The Shame of Science and the Cult of Scientific Dogma

The oil-drop experiment remains an important physics experiment to this day—countless students continue performing it, and even instructors kindly remind them: 'It’s okay if your data deviates slightly; just don’t fabricate numbers, or else science’s pants will be yanked down.' Fact Yields to Theory Yet this is precisely what happens in every experiment. In experiments beyond the oil-drop one, would you dare submit experimental data that seriously contradicts established theory? You needn’t test it to know the outcome: you’d be told you made a mistake—and sent back to redo the experiment! When I toss a small ball and it fails to follow the parabolic trajectory predicted by Newton’s laws, the conclusion isn’t that Newton’s laws are wrong—it’s that I tossed incorrectly, or the equipment malfunctioned. Fifty-eight data sets conforming to theory ‘prove’ both the theory and the experiment correct; the remaining eighty-two data sets? Everyone else’s fault. If Fact Contradicts Theory, Then Alter the Fact This principle is starkly illustrated by the oil-drop experiment. Millikan’s original oil-drop results deviate from today’s accepted values because he used an incorrect value for the viscosity of air. Yet initially, no one noticed—because when later experimenters obtained measurements slightly larger than Millikan’s, they assumed *they* had erred. So they tweaked their setups, repeated the experiment, and kept going until their results ‘matched Millikan’s.’ All this constitutes a profound shame upon science itself. Ironically, Millikan’s oil-drop experiment emerges as heroic—not for its accuracy, but for revealing science’s rigor *and* the unspoken, clandestine rules governing scientific practice. Feynman and the Cargo-Cult Scientists In his 1974 commencement address at Caltech, Richard Feynman introduced the concept of 'cargo-cult science': 'From our past experience, we have learned how to deal with cases of self-deception. For example, Millikan measured the charge on the electron using the oil-drop experiment and obtained a value we now know is somewhat inaccurate—his error stemmed from using an incorrect value for the viscosity of air. So if you plot all subsequent measurements of the electron’s charge against time, you’ll notice something curious: the first few values lie slightly above Millikan’s; the next ones rise a bit further; then higher still—until finally settling at today’s accepted value. Why didn’t scientists immediately recognize the new value should be higher? This realization embarrassed many researchers. Clearly, many scientists operated under the assumption that any result significantly higher than Millikan’s must reflect an error—so they searched diligently (and often successfully) for flaws in their apparatus or methods. Conversely, when their results aligned closely with Millikan’s, they scrutinized them far less carefully. Thus, data points deemed 'too divergent' were simply discarded. We now fully understand these pitfalls—and therefore avoid repeating them. During World War II, certain South Pacific islanders witnessed airplanes landing, unloading crates of valuable goods—including some destined for them. Hoping to recreate this bounty, they built airstrips in the same locations, lit fires along the sides, erected small huts, and stationed men inside wearing wooden 'headphones' and bamboo 'antennas,' mimicking air-traffic controllers. They waited—and waited—for planes to land. These people became known as the 'cargo cult.' They replicated every outward detail perfectly; everything looked exactly as it had during wartime—yet nothing worked: the planes never returned. That is why I call such practices 'cargo-cult science': they meticulously imitate the superficial forms of scientific research, yet lack its most essential element.' — Feynman, 'Cargo-Cult Science'

U.S. News | Deadline Looms! All Chinese nationals residing in the U.S. must file two forms by October 15—or risk imprisonment...

If you are a Chinese national residing in the U.S. but still maintain bank accounts in China—or hold other overseas financial assets—you must be reminded: do not forget to file the required disclosures. October 15 marks the final deadline for filing two distinct reporting forms—the FinCEN Form 114 (commonly known as the FBAR) and IRS Form 8938—administered respectively by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Certified public accountants caution filers that global financial account information is becoming increasingly transparent: 'Do not harbor any侥幸 mentality (false hope).' Image: U.S. tax law is highly detailed and complex (Source: IRS website screenshot) Form 8938 differs significantly from Form 114: it covers a broader range of foreign financial assets and conducts more granular scrutiny. Crucially, filing Form 114 does *not* exempt you from filing Form 8938—and vice versa. Form 8938 is officially titled the 'Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets.' It implements the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), enacted in July 2014. FATCA requires foreign governments to authorize financial institutions worldwide to report U.S. taxpayers’ overseas asset information directly to the IRS—and also mandates that U.S. taxpayers disclose their foreign financial assets when those assets exceed statutory thresholds. This form is filed alongside one’s annual federal income tax return (tax return). Moreover, the governments of China and the United States have reached substantive agreement on FATCA’s implementation. Form 114, officially titled the 'Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts' (FBAR), was introduced in May 2009 as part of the Obama administration’s tax reform 'Green Book.' Its purpose is to rigorously verify whether U.S. taxpayers have fully reported all foreign-source income. This form is submitted online to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau within the U.S. Department of the Treasury. So who must file these forms—and under what circumstances? Form 114 is relatively straightforward: at *any point during the calendar year*, if the aggregate value of *all* your foreign financial accounts—whether held in one or multiple institutions—exceeds $10,000, you must file. Form 8938, however, is considerably more complex. Reporters can only summarize its key provisions here; individuals should consult qualified tax professionals for case-specific guidance. Image: Form 114 online filing interface (Source: FinCEN website screenshot) 1. Who Must File Form 8938? 1) U.S. residents (Taxpayers living in the U.S.) - Single filers (or married filing separately): Total specified foreign financial assets exceeding $50,000 on the last day of the tax year—or exceeding $75,000 at *any time* during the year.

Oil-Dri Corporation of America Files Form 144 on October 15

Oct 16, 2026

Oil-Dri Corporation of America filed a Form 144 notice on October 15 regarding the intent to sell restricted securities. The announcement noted a slight decline in the company's stock price.

Investing.com Canada

Oil-Dri Corporation of America Files Form 144

Investing.com Canada

Oil-Dri Corporation of America Files Form 144 Notice

Investing.com Nigeria

2026-04-25

Assessing Oil-Dri Corporation of America (ODC) Valuation After Strong Recent Share Price Momentum

2026-04-30

North Star Investment Management Corp. Cuts Holdings in Oil-Dri Corporation Of America ($ODC)

2026-05-01

Oil-Dri Corporation Of America (NYSE:ODC) Short Interest Update