In 2017, Dias and Silvera Science 355, 715–718 (2017) claimed the first laboratory observation of the Wigner–Huntington transition of hydrogen to its metallic phase at 495 GPa. Because this claim relies critically on optical diagnostics and pressure calibration under extreme conditions, reproducibility and full traceability of the underlying datasets are essential. Here, we re-examine the raw data files released alongside the publication. We identify (i) nonuniform intervals of data points in the released diamond Raman spectrum, consistent with artificial removal or adjustment of data points without corresponding disclosure; (ii) pronounced mismatches between the released infrared transmission spectra and the curves shown in the published supplementary materials; and (iii) a highly limited and editable reflectance dataset that is insufficient for independent verification of the reflectivity-based metallicity claim. These issues not only prevent independent reconstruction of key figures, but also cast doubt on the authenticity of Dias and Silvera’s research findings. We encourage clarification of the provenance of the released files and the provision of complete raw datasets and processing details to enable community-wide verification.
Wang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.