> But we didn’t then write up a damn preprint and set the publicity machine into action. The latter part is crucial here. I don’t think you should have to apol

> But we didn’t then write up a damn preprint and set the publicity machine into action. The latter part is crucial here. I don’t think you should have to apologize about mistakes in a preprint. Papers get improved by the review process. And most of us just upload them to get around journal paywalls, or to make it easier to share with our colleagues what we are working on. But when a University hears that you’ve got a result on a hot topic, dollar signs light up in their eyes, and they go to work. Scientist beware. I hope we can find a balance where scientists don’t rush something out just because it’s a hot topic, yet are also not paralyzed from working on something because of the dangers of the spotlight.