Uploading unreviewed manuscripts to a preprint server promotes accessibility and facilitates rapid breakthroughs. Writing in the South African Journal of Science (SAJS) Pickering and Dipuo Kgotleng from the University of Johannesburg Palaeo-Research Institute question the motivation of colleagues in the discipline who used the new eLife publishing model to launch what appeared to be a carefully curated media campaign around an unreviewed narrative, thereby manipulating accepted norms in scientific publishing.

They suggest the actions were an ostentatious public display under the guise of promoting science, that included launching precious fossil remains into space. Given these ethical concerns, they use the opinion piece to call on the public, heritage and scientific practitioners to reflect on the current state, and future, of human evolution research.

Read the full opinion here.