A 15-year-old study that claimed bacteria could grow using arsenic instead of phosphorus has been retracted by the journal Science due to contaminated and flawed data. The study, published in 2010, was led by NASA’s Felisa Wolfe-Simon and reported the discovery of a microbe strain, GFAJ-1, that could thrive in environments with high levels of arsenic.
The team had grown GFAJ-1 in petri dishes using phosphorus replaced with arsenic, sparking widespread interest in astrobiology. However, critics pointed out key scientific flaws in the methods and interpretations, leading to a retraction by Science in 2012 due to failure to replicate the findings.
In a surprise move, Science has now retracted the study 15 years later, citing contamination issues with the nucleic acids analyzed. The original authors disagree with the decision, stating that disputes over paper conclusions are normal and that they stand by their data.
The controversy surrounding this study highlights the importance of rigorous scientific testing and peer review in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of groundbreaking research findings.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/microbiology/embattled-arsenic-life-paper-retracted-by-journal-science-15-years-after-publication