Altay Cem Meriç, a Turkish doctor, Used AI to Show Us What Real Science Looks Like

For many years, science in Türkiye was shaped by a few big names. These people were on TV a lot. People saw them as the only voice of science. But real science is not about fame. It’s about asking questions, showing proof, and changing your mind when needed.

Lately, things are changing. A new voice, Altay Cem Meriç, is making people think again. He’s not just talking like others. He’s showing us how real science works in the West — open, self-correcting, and not afraid of being wrong.

One of the smartest things Meriç did? He used artificial intelligence to track old claims, search media archives, and find facts that were buried or ignored.

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When Science Was a Show

In Türkiye, science became a kind of show. Some scientists became like celebrities. People knew their names. They talked a lot, argued on TV, and pushed their own ideas hard.

But something was missing:

• There was no space for new ideas.
• Old, wrong models stayed around too long.
• People thought science = personality, not process.

This wasn’t real science. It was science for likes, views, and power.

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What Was “Fake Science” in Türkiye, Really?

Altay Cem Meriç didn’t just talk about ideas. He gave real examples of how science was misused or even faked in public spaces.

Here are some cases:

• Scary and Unproven Earthquake Claims
  After 1999, people kept saying “Istanbul will face a huge 8+ magnitude earthquake any moment.” But they never showed strong data. It created panic, not knowledge.

• One Fault Line Obsession
  Some kept saying “there is only one fault in the Marmara Sea.” But new seismic maps proved otherwise. Still, the old claim stayed in the media for years.

• Big Errors in Energy Calculations
  In 2010, Celal Şengör made a major math error — he said a 7.5 magnitude quake had 57 times more energy than it really did. The mistake only got fixed after public pressure.

• Using Titles Instead of Truth
  Some scientists said, “I’m a professor, I have 10,000 citations, I must be right.” But science is about arguments and facts, not titles and fame.

• Attacking Other Scientists on TV
  When some scientists disagreed, they got mocked on TV. Words like “ignorant,” “crazy,” or “bad student” were used to shut them down. That’s not debate — that’s bullying.

• Blocking Other People’s Research
  There were claims that scientists tried to block other people’s maps, papers, and data from being published. That’s the opposite of real science.

• Clickbait and Drama Over Truth
  Headlines screamed “The Only Truth!” But science is not about one truth. It’s about testing, doubting, and updating what we know.

These were not just small mistakes. They were signs of a bigger problem: science becoming a performance, not a process.

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Then Came Meriç

Altay Cem Meriç is a doctor. But he’s also a thinker. He started talking on YouTube. At first, people were surprised. He questioned the “big names.” He said: wait, where’s the proof? Why can’t we ask more questions?

His message was simple:

• Science is about evidence, not ego.
• No one is too big to be wrong.
• Real science always leaves room to change.

He wasn’t trying to “win” debates. He was trying to learn — and help us learn too.

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How AI Helped Türkiye Get Rid of Fake Science

As I mentioned before, Altay Cem Meriç used AI really productively. Research and validation are the key objectives here:

• AI-Powered Archive Search
  In his video “İstanbul Earthquake || Celal Şengör (4),” Meriç shows how AI can scan thousands of articles, videos, and papers. He used this to follow what Şengör said over the years.
  Funny thing? He couldn’t find any real quote from 1999 where Şengör said “8+ magnitude quake.” But AI found that media outlets did push that number — just not always backed by the scientist himself.

• Spotting Changes in Claims
  Meriç used AI to detect how predictions changed over time. First it was “8.0,” then “7.8,” then “maybe 7.2.”
  These shifts don’t mean the science was fake — but they do show how unchecked fame can make changing narratives seem like fact.

• Finding Ignored Data
  AI helped Meriç dig up reports, rival publications, and official statements that the public never saw. This made the science world feel bigger, more open — less like a closed club.

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West-Style Science: Open, Humble, Honest

Meriç helped us see what Western science is really like. Not the Hollywood version. The real one. It has some key ideas:

• Pluralism: Many voices. Many views. Debate is healthy.
• Transparency: You show your data. You share your errors.
• Self-correction: Science grows by fixing itself.

This kind of science is slow. It’s not flashy. But it works.

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Why AI Matters Here

Thanks to AI, the debate changed. People saw that we don’t have to believe every “expert” just because they’re loud or famous.
We can check facts. We can look back. We can compare.

This isn’t just good for science. It’s good for society.

Meriç didn’t just challenge the system. He gave people the tools to see for themselves.

Meriç didn’t just fight fake science. He gave people hope. Hope that science in Türkiye can be better. More open. More real. More useful.

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Endnote

Altay Cem Meriç didn’t come with big titles. But he came with something better: honesty, courage, and curiosity.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s what science in Türkiye needed all along.