Good science

Robert L. Park identified seven indicators that a scientific claim lies well outside the bounds of rational scientific discourse. "Of course, they are only warning signs," he cautioned, "even a claim with several of the signs could be legitimate."

Without further ado, here they are:

1. The discoverer pitches the claim directly to the media.
So true. The media loves hype and generally doesn't love (or in scientific cases, isn't capable of) close scrutiny. I love the example he gave for this one: "...the claim made in 1989 by two chemists from the University of Utah, B. Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann, that they had discovered cold fusion -- a way to produce nuclear fusion without expensive equipment. Scientists did not learn of the claim until they read reports of a news conference." This is why physicists even today have a hard time taking the U seriously. No offense to anyone that goes/went there.

2. The discoverer says that a powerful establishment is trying to suppress his or her work.
Hahaha. I love this one. Usually it's the government. Or in the case of perpetual motion machines, it's oil companines. :)

3. The scientific effect involved is always at the very limit of detection.

4. Evidence for a discovery is anecdotal.

5. The discoverer says a belief is credible because it has endured for centuries.
This is what we have Mythbusters for... :)

6. The discoverer has worked in isolation.
Guess I better start being more social.

7. The discoverer must propose new laws of nature to explain an observation.
Cough*cough*stringtheory*cough*cough. Ahem...