This is the 11213th most frequent French word.
prétendent
"Prétendent" means "claim" or "assert."
In this example, 'prétendent' is being used to mean 'claim' or 'assert,' indicating that these individuals are stating they know the truth.
Ils prétendent connaître la vérité.
They claim to know the truth.
Here, 'prétend' (singular form for she) is used to mean 'pretend,' suggesting that the person is not genuinely capable but acts as though she is.
Elle prétend être capable de résoudre ce problème.
She pretends to be capable of solving this problem.
In this case, 'prétendent' is used in the sense of 'claim,' showing that the scientists are asserting they have uncovered an answer.