gallons of water from western Tippecanoe County to feed LEAP District near Lebanon,a state audit that revealed lax oversight&questionable spending
City councils wrap:Limits on data centers.
Wherein I call for abolition of Indiana Economic Development Corporation(IEDC)."Council member Sanders said proposal raised bigger issues with city’s relationship with IEDC, the driver in recruiting data centers" www.basedinlafayette.com/p/city-counc...
Wherein I call for abolition of Indiana Economic Development Corporation(IEDC)."Council member Sanders said proposal raised bigger issues with city’s relationship with IEDC, the driver in recruiting data centers" www.basedinlafayette.com/p/city-counc...
City councils wrap: Limits on data centers, gas stations, nursing home runs
A lot of ground to cover from Lafayette and West Lafayette city councils, with more on the way.
www.basedinlafayette.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:51 PM
City councils wrap:Limits on data centers.
Wherein I call for abolition of Indiana Economic Development Corporation(IEDC)."Council member Sanders said proposal raised bigger issues with city’s relationship with IEDC, the driver in recruiting data centers" www.basedinlafayette.com/p/city-counc...
Wherein I call for abolition of Indiana Economic Development Corporation(IEDC)."Council member Sanders said proposal raised bigger issues with city’s relationship with IEDC, the driver in recruiting data centers" www.basedinlafayette.com/p/city-counc...
“We've let the marketers run things,”said David Sanders,a critic of the Purdue Global deal since it was announced during his tenure as University Senate chair.
“It used to be about what we do at Purdue," he said of the main campus newsletter.
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
“It used to be about what we do at Purdue," he said of the main campus newsletter.
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
After zealous marketing, confusion lingers over Purdue Global's ties with parent campus
The faculty senate determined the public, as well as some students, faculty and staff, “cannot distinguish between Purdue West Lafayette, Purdue Global and Purdue Online.”
www.yahoo.com
October 21, 2025 at 9:33 PM
“We've let the marketers run things,”said David Sanders,a critic of the Purdue Global deal since it was announced during his tenure as University Senate chair.
“It used to be about what we do at Purdue," he said of the main campus newsletter.
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
“It used to be about what we do at Purdue," he said of the main campus newsletter.
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
Purdue Global professors have told him they were instructed not to allow students to fail their classes because it could make them more likely to drop out.
“It's just become all about the credentialing experience rather than an educational experience,” he said. www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
“It's just become all about the credentialing experience rather than an educational experience,” he said. www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
October 19, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Purdue Global professors have told him they were instructed not to allow students to fail their classes because it could make them more likely to drop out.
“It's just become all about the credentialing experience rather than an educational experience,” he said. www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
“It's just become all about the credentialing experience rather than an educational experience,” he said. www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
"Sanders said that while he was still on the senate, he asked repeatedly to see
Purdue Global's marketing budget, broken down into categories, so he could gain
a window into its financial health and spending priorities.
He never got it."
www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
Purdue Global's marketing budget, broken down into categories, so he could gain
a window into its financial health and spending priorities.
He never got it."
www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
Purdue Global has lost $71 million since inception. Will recent improvement be enough?
Purdue Global has lost $71 million since its 2018 inception, mostly on fees and ads. The Purdue-run online school is trending up. Will it be enough?
www.jconline.com
October 17, 2025 at 7:07 PM
"Sanders said that while he was still on the senate, he asked repeatedly to see
Purdue Global's marketing budget, broken down into categories, so he could gain
a window into its financial health and spending priorities.
He never got it."
www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
Purdue Global's marketing budget, broken down into categories, so he could gain
a window into its financial health and spending priorities.
He never got it."
www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
“That’s corporate speak,” DavidSanders chaired the Purdue Univ. Senate."But we're not about the market. We are about educating people. Corporations can be nimble, because they don't have to tell anybody what they're actually doing.” Purdue Global www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
Purdue Global has lost $71 million since inception. Will recent improvement be enough?
Purdue Global has lost $71 million since its 2018 inception, mostly on fees and ads. The Purdue-run online school is trending up. Will it be enough?
www.jconline.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:25 AM
“That’s corporate speak,” DavidSanders chaired the Purdue Univ. Senate."But we're not about the market. We are about educating people. Corporations can be nimble, because they don't have to tell anybody what they're actually doing.” Purdue Global www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
David Sanders, an image expert and biologist at Purdue University told us it “is indisputable” that the figure “derives from” the Tin Man Syndrome hoax paper. Aside from similarities within the image itself, Sanders pointed to the label in the upper right hand corner.
Just as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was the first of 14 books in a series, our recent coverage of a paper on “Tin Man syndrome” seems to have sequels.
Second study using ‘Tin Man Syndrome’ X-ray under scrutiny following Retraction Watch inquiry
An altered image posted as an April Fool’s joke (left) was used as a figure (right) in a 2021 paper in Scientific Programming. Just as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was the first of 14 books in …
retractionwatch.com
October 1, 2025 at 12:37 AM
David Sanders, an image expert and biologist at Purdue University told us it “is indisputable” that the figure “derives from” the Tin Man Syndrome hoax paper. Aside from similarities within the image itself, Sanders pointed to the label in the upper right hand corner.
Part of that housing crisis, he said, stems from Purdue University's tuition freeze.
"It's a marketing gimmick. It's not a real approach to student affordability," Sanders said. "In order to pay for it, the universtiy ended up cutting in-state scholarships" www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
"It's a marketing gimmick. It's not a real approach to student affordability," Sanders said. "In order to pay for it, the universtiy ended up cutting in-state scholarships" www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
High-rise developments in West Lafayette spawn questions of sustainability in a growing city
The city of West Lafayette has seen several new high-rise projects in recent years, but is there an end in sight for luxury builds?
www.jconline.com
September 25, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Part of that housing crisis, he said, stems from Purdue University's tuition freeze.
"It's a marketing gimmick. It's not a real approach to student affordability," Sanders said. "In order to pay for it, the universtiy ended up cutting in-state scholarships" www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
"It's a marketing gimmick. It's not a real approach to student affordability," Sanders said. "In order to pay for it, the universtiy ended up cutting in-state scholarships" www.jconline.com/story/news/l...
Will Tin Man Syndrome continue to spread?
"David Sanders,an image expert&biologist at Purdue U told us it"is indisputable"that the figure“derives from the Tin Man Syndrome hoax paper""Sanders said the paper has even more flaws.The references are a mess" retractionwatch.com/2025/09/23/s...
"David Sanders,an image expert&biologist at Purdue U told us it"is indisputable"that the figure“derives from the Tin Man Syndrome hoax paper""Sanders said the paper has even more flaws.The references are a mess" retractionwatch.com/2025/09/23/s...
Second study using ‘Tin Man Syndrome’ X-ray under scrutiny following Retraction Watch inquiry
An altered image posted as an April Fool’s joke (left) was used as a figure (right) in a 2021 paper in Scientific Programming. Just as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was the first of 14 books in …
retractionwatch.com
September 25, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Will Tin Man Syndrome continue to spread?
"David Sanders,an image expert&biologist at Purdue U told us it"is indisputable"that the figure“derives from the Tin Man Syndrome hoax paper""Sanders said the paper has even more flaws.The references are a mess" retractionwatch.com/2025/09/23/s...
"David Sanders,an image expert&biologist at Purdue U told us it"is indisputable"that the figure“derives from the Tin Man Syndrome hoax paper""Sanders said the paper has even more flaws.The references are a mess" retractionwatch.com/2025/09/23/s...
Gun violence is bad. Free speech is good. PROVE ME WRONG!
September 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Gun violence is bad. Free speech is good. PROVE ME WRONG!
Weird juxtaposition. "Croce also lost a defamation lawsuit against critic David Sanders (Purdue University) who was quoted in Times article/Judge:“discovery has proved existence of about 30 instances of fabrication or duplication” in Croce’s research papers."
www.visiontimes.com/2025/09/17/t...
www.visiontimes.com/2025/09/17/t...
Trump Announces Plan for $15 Billion Defamation Case Against NYT - Vision Times
On Monday, Sept. 15 U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he has filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times.
www.visiontimes.com
September 18, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Weird juxtaposition. "Croce also lost a defamation lawsuit against critic David Sanders (Purdue University) who was quoted in Times article/Judge:“discovery has proved existence of about 30 instances of fabrication or duplication” in Croce’s research papers."
www.visiontimes.com/2025/09/17/t...
www.visiontimes.com/2025/09/17/t...
A Cuban article on Carlo Croce @OhioState . It doesn't get all the facts correct, but it does include an image of @smutclyde.bsky.social @thatsregrettab1.bsky.social @forbetterscience.bsky.social @elisabethbik.bsky.social www.juventudtecnica.cu/articulos/fr...
Fraudes científicos de este siglo (35): Carlo M. Croce: el timador timado - Juventud Técnica
En 2024 se habían retractado 15 de sus publicaciones sobre oncología, cinco recibieron una ‘expresión de preocupación’ y 23 fueron corregidas.
www.juventudtecnica.cu
September 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
A Cuban article on Carlo Croce @OhioState . It doesn't get all the facts correct, but it does include an image of @smutclyde.bsky.social @thatsregrettab1.bsky.social @forbetterscience.bsky.social @elisabethbik.bsky.social www.juventudtecnica.cu/articulos/fr...
David Sanders, an image expert and biologist at Purdue University who weighed in on the images in our previous story, told us from his experience, “when one finds egregious problems in one article it is probable that other articles from one or more of the authors also violate scientific norms.”
A journal has retracted a study on ‘Tin Man Syndrome’ plagiarized from a decade-old April Fools’ joke — which the author now admits was fake.
‘Tin Man Syndrome,’ five other case studies retracted following Retraction Watch coverage
A comparison of the images and an overlay, provided by a sleuth. A journal has retracted a study on ‘Tin Man Syndrome’ plagiarized from a decade-old April Fools’ joke — which the author now admits…
retractionwatch.com
September 2, 2025 at 8:52 PM
David Sanders, an image expert and biologist at Purdue University who weighed in on the images in our previous story, told us from his experience, “when one finds egregious problems in one article it is probable that other articles from one or more of the authors also violate scientific norms.”
More true than ever. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
“I really feel as if the administration is engaged in reverse alchemy, and it’s turning America’s scientific gold into lead,” says David Sanders, a sleuth and biologist at Purdue University. #research #integrity
Some sleuths fear that the business of cleaning up flawed studies is being weaponized against science itself
go.nature.com/3TwCNXA
go.nature.com/3TwCNXA
September 1, 2025 at 7:45 PM
More true than ever. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
“Speed is essential, but it’s never too late to take appropriate action,” he says, recalling that “post-publication peer review is just as important as pre-publication peer review, and at least as good.” @forbetterscience.bsky.social
This is what makes David Sanders,known for his investigations into scientific integrity,jump.“The fact that the authors now refuse to acknowledge that the article was based on impossible chemistry,data that didn’t support their conclusions&contamination is appalling.
www.lemonde.fr/article-offe...
www.lemonde.fr/article-offe...
La revue « Science » met officiellement fin à la fausse découverte d’une bactérie extraterrestre
Dans un article retentissant publié par la prestigieuse revue scientifique en 2010, une équipe soutenue par la NASA affirmait avoir découvert, sur Terre, une bactérie dotée d’une forme de vie jamais v...
www.lemonde.fr
September 1, 2025 at 7:44 PM
“Speed is essential, but it’s never too late to take appropriate action,” he says, recalling that “post-publication peer review is just as important as pre-publication peer review, and at least as good.” @forbetterscience.bsky.social
"It seems that the scientists at the NASA Astrobiology Institute remain in denial about the fact the infamous paper & the associated coverage was a tale of catastrophic failure in the institution of science at essentially every level." @forbetterscience.bsky.social
"The paper continues to gain citations...which I would attribute to cringeworthy ignorance, but 1 of the authors of this paper (Voytek) was on stage during the press conference,promoting the "discovery" Why would the authors cite the discredited paper in this uncritical way?"
PubPeer - The Ladder of Life Detection
There are comments on PubPeer for publication: The Ladder of Life Detection (2018)
pubpeer.com
September 1, 2025 at 7:44 PM
"It seems that the scientists at the NASA Astrobiology Institute remain in denial about the fact the infamous paper & the associated coverage was a tale of catastrophic failure in the institution of science at essentially every level." @forbetterscience.bsky.social
It's incredible that anyone would accept the "shadow biosphere" idea as anything but pseudoscience. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
“It had nothing to do with the shadow biosphere. It had nothing to do with life on other planets, and it had nothing to do with reality,” he said."
"Purdue University biologist David Sanders said he heard the news on NPR. This was his area of expertise — he’d done work in the relevant area of biochemistry, so he was eager to look into it.
He told me he found a fatal mistake in the scientific paper.
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
He told me he found a fatal mistake in the scientific paper.
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
September 1, 2025 at 7:42 PM
It's incredible that anyone would accept the "shadow biosphere" idea as anything but pseudoscience. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
Another retraction from DRG. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
The other recent retraction from one of the authors, Douglas R. Green @stjude.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
September 1, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Another retraction from DRG. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
Retraction from Douglas R. Green, former editor of Oncogene, and BFF of Carlo Croce. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
I was recently notified about the following retraction by a friend. It joins another recent retraction from one of the authors, Douglas R. Green,
@stjude.bsky.social and numerous corrections (image duplication, etc.) www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
@stjude.bsky.social and numerous corrections (image duplication, etc.) www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Retraction for Martinez et al., Microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha (LC3)-associated phagocytosis is required for the efficient clearance of dead cells | PNAS
Retraction for Martinez et al., Microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha
(LC3)-associated phagocytosis is required for the efficient cl...
www.pnas.org
September 1, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Retraction from Douglas R. Green, former editor of Oncogene, and BFF of Carlo Croce. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
Reposted by David Sanders
I was recently notified about the following retraction by a friend. It joins another recent retraction from one of the authors, Douglas R. Green,
@stjude.bsky.social and numerous corrections (image duplication, etc.) www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
@stjude.bsky.social and numerous corrections (image duplication, etc.) www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Retraction for Martinez et al., Microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha (LC3)-associated phagocytosis is required for the efficient clearance of dead cells | PNAS
Retraction for Martinez et al., Microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha
(LC3)-associated phagocytosis is required for the efficient cl...
www.pnas.org
August 6, 2025 at 8:35 PM
I was recently notified about the following retraction by a friend. It joins another recent retraction from one of the authors, Douglas R. Green,
@stjude.bsky.social and numerous corrections (image duplication, etc.) www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
@stjude.bsky.social and numerous corrections (image duplication, etc.) www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
A fair amount of interest in this article. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
Real story behind retraction of @science.org arsenic-bacteria travesty"Tossed into the mix was the stubborn advocacy by Paul Davies of the existence of “shadow biosphere”on Earth/hypothesis enjoys neither evidence nor rationale" www.timeshighereducation.com/depth/arseni... @sarahscoles.bsky.social
The ‘arsenic life’ paper’s retraction is good – but the process was poisonous
The failings of peer reviewers, editors, journalists and authors led to a 15-year struggle to retract an article that should never have been published in the first place. But does the withdrawal of a ...
www.timeshighereducation.com
September 1, 2025 at 7:38 PM
A fair amount of interest in this article. @forbetterscience.bsky.social
“Purdue has created this situation by massively increasing the student population, by having insufficient housing and parking for the people on campus, and by now cutting its support for public transportation,” Sanders said. www.purdueexponent.org/city_state/p...
Purdue says it worked with city amid parking, bus change debate
The city of West Lafayette has expanded paid parking in phases this summer. Councilman David Sanders said Purdue created the situation while the university said they expanded parking and bus options.
www.purdueexponent.org
August 29, 2025 at 11:56 PM
“Purdue has created this situation by massively increasing the student population, by having insufficient housing and parking for the people on campus, and by now cutting its support for public transportation,” Sanders said. www.purdueexponent.org/city_state/p...