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Published online 2 September 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/455007a
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Physicists aflutter about data photographed at conference
Digital cameras snap slides ahead of publication.
An Italian-led research group's closely held data have been outed by paparazzi physicists, who photographed conference slides and then used the data in their own publications.
For weeks, the physics community has been buzzing with the latest results on 'dark matter' from a European satellite mission known as PAMELA (Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics).
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For something like elementary/particle physics i find it revolting that crucial data be 'guarded' or 'hidden' from the scientific fraternity like its done with commercial/industrial secrets. Of course every institute/researchGroup has its guidelines and procedures but they should not resort to giving out 'teasers' on things which are in the realms of 'explanation of time&space'
Actually this has been common in many fields, including many parts of physics, for many years before digital photography. And would the concern extend to information carried in one's memory? If so Isaac Newton would be guilty for describing work presented to the Royal Society to a friend not present! Two actual thoughts - 1 - it would really help if all publications would carry the data for graphs in numeric form (that is not just as images) on the website so as to make future comparisons more accurate. (I tried to get this adopted as a member of a competing publication's editorial board - without success!) 2 - it would be easier to allay concern if publications, including Nature, were less severe on prior 'publication' of results in conference talks.
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