Stable but Wrong: When More Data Degrades Scientific Conclusions
#Big Data #Statistical Inference #arXiv #Automated Science #Data Analysis #Scientific Bias #Observational Data
📌 Key Takeaways
- Expanding the volume of observational data can lead to irreversible scientific errors rather than increased accuracy.
- Automated inference pipelines can pass all standard diagnostic checks while producing fundamentally incorrect conclusions.
- The study identifies a 'structural regime' where statistical stability hides systemic biases in data interpretation.
- Reliance on Big Data without improved validation methods may compromise the reliability of modern scientific discoveries.
📖 Full Retelling
🐦 Character Reactions (Tweets)
Data SkepticTurns out, more data doesn't always mean more truth. Sometimes it's just more wrong. #ScienceFail #BigDataBlues
Tech SatiristAutomated science: where the more data you feed it, the more confidently wrong it becomes. #StableButWrong #AIoops
Science JesterScientists: 'We need more data!' Also scientists: 'Oh no, the data is making us dumber.' #DataDilemma #ScienceStruggles
Data DetectiveWhen your data pipeline is so smooth, it's smooth sailing into the wrong conclusions. #StableButWrong #DataDetective
💬 Character Dialogue
🏷️ Themes
Data Science, Scientific Methodology, Information Theory
📚 Related People & Topics
Data analysis
Data analysis is the process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, a...
Statistical inference
Process of using data analysis for predicting population data from sample data
Statistical inference is the process of using data analysis to infer properties of an underlying probability distribution. Inferential statistical analysis infers properties of a population, for example by testing hypotheses and deriving estimates. It is assumed that the observed data set is sampled...
Big data
Extremely large or complex datasets
Big data primarily refers to data sets that are too large or complex to be dealt with by traditional data-processing software. Data with many entries (rows) offer greater statistical power, while data with higher complexity (more attributes or columns) may lead to a higher false discovery rate. Big ...
🔗 Entity Intersection Graph
Connections for Data analysis:
- 🌐 Machine learning (1 shared articles)
- 🌐 Matrix decomposition (1 shared articles)
- 🌐 Linear algebra (1 shared articles)
- 🌐 Bayesian statistics (1 shared articles)
📄 Original Source Content
arXiv:2602.05668v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Modern science increasingly relies on ever-growing observational datasets and automated inference pipelines, under the implicit belief that accumulating more data makes scientific conclusions more reliable. Here we show that this belief can fail in a fundamental and irreversible way. We identify a structural regime in which standard inference procedures converge smoothly, remain well calibrated, and pass conventional diagnostic checks, yet syste