Current Events > Gross. Nature: "When Britney Spears comes to my lab"

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://twitter.com/camurphy3/status/1408807126638772227?s=19

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lmfao w u t

The author definitely masturbated multiple times while writing this.

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Wtf

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Vince LiCata is an associate professor of biological sciences at LSU, studying protein structure and function. He also writes plays, which have been produced in several US cities.

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What

The fuck?
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wut

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NightRender posted...

He also writes plays

Nice way to say erotic fanfiction.

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You're crazy if you think I'm gonna read that shit

too lazy to read it. What is it? >_>

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This is mad funny. Also did not go the direction I thought it would.

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Godnorgosh posted...

Reading that article and it's driving me crazy, but I'm in too deep

Idk seems pretty toxic to me

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NeonOctopus posted...

too lazy to read it. What is it? >_>

Weird fetish fanfic published on the pop. portion of a very reputable science journal.

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Britney learns to dress conservatively, cures diabetes.

That's a very specific kind of weird.

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Okay, I started reading it and it's pretty funny >_> There really wasn't any erotic stuff though (besides the wacky outfits) which is kinda lame

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Godnorgosh posted...

And it already has a citation!

Tbf, that citation is just another article saying "this article sucks".

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Why the fuck it's in nature ll

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What?

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This was one of the worst things I've read relative to the reputation of the publication it's in

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Horny college person writes fanfic about a real person.
...Then publishes it into a real magazine...

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Cutting up dead animals in the student lab will give her an odd, heady rush that she'll find slightly disorientating and mildly pleasant

...whut?

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scar the 1 posted...

This was one of the worst things I've read relative to the reputation of the publication it's in

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How the hell did nobody say anything about this for over a dozen years?

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I suppose 2008 was around peak ridicule Britney era, but still

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I'm just now learning nature magazine seems to have a subsection for what looks like random fanfiction called "futures"

Here's another:
https://www.nature.com/articles/451864a.pdf

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https://www.nature.com/articles/4511138a
I heard a yell close by, then something heavy hit me on the side of the head. I struck out wildly and connected with something a body sprawled backwards onto the snow. Pouncing on it, I wrenched the head back and my jaws went down for the killing bite.

It was her perfume that saved her. As if waking from a nightmare I saw Emma's eyes looking up at me. There was no fear in her face just loathing, hatred and profound revulsion. Horrified beyond words at what I had done, I backed away and stumbled into the trees.

I should have guessed that I would lose if I challenged Max on his own ground but I had no idea that the command interface could work in both directions. Just before I tore off the headset I caught a snatch of cold contentment, so perhaps I have taught him to enjoy revenge. Far away I can hear the security team crashing through the undergrowth towards me, but I'm too tired to run any further. So I'm sitting here in the snow remembering Emma's face, feeling the caked blood in my beard and considering my future. Part of me hopes that Max will find me before they do.

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https://www.nature.com/articles/4551278a
Well, well, she says with a smile. What a surprise.

I smile in return. Doc, I say, it is you. My God, you haven't changed at all. It's almost true. She's in the chair, a few pounds heavier, a little older-looking but the same Doc Tan who turned me on back in 3010. How have you been? I ask. It's been what 20 years?

At least that long, she says. She hovers back a little and looks me up and down, her blue eyes crinkling at the corners. She's gorgeous. Even after all these years, I still want to give her a great big kiss. Damn, T-3, she says, you're looking fine. She sighs and then frowns prettily. I never thought you'd last this long, she says. Is it all still working?


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https://retractionwatch.com/2021/06/29/britney-spears-story-prompts-apology-from-nature-and-author/

Vincent Licata, the professor at LSU who wrote the piece, told Retraction Watch that his attempt at humor was clearly inappropriate and I have been apologizing for it to those who have contacted me and clearly been hurt by it. Licata said he was

trying to describe what I saw as Britneys potential/imagined successes in academia and research (if she had in reality chosen such a path), wrapped inside of the regrettable public/media perception of her at the time.

Nature also apologized when contacted for comment:

This 2008 article, published in Futures, the science fiction section of Nature, was recently flagged to us. We understand the concerns raised and would like to apologise for any offense caused. We have contacted the author of the piece regarding next steps.

Here are Licatas full comments:

Yes, Ive seen some of the attention and been trying to respond to people directly when possible. Im not sure if retraction would even have any real meaning for an article like this as it is not a research article and as you probably know, the Nature Futures section is a one-page fictional short story with a science-fantasy or science-fiction theme published in the journal each week. Nature accepted this one originally within a couple of days and said it was hilarious, which was one of its primary intents. It also used the framework to describe an ideal career path for a high-achiever and to make the point that Britneys drive and creativity would have made her a quite strong researcher had she chosen to pursue such a career (in the piece she does so simultaneously with her singing career). Britneys performing image at that time, unfortunately strongly focused on objectification of her, and so those elements are where most of the attempted satire of the piece comes from -i.e. using the descriptive style of articles about Britney at the time, but deliberately twisting those descriptions into descriptions of her advancing scientific accomplishments. This humor, however, was clearly inappropriate and I have been apologizing for it to those who have contacted me and clearly been hurt by it. The attempted positive and non-satirical elements of the piece include her numerous scientific successes in the piece (PhD from Harvard, postdoc at the Pasteur Institute, having the heart of a dedicated researcher, and the discovery of a new treatment for diabetes, among several others more success than many academics in general). I am actually saddened that some people are assuming it was a negative or attack piece, as that not only surprised me and was not my intention, but I was and still am a fan of Britneys work. In summary, I was trying to describe what I saw as Britneys potential/imagined successes in academia and research (if she had in reality chosen such a path), wrapped inside of the regrettable public/media perception of her at the time.

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