Why did this journal retract two 1940s papers by Max Planck?
Summary
A scientific journal recently removed two papers from the 1940s by physicist Max Planck due to what appears to be a copyright or publishing error. Historians found that the journal’s removal was likely caused by a mistaken use of an automated system and not because of any problems with the science itself.Key Facts
- Max Planck was a German physicist known for his work in quantum mechanics and won a Nobel Prize in 1918.
- Two of Planck’s papers from the 1940s were retracted and removed by the journal Naturwissenschaften (now The Science of Nature).
- The papers were removed completely, with empty files left online and a note saying they were withdrawn due to an article violation.
- The journal’s editor was unaware of the retractions until contacted by a reporter.
- Historians Yves Gingras and Mahdi Khelfaoui investigated and said the retractions likely came from a publisher’s misunderstanding of copyright rules or past publishing methods.
- The papers’ removal may have been triggered by an automated algorithm mistaking them for duplicate publications.
- Both papers were philosophical reflections and not questioned for scientific accuracy.
- The retractions seem tied to the switch to electronic publishing and how old papers were archived digitally.
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