Monday, August 30, 2010

Science: Assailants Attack China's Science Watchdog

Science magazine reports in its ScienceInsider:

China's self-appointed science fraud buster was assaulted yesterday afternoon in Beijing. Fang Shimin, better known by his pen name Fang Zhouzi, has used his Web site New Threads and his microblog to expose scientific misconduct, debunk crackpot medicine and pseudoscience claims, and catch cheaters who falsify resumes with fake degrees and nonexistent publications.

Fang has been slammed with libel suits contesting his often-acerbic exposes. But yesterday's attack--if it was linked to his antifraud crusade--takes things to a new level...

Among the many supportive comments left under the article on the web site is this one from Professor Zachary Burton, Fang Zhouzi's Ph. D. advisor:

Fang Shimin received his Ph. D. under my direction at Michigan State University. I am deeply troubled and saddened by this attack on Shimin. I wish him a rapid recovery from his injuries and a return to his work.

Meanwhile, the Christian Science Monitor also published a report titled "Attack on China whistleblower shows risk of unveiling corruption, fraud".

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