Bogdanov affair

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Bogdanov affair

The Bogdanov affair refers to a controversy surrounding the publication of a series of theoretical physics papers written by the Bogdanov brothers, Igor and Grichka. The affair began in 2002 when it was alleged that their papers, which were published in reputable scientific journals, were nonsensical and lacked scientific merit.

Background

The Bogdanov brothers, who are French twin brothers, gained fame in the 1980s as television presenters of science fiction and popular science shows. They both pursued academic careers in theoretical physics, obtaining PhDs from the University of Burgundy.

The Controversy

The controversy started when the brothers published several papers in journals such as Annals of Physics and Classical and Quantum Gravity. Critics, including physicist John Baez, argued that the papers were filled with jargon and lacked meaningful content. The affair drew comparisons to the Sokal affair, where physicist Alan Sokal submitted a deliberately nonsensical paper to a cultural studies journal to criticize the field.

Key Events

• In 2001, the Bogdanov brothers published a series of papers on topics such as quantum gravity and the initial singularity of the universe.
• In 2002, the controversy gained public attention when John Baez and other physicists began to scrutinize the papers.
• The journals that published the papers conducted internal reviews. Some papers were retracted, while others remained published.

Impact

The Bogdanov affair raised questions about the peer review process in scientific publishing and the ability of non-experts to detect flawed research. It also highlighted the challenges in distinguishing between legitimate scientific work and pseudoscience.

Related Pages

• Sokal affair
• Peer review
• Quantum gravity
• Scientific misconduct

See Also

• Igor Bogdanov
• Grichka Bogdanov
• University of Burgundy
• Annals of Physics
• Classical and Quantum Gravity

External Links

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