What does the scientific term painting the mice mean?

Answer 1

It is a synonym for research fraud, a result of the Summerlin incident where a dermatologist perpetrated a notorious scientific fraud dealing with skin transplants between genetically unrrelated animals. They attempted to transplant skin from black mice to white mice, the resulting accepted tissue and hair would be gray if the process was successful, the scientist brought his test subject in to be examined as proof of its success and it was discovered that the hair had been grayed with permanent marker and could be removed with alcohol.