Re:Astronomers reveal first image of the black hole at the h...
by snowwrestler on Thursday May 12, 2022 @01:58PM
(#31357709)
Peers review the paper. The purpose of peer review is to ensure that the paper clearly communicates the work of the authors.
In the process of doing so, questions and clarifications may better reveal problems with the underlying science itself, which can result in the paper being withdrawn or declined. But peers don’t independently validate results.
At the same time it should be noted that published criticism has to meet the same bar. “You didn’t do the experiment the way I would have” is not really strong criticism. Experiments or observations can always be done better; this is a central ethos of science.
The strongest criticism is usually to conduct one’s own experiment the way one wants, and then show that it produced better results.
In the process of doing so, questions and clarifications may better reveal problems with the underlying science itself, which can result in the paper being withdrawn or declined. But peers don’t independently validate results.
At the same time it should be noted that published criticism has to meet the same bar. “You didn’t do the experiment the way I would have” is not really strong criticism. Experiments or observations can always be done better; this is a central ethos of science.
The strongest criticism is usually to conduct one’s own experiment the way one wants, and then show that it produced better results.