What does it mean to be a published researcher if authorship can simply be bought? A recent Guardian investigation examines the growing business of “paper mills,” where individuals can pay to have their names attached to fraudulent scientific research. The consequences reach beyond academic dishonesty: false findings can become part of the scientific record and shape research that follows. In a system where publications can determine careers, funding, and credibility, the paper-mill industry forces us to examine not only who is cheating, but what academic incentives allow a market for fraudulent science to thrive. Read more here.