https://youtu.be/Rjk1gJ2y9w0

Elsevier, a prominent academic publisher, is currently investigating the journal Geoscience Frontiers following allegations of 'pal review,' where researchers have their close associates review their work instead of independent experts. The controversy centers around M. Santosh, a highly cited researcher at the University of Adelaide, whose articles were frequently edited by his close collaborators Vinod O. Samuel and Erath Shaji—both associate editors of the journal and frequent co-authors with Santosh. This pattern, observed from 2017 to 2024, raises serious concerns about the impartiality and integrity of the peer-review process in Geoscience Frontiers. Elsevier has emphasized its commitment to upholding proper peer-review conduct and is actively looking into these allegations. This isn't the first time Santosh's work has come under scrutiny. In 2020, one of his papers was retracted from Energy Geoscience due to 'unlawful content,' although the specifics remain unclear. Additionally, a PubPeer commenter has flagged multiple instances of Santosh's frequent co-authors editing his papers in various journals, suggesting a broader pattern of potential misconduct. If these allegations are proven true, they could severely damage the reputations of the involved researchers and the journals that published their work, highlighting the need for stricter oversight and transparency in the peer-review process to prevent such conflicts of interest. P. Geo. Ricardo A Valls, M. Sc. and Geo Gadfly Valls Geoconsultant ORCID ID- https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5421-0914 Scopus Author ID: 7003369619/35335510700 ResearcherID: S-6604-2018 If you like this content, please "buy me a coffee" https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goldendroplets