The Bogdanov affair

2002

The brothers Igor and Grichka Bogdanov published theoretical-physics papers in peer-reviewed journals which many physicists judged to be meaningless. Unlike Sokal, the brothers appear to have been sincere, which turned the affair into an argument about whether referees in a highly specialised field can reliably distinguish deep work from nonsense. Often listed alongside the Sokal affair as a deliberate sting. The Bogdanovs were not hoaxing; they defended the work as genuine, which is what makes the episode awkward for peer review rather than a joke at its expense.