New Scientist uncorks a biological scandal involving research into the naughty things bats do after dark:
University College Cork in Ireland is coming under international pressure to lift a punishment meted out to one of its academics. Dylan Evans, a psychologist at the university’s school of medicine, has been saddled with a two-year period of intensive monitoring and counselling after discussing a scientific paper with a colleague. The title of the paper? “Fellatio in fruit bats prolongs copulation time“.
…
It seems there was more to the grievance between Evans and the complainant than the fellatio paper incident, but an independent investigation found that Evans was not guilty of sexual harassment. The investigation stated that it was reasonable for the colleague to have been offended and that showing the paper was a joke with a sexual innuendo, but that it was not Evans’ intention to cause offence.
The university’s president, Michael Murphy, nevertheless imposed a censure, which Evans says has prevented him getting tenure.
Maybe he wouldn’t have gotten in so much trouble if he didn’t include explicit bat video with his research.