As a nonsense phrase of shady provenance makes the rounds, Elsevier defends it

RetractionWatch and others (Elisabeth Bik and a small group of science sleuths) are doing the work that institutions (Elsevier, but also national science orgs and schools) routinely fail to do. What a sad state of affairs.

The comment section is funny. The first 3-4 comments complain about the screenshot showing a column break, failing to notice it&#x27;s from the suspected 1959 origin paper.<p>I can&#x27;t tell what the publishing time was, but the first two comments are within eight minutes of each other. The third is an hour later. Sensible comments didn&#x27;t start to trickle in until six hours later.<p>How many of those comments are from bots, and maybe human trolls?

&gt;The publisher told us it was “content” with the wording.<p>They&#x27;re content. They&#x27;re just chillin&#x27;. Just veggin&#x27;.

<i>vegetative electron microscopy</i>