[OfCounsel]

Looking too closely has zero upside and plenty of downside.

If you’re wrong and the result was legitimate, you’ve developed a reputation as a pain in the ass.

If you’re right, the researcher will say it was an honest mistake (maybe a clerical error) to absolve themselves modulo retraction, which happens all the time. Nothing of significance comes of it, but an “influencer” may well have other, above board, programs of research on which you could have collaborated and made a real name for yourselves.

[matthewdgreen]

I'm a researcher and I'm heavily dependent on inputs from my students. If one of them is falsifying data, that's my entire career gone. I know the usual line is "no big deal, another University will just hire the PI" but I don't believe that for a second. Even if it somehow did turn out to be true, I'm going to uproot my family and go through hell because of something I could now avoid?

There are crazy people in the world. But if someone comes to me and says "here is a thing that could end, or at least seriously screw up your career" I'm going to take them very, very seriously. Even if it is incredibly horrifying to contemplate.