Fabricated references in 500K-paper sample surge from 6.3 to 23.0 per 10,000 since 2023
skdh · x · 2026-11-05
A random sample of 500,000 peer-reviewed papers found fabricated references rose from 6.3 per 10,000 in 2023 to 23.0 in Q1 2026, with no signs of slowing. Physics is worst hit (48.6), followed by materials science (35.5), CS/AI (24.4), engineering (17.4), and chemistry (10.9). The trend poses a growing challenge for journals trying to catch fabrications and hold authors accountable.
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