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In a paper published in 2018, Microsoft claims to have found evidence for Majorana particles (1), a hypothetical fermion with unique properties (2). Of course this is all very complex physics which I do not profess to understand much below the surface, but there is a curious and worrisome aspect to this publication.
Microsoft's paper in Nature was initially met with considerable excitement at the time. But some were skeptical of the "breakthrough". And had they known more details, they would likely have been calling for some heads to roll. Some still might.
A report from BBC News relates to the nature of the retraction (3). Two primary reasons for the retraction might involve "data manipulation". From the BBC article:
"Their errors included:
- having "unnecessarily corrected" some of the data and not having made this clear
- mislabelling a graph, making it misleading "
Not sure about everyone out there, but the science I have conducted and published does not involve 'unnecessarily corrected data', nor does it involve 'misleading graphics'. These two aspects of the paper, at least from the brief report from BBC, appear to be some kind of "unique data reporting".
Anyone with more understanding of this might set the record straight, but it appear that Microsoft was involved in some rather questionable "scientific observations and reporting".
Some people might have different notions of what to call this form of science......
"RETRACTED ARTICLE: Quantized Majorana conductance"
1. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature26142
"Majorana fermion"
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majorana_fermion
"Microsoft-led team retracts quantum 'breakthrough'"
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56328980
