Defence witnesses testify in Nature libel trial

A libel case brought against the scientific journal Nature by an independent physicist is hearing statements from defence witnesses this week in London. Mohamed El Naschie, a former editor of the physics journal Chaos, Solitons and Fractals, is claiming that an article published in Nature in November 2008 damaged his reputation. The article is currently unavailable on the Nature website.

The article questioned the peer-review process at Chaos, Solitons and Fractals, where El Naschie served as editor and published many of his own papers. Peer review is at the heart of science publishing: research papers submitted to journals are assessed by scientists who are experts in the relevant field.

The Nature article also reported that several of El Naschie's claims of affiliation with academic institutions could not be verified.

The trial started in London's High Court on Friday, although El Naschie, who is representing himself, has not been present during the proceedings.