Scientists don't deal in "facts"; they interpret numerical data to support hypothesese.
If anything is ripe for a bit of bending,, it's numerical data!
Scientists research facts. This is
they try to get to know the facts. Therefor they conduct experiments or make observations. Experiments or observations give data to analyse. Strong enough data can indicate what the fact might be. Repeat these steps over and over again, if the results are the same, fact is proven.
Not all data is numerical.
Scientists can't bend the facts. One scientist could bend some data in an article by misinterpretation or such. When this article is published other scientists will read it critically. If the First scientist made mistakes, the others will point them out, investigate and disprove the false conclusions of the first scientist. The scientific community is a big one and scientists who
make up stuff are not appreciated, and end up without a job, funds, etc.
Of course big business and crony politicians might fund research that fits their interests/agenda, but in the end the b***s*** gets exposed due to the self-correcting nature of science.
I don't think you guys fully appreciate the rigorousness with which science is conducted. See that screen you're looking at? The thing you're typing on? All parts of it developed by people who believe in numbers, data and statistical analysis.
You don't believe in numbers? Then stop using the stuff made by people who do. Ha!