[TChris]

...if I were writing a scientific paper to be published, Wiki is the last place I'd admit to using as a source.

That's fine. Scientific papers are supposed to be original or first-source research. That's not what Wiki is for.

For finding out if pine beetles kill trees, it's more than adequate.

[shineon]

I think wiki is more reliable than you local newspaper.

[MarineBrat]

The word that caused contention was “fact.” The editors at Wiki are hobbyists. Anyone can edit or create an entry, including people who desire to disseminate false information about a subject.

From their disclamer page...

The structure of the project allows anyone with an Internet connection to alter its content. Please be advised that nothing found here has necessarily been reviewed by people with the expertise required to provide you with complete, accurate or reliable information.