More than 10,000 research papers were retracted in 2023, setting a new record, according to Nature.
The retraction surge reflects growing scrutiny of scientific literature. In 1987, palaeontologist John Talent at Macquarie University in Sydney announced he had found numerous anomalies in papers by Vishwa Jit Gupta, a celebrated Indian palaeontologist. Talent's work charted the geology of the Himalayas, and the problems he identified led to investigations into Gupta's research.
The report does not provide details on causes of the 2023 retractions, reasons for the increase, or guidelines for when papers should be removed from the scientific record.