@radtea I think that's a little dogmatic. He couldn't have known if or when the error would be found, that's why they published. I was at CERN the week the error was identified - none of the scientists I spoke to about it were critical of the choice to publish. The service I refer to is that of shifting a public perception that scientists "know" stuff, to one closer to the reality and elegance of scientific method. For me and others teaching the rigour and principles of science, his was a very high profile and significant service to popular understanding of science. Whilst he's not going to be picking a Nobel prize anytime soon, he has contributed to science in a valuable way and I applaud him for it.

That seems a shame to me. I'm a science educator and one of the things students love science for is that it's OK to get it wrong. You're allowed to do all the planning, setting up, measurements, analysis and evaluation and get the wrong answer, provided that you're honest about what you did and leave a record such that other can repeat what you did to see if they get the same thing. The faster-than-light news story was fantastic for me to underline the strength of science for my students, not least because of the very careful things that were being said by the scientists (compared to the media hyperbole). I hope Prof. Ereditato hasn't been made to regret the very great open service he did for contemporary science.