Why did this journal retract two 1940s papers by Max Planck?
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
A journal retracted two 1940s Max Planck papers over a likely algorithmic copyright error.
The journal Naturwissenschaften (now The Science of Nature) retracted two 1940s papers by physicist Max Planck, citing copyright violation. Historians Yves Gingras and Mahdi Khelfaoui investigated and published a preprint arguing the retractions stem from automated tools misapplying modern duplicate-publication rules. One paper was republished in multiple venues as was common in the early 20th century; the second had an identical title to a critique, confusing algorithms. The papers remain publicly available on the Internet Archive. Springer Nature declined comment.
What commenters are saying
Commenters criticized the article's headline and Nature's as clickbait, noting Ars Technica's version was less baity. They discussed the concept of self-plagiarism, arguing it should not apply to Planck's era where republishing was normal for broader reach. Some highlighted the German term "Zensurheberrecht" (censorship via copyright). A commenter noted Planck died in 1947, making his work public domain in Germany after 70 years, so copyright violation is moot.