A review by the government’s Chief Scientific Adviser into the future of financial technologies has made some astonishing claims about the future of digital cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. Sir Mark Walport warns that they have the potential to replace traditional currency and central banks. But the review’s credibility is somewhat undermined by the assertion that the now defunct online marketplace the Silk Road “used bitcoin for payments for drugs and prostitution.”

Just one problem with that claim….

The Silk Road – basically Ebay for drugs – was not compatible with the oldest trade and was never used for prostitution…