Baldwin M. In referees we trust? Physics Today 2017;70(2):44-49
(doi: 10.1063/PT.3.3463)
The imprimatur bestowed by peer review has a history that is both shorter and more complex than many scientists realize. This article reviews the history of peer review both for journals and grant-giving bodies and reveals that it has had many changes only becoming the standard for scientific acceptability relatively recently. It discusses the present situation and the pressures it faces today.