Smut Clyde spends several hours every day, scouring online science journals for suspicious-looking research. He’s part of a growing team of online ‘science sleuths’, combating the rising number of fake research papers being published. These papers are typically generated, with the help of AI, by ‘paper mills’: a cottage industry relying on overworked and desperate researchers to fuel their profit.  Today, 7am producer and journalist Cheyne Anderson on how this epidemic of fraudulent research is infecting the scientific record and the self-appointed ‘sleuths’ who are fighting it. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Producer for 7am, Cheyne Anderson.