[baby-yoda]

> There is similarly little discussion on the origins of peer review and impact factors and journals, it's just taken as the obvious hallmark and basis of good science.

Pioneered and exploited by Robert Maxwell (father of the infamous Ghislaine). Good summary below; was an all around eye-opening revelation for me.

https://thetaper.library.virginia.edu/big%20deal/2019/04/26/...

[biofox]

> [Maxwell] entertained guests at parties with booze, cigars and sailboat trips. Scientists had never seen anything like him.

> “We would get dinner and fine wine, and at the end he would present us a cheque – a few thousand pounds for the society. It was more money than us poor scientists had ever seen.”

Similar to what Jeffrey Epstein did.

[pphysch]

Jeffrey Epstein is speculated to be a Mossad agent, but Robert Maxwell was known to be one. Not exactly a innocent patron of the sciences, as GP sort of implies.