The difference using the R-factor can make. Left: The pressure to publish more articles is unrestrained by the lack of veracity in what is published. The counter in the center reflects the fact that what currently matters for receiving the rewards, that is salaries, research funding, and recognition are the number of articles a scientist publishes, the number of citations they receive, and the impact factor (the average number of citations per article) of the journal in which they appear. Right: Introducing the R-factor, which reports whether a claim has been verified, inhibits the rush to publish unverified claims (blue line) by linking the veracity of publications to life and research support, thus correcting the existing imbalance of incentives.