maybe that helps to explain how things like this happen . 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/12/24/MNGBOGD4GF1.DTL

Washington -- The unwelcome but indisputable revelation that some of the most exciting biomedical claims of the past few years were the product of scientific fraud settled like a cloud over the American scientific community Friday.

Stem cell researchers said they were depressed and discouraged to learn that an investigatory panel at Seoul National University had found that most of the precious human embryonic stem cell colonies that its scientists had touted were fakes.

The star scientist at the heart of that deception -- Hwang Woo Suk -- resigned Friday from his university post, his meteoric rise to fame coming to a wrenching end.

Many researchers said they are worried about the political impact of the debacle in the United States, where the Senate is poised to consider several bills that could boost or restrict stem cell research. Although controversial because it involves the destruction of human embryos, the science has had generally high approval ratings with the public because of all the medical promise the cells are thought to hold.

Yet scientists pledged Friday to learn from the experience and move ahead with renewed vigor, saying they still see the field as extremely promising.

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it shows how the actions of one person involved in huge undertaking  can make the entire mass of people involved appear to be corrupt and incompetent .