Several NASA scientists have openly refuted claims made last week by fellow NASA scientist Richard B. Hoover of discovering extraterrestrial fossils within a sample of French stony meteorites.
In an apparently condescending and dismissive remark, NASA’s Carl Pitcher is quoted as saying, “He [Hoover] clearly does some very interesting microscopy. The actual measurements on these meteorites are very nice measurements, but I am not aware of any other qualification that Mr Hoover has in analysis of meteorites or in astrobiology.”
However, Hoover’s paper has more than a few scholarly supporters.
This cat-fight reminds me of several that I have directly witnessed (and even instigated) during my career. The sundry scientific fields have more than their fair share of socially stunted, territorial, insecure and emotionally volatile (and even unstable) people.