Overly.Honest.Editor
@editoratlarge.bsky.social
#Openscience ❤️&👻; incrementalist; Cptn Grumblepants; thought follower; unbelievable little shit; self-serving internet bawbag; occasional Jorts; Grumpytits McGee. I will not just & I can't even. Skeets CC By.
From @aip-publishing.bsky.social: cost of a peer reviewed article is $2700 (*before* you start giving back to the community). Would like to see a more detailed split, but it does align with estimates from eLife and EMBO #ScientificPublishing
www.stm-publishing.com/cost-transpa...
www.stm-publishing.com/cost-transpa...
Cost Transparency at AIP Publishing: Why We’re Sharing Our True Costs
AIP Publishing is committed to building a more inclusive and vibrant future for the physical sciences. Open science can accelerate global progress by breaking barriers to open and fair research commun...
www.stm-publishing.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:46 PM
From @aip-publishing.bsky.social: cost of a peer reviewed article is $2700 (*before* you start giving back to the community). Would like to see a more detailed split, but it does align with estimates from eLife and EMBO #ScientificPublishing
www.stm-publishing.com/cost-transpa...
www.stm-publishing.com/cost-transpa...
I tried an even harder example on Gemini Pro image generation and this is quite scary/amazing. I asked for a microscopy image of around 20 HeLa cells, GFP tagged 20% nuclear, 10% membrane, +1 nuclear staining, + overlap. Image below and prompt in the following post.
November 23, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
About that exclusive, "closed-to-press" MAHA summit last week with RFK and JD Vance: I got in.
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
November 21, 2025 at 5:01 PM
About that exclusive, "closed-to-press" MAHA summit last week with RFK and JD Vance: I got in.
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Or, you know, they use em dash a lot because we already do, too.
Every time you say "this review/paper/comment was generated with LLM BECAUSE EM DASH YOU FOOL!" a little editor-fairy dies #OverlyHonestEditor
Every time you say "this review/paper/comment was generated with LLM BECAUSE EM DASH YOU FOOL!" a little editor-fairy dies #OverlyHonestEditor
the internet has decided that em-dashes are a hallmark of llm writing, which is *extremely* annoying to me, as someone who uses em-dashes all the time.
dear internet please consider the possibility that LLMs use em-dashes a lot because they're, like, good
dear internet please consider the possibility that LLMs use em-dashes a lot because they're, like, good
November 16, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Or, you know, they use em dash a lot because we already do, too.
Every time you say "this review/paper/comment was generated with LLM BECAUSE EM DASH YOU FOOL!" a little editor-fairy dies #OverlyHonestEditor
Every time you say "this review/paper/comment was generated with LLM BECAUSE EM DASH YOU FOOL!" a little editor-fairy dies #OverlyHonestEditor
I'm still waiting for someone to finally comment on the fact that if your profits are $15B, or 35% (ish), it still means that publishing costs at least $30B pa. All publishers could disappear overnight and the problem would still be at billion dollars scale. #ScientificPublishing
EXCELLENT graphic on the drain of scientific publishing! zenodo.org/records/1759...
November 15, 2025 at 8:31 AM
I'm still waiting for someone to finally comment on the fact that if your profits are $15B, or 35% (ish), it still means that publishing costs at least $30B pa. All publishers could disappear overnight and the problem would still be at billion dollars scale. #ScientificPublishing
This. Also, an extremely unpopular opinion: it is ok to retract papers for that #OverlyHonestEditor Saying "our claim is wrong, but it's okay because we warned you it's wrong" is not a cheatcode. (What it is, is the evidence of the lack of a spine.) #ScientificPublishing #ResearchIntegrity
"Schrödinger's causal inference" (n):
The practice of making causal claims or interpretations within a scientific article - typically in the title, abstract, implications, or conclusion - while simultaneously warning that the study design is unsuitable for causal inference.
The practice of making causal claims or interpretations within a scientific article - typically in the title, abstract, implications, or conclusion - while simultaneously warning that the study design is unsuitable for causal inference.
November 15, 2025 at 8:23 AM
This. Also, an extremely unpopular opinion: it is ok to retract papers for that #OverlyHonestEditor Saying "our claim is wrong, but it's okay because we warned you it's wrong" is not a cheatcode. (What it is, is the evidence of the lack of a spine.) #ScientificPublishing #ResearchIntegrity
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
194: Author verification everythinghertz.com/194
We discuss whether preprint servers and journals should introduce author identity verification for submitting manuscripts. This would probably speed up the submission process, is this worth the potential downsides?
We discuss whether preprint servers and journals should introduce author identity verification for submitting manuscripts. This would probably speed up the submission process, is this worth the potential downsides?
November 10, 2025 at 2:03 PM
194: Author verification everythinghertz.com/194
We discuss whether preprint servers and journals should introduce author identity verification for submitting manuscripts. This would probably speed up the submission process, is this worth the potential downsides?
We discuss whether preprint servers and journals should introduce author identity verification for submitting manuscripts. This would probably speed up the submission process, is this worth the potential downsides?
Editor Cat-zhang on hols, listening to the backlog of @nulliusinverba.bsky.social. Just past episodes on fraud and conspiracy stories. Doesn't feel like they aged well.
(Also, so many comments on the fraud instalments, but I bet it's been all said by now.)
(Also, so many comments on the fraud instalments, but I bet it's been all said by now.)
November 10, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Editor Cat-zhang on hols, listening to the backlog of @nulliusinverba.bsky.social. Just past episodes on fraud and conspiracy stories. Doesn't feel like they aged well.
(Also, so many comments on the fraud instalments, but I bet it's been all said by now.)
(Also, so many comments on the fraud instalments, but I bet it's been all said by now.)
Ok, if citation impact is meant to be just citations, I vote for Vickers 2017 for huge citation/minimal actual impact #ScientificPublishing #ResearchIntegrity I'm sure it's a nice paper, but cure cancer it will not.
Youyou Tu's work on anti-malarial compounds that saved millions of lives (w/Nobel+Lasker recognition) wins the low citation/huge impact cell. The original paper has 87 citations as of today: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11721477/ Hopefully she can get to 100.
What for huge citations and moderate impact?
What for huge citations and moderate impact?
November 8, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Ok, if citation impact is meant to be just citations, I vote for Vickers 2017 for huge citation/minimal actual impact #ScientificPublishing #ResearchIntegrity I'm sure it's a nice paper, but cure cancer it will not.
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
Academics set their metrics and incentives. And that defines everything. Including the future of scientific publishing.
And if at any point, one feels that incentives are being defined from outside, that's what needs to be fought against.
But the power of change lies within.
And if at any point, one feels that incentives are being defined from outside, that's what needs to be fought against.
But the power of change lies within.
November 6, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Academics set their metrics and incentives. And that defines everything. Including the future of scientific publishing.
And if at any point, one feels that incentives are being defined from outside, that's what needs to be fought against.
But the power of change lies within.
And if at any point, one feels that incentives are being defined from outside, that's what needs to be fought against.
But the power of change lies within.
Started listening to the latest bonus episode of @everythinghertz.com and can't decide if you guys completely lost it, or am I missing something because of the accent 🧸
November 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Started listening to the latest bonus episode of @everythinghertz.com and can't decide if you guys completely lost it, or am I missing something because of the accent 🧸
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
In praise of fundamental research
Our editorial this week argues that I n these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different
🧪
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Our editorial this week argues that I n these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different
🧪
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
From MRI to Ozempic: breakthroughs that show why fundamental research must be protected
In these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different.
www.nature.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:53 PM
In praise of fundamental research
Our editorial this week argues that I n these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different
🧪
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Our editorial this week argues that I n these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different
🧪
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Hard agree w/prediction.
Wd also point out that publishing replications studies, as defined here, but also those that escape this definition, is a solved problem (it's only not solved if you want it in glam journal but that is a diff't category of problem) #OverlyHonestEditor #ScientificPublishing
Wd also point out that publishing replications studies, as defined here, but also those that escape this definition, is a solved problem (it's only not solved if you want it in glam journal but that is a diff't category of problem) #OverlyHonestEditor #ScientificPublishing
New blogpost on @elife.bsky.social's new Replication study type deevybee.blogspot.com/2025/10/prob.... tldr = I think it's doomed.
#Replication #Publishing #Reproducibility
#Replication #Publishing #Reproducibility
Problems with ELife's new article type: Replication studies
I was interested to receive an email from eLife last week, telling me that "As part of our commitment to open science, scientific rigour ...
deevybee.blogspot.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Hard agree w/prediction.
Wd also point out that publishing replications studies, as defined here, but also those that escape this definition, is a solved problem (it's only not solved if you want it in glam journal but that is a diff't category of problem) #OverlyHonestEditor #ScientificPublishing
Wd also point out that publishing replications studies, as defined here, but also those that escape this definition, is a solved problem (it's only not solved if you want it in glam journal but that is a diff't category of problem) #OverlyHonestEditor #ScientificPublishing
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
1/
Alright, this one’s been sitting in my drawer for a year now, after @mcxfrank.bsky.social and I got turned down for a public commentary.
But before I forget about it completely, here’s the preprint:
Can we harvest insights for rice theory from two state farms in China?
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Alright, this one’s been sitting in my drawer for a year now, after @mcxfrank.bsky.social and I got turned down for a public commentary.
But before I forget about it completely, here’s the preprint:
Can we harvest insights for rice theory from two state farms in China?
osf.io/preprints/ps...
October 22, 2025 at 5:18 PM
1/
Alright, this one’s been sitting in my drawer for a year now, after @mcxfrank.bsky.social and I got turned down for a public commentary.
But before I forget about it completely, here’s the preprint:
Can we harvest insights for rice theory from two state farms in China?
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Alright, this one’s been sitting in my drawer for a year now, after @mcxfrank.bsky.social and I got turned down for a public commentary.
But before I forget about it completely, here’s the preprint:
Can we harvest insights for rice theory from two state farms in China?
osf.io/preprints/ps...
We apologise for delays in #PeerReview due to a shortage of editors caused by a significant leaf fall. Leaves, famously, are editors' kryptonite #OverlyHonestEditor In other words, the autumn is here.
October 23, 2025 at 6:41 AM
We apologise for delays in #PeerReview due to a shortage of editors caused by a significant leaf fall. Leaves, famously, are editors' kryptonite #OverlyHonestEditor In other words, the autumn is here.
And here I thought it was 8hrs sleep a night, no alcohol, and kale based diet...
Why does the naked mole rat have the longest lifespan of any rodent, nearly 40 years?
A 30-year long mystery unraveled @ScienceMagazine today!
Its cGAS enzyme in cells has 4 missense mutations that upends its function, promoting DNA repair and suppressing inflammation
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A 30-year long mystery unraveled @ScienceMagazine today!
Its cGAS enzyme in cells has 4 missense mutations that upends its function, promoting DNA repair and suppressing inflammation
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
October 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
And here I thought it was 8hrs sleep a night, no alcohol, and kale based diet...
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
Free data resources in science are having the shit mined out of them to produce X,000's of bullshit papers.
What should we do?
(Warning: I sat on this draft for too long, and publishers are already doing some of it. That's what I get for engaging with the news.)
open.substack.com/pub/jamescla...
What should we do?
(Warning: I sat on this draft for too long, and publishers are already doing some of it. That's what I get for engaging with the news.)
open.substack.com/pub/jamescla...
How To Stop The Next 10,000 Bullshit Papers
Some remarkably un-radical proposals
open.substack.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Free data resources in science are having the shit mined out of them to produce X,000's of bullshit papers.
What should we do?
(Warning: I sat on this draft for too long, and publishers are already doing some of it. That's what I get for engaging with the news.)
open.substack.com/pub/jamescla...
What should we do?
(Warning: I sat on this draft for too long, and publishers are already doing some of it. That's what I get for engaging with the news.)
open.substack.com/pub/jamescla...
To be fair, I'm genuinely worried about a flood of trivial and false findings before we even move to trivial and true or true and interesting #OverlyHonestEditor
A lot of people are worried about a flood of trivial but true findings, but we should be just as concerned about how to handle a flood of interesting and potentially true findings. The selection & canonization process in science has been collapsing already, with no good solution
October 7, 2025 at 5:04 PM
To be fair, I'm genuinely worried about a flood of trivial and false findings before we even move to trivial and true or true and interesting #OverlyHonestEditor
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
Here, @royalsociety.org, I fixed that quote for you:
"I'm increasingly concerned over fascist behaviour of our fellows that threatens both science and, literally, lives of other fellows, but I'm so spineless I will do nothing about it but moan."
"I'm increasingly concerned over fascist behaviour of our fellows that threatens both science and, literally, lives of other fellows, but I'm so spineless I will do nothing about it but moan."
"I am increasingly concerned over threats to the values that allow science to flourish." Read the full statement from the President of the Royal Society Sir Adrian Smith: royalsociety.org/news/2025/10...
A statement from the President of the Royal Society | Royal Society
A statement from the President of the Royal Society regarding threats to the values that allow science to flourish.
royalsociety.org
October 2, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Here, @royalsociety.org, I fixed that quote for you:
"I'm increasingly concerned over fascist behaviour of our fellows that threatens both science and, literally, lives of other fellows, but I'm so spineless I will do nothing about it but moan."
"I'm increasingly concerned over fascist behaviour of our fellows that threatens both science and, literally, lives of other fellows, but I'm so spineless I will do nothing about it but moan."
Here, @royalsociety.org, I fixed that quote for you:
"I'm increasingly concerned over fascist behaviour of our fellows that threatens both science and, literally, lives of other fellows, but I'm so spineless I will do nothing about it but moan."
"I'm increasingly concerned over fascist behaviour of our fellows that threatens both science and, literally, lives of other fellows, but I'm so spineless I will do nothing about it but moan."
"I am increasingly concerned over threats to the values that allow science to flourish." Read the full statement from the President of the Royal Society Sir Adrian Smith: royalsociety.org/news/2025/10...
A statement from the President of the Royal Society | Royal Society
A statement from the President of the Royal Society regarding threats to the values that allow science to flourish.
royalsociety.org
October 2, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Here, @royalsociety.org, I fixed that quote for you:
"I'm increasingly concerned over fascist behaviour of our fellows that threatens both science and, literally, lives of other fellows, but I'm so spineless I will do nothing about it but moan."
"I'm increasingly concerned over fascist behaviour of our fellows that threatens both science and, literally, lives of other fellows, but I'm so spineless I will do nothing about it but moan."
Sounds like a fascinating paper in @science.org Sci Advances, if you can find it, that is #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview
Whose papers have an edge at Science? In unusual study, journal looks in the mirror
Confidential data show being in the U.S., at a prestigious institution, and in a large team all may help
www.science.org
September 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Sounds like a fascinating paper in @science.org Sci Advances, if you can find it, that is #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
Spick & Richardson offer advice to editors on how to avoid formulaic research #ResearchIntegrity #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview While I admire enthusiasm this is, forgive my cynicism, preaching to editors #OverlyCynicalEditor 1/
In this new ESE Viewpoint, @reeserichardson.bsky.social and Matt Spick help editors identify mass-produced research to reject them at the point of submission, reducing the burden on peer review, and the amount of poor-quality noise introduced to the published literature.
doi.org/10.3897/ese....
doi.org/10.3897/ese....
September 24, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Spick & Richardson offer advice to editors on how to avoid formulaic research #ResearchIntegrity #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview While I admire enthusiasm this is, forgive my cynicism, preaching to editors #OverlyCynicalEditor 1/
Spick & Richardson offer advice to editors on how to avoid formulaic research #ResearchIntegrity #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview While I admire enthusiasm this is, forgive my cynicism, preaching to editors #OverlyCynicalEditor 1/
In this new ESE Viewpoint, @reeserichardson.bsky.social and Matt Spick help editors identify mass-produced research to reject them at the point of submission, reducing the burden on peer review, and the amount of poor-quality noise introduced to the published literature.
doi.org/10.3897/ese....
doi.org/10.3897/ese....
September 24, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Spick & Richardson offer advice to editors on how to avoid formulaic research #ResearchIntegrity #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview While I admire enthusiasm this is, forgive my cynicism, preaching to editors #OverlyCynicalEditor 1/
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
Missed this piece of news earlier this summer: AAAI starts experimenting with AI reviews 4 their #AAAI-26 conference. As always, this is meant to assist & be with supervision #OverlyHonestEditor #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview #ArtificialIntelligence Don't be mistaken 1/
aaai.org/aaai-launche...
aaai.org/aaai-launche...
AAAI Launches AI-Powered Peer Review Assessment System - AAAI
AAAI, a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing scientific research and collaboration, launches AI-Powered peer review assessment system.
aaai.org
August 8, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Missed this piece of news earlier this summer: AAAI starts experimenting with AI reviews 4 their #AAAI-26 conference. As always, this is meant to assist & be with supervision #OverlyHonestEditor #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview #ArtificialIntelligence Don't be mistaken 1/
aaai.org/aaai-launche...
aaai.org/aaai-launche...
Reposted by Overly.Honest.Editor
Editor Cat-zhang just saw a manuscript with v57 in the name, and felt its conscience pang so so hard (then realised this is first submission, which lessened cat's guilt but still sucks for the authors) #ScientificPublishing #JoysOfPeerReview #OverlyHonestEditor
August 18, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Editor Cat-zhang just saw a manuscript with v57 in the name, and felt its conscience pang so so hard (then realised this is first submission, which lessened cat's guilt but still sucks for the authors) #ScientificPublishing #JoysOfPeerReview #OverlyHonestEditor