I appreciate that there's a difference between different fields. I'm also aware that the article above is about research students in the US- I'm in a UK university.
So the natural sciences aren't universally bad. My PhD advisor in relativity was a terrific guy to work with and I saw him as a friend and mentor. The problem is that the supply of people seeking PhDs, post-docs, and tenure track jobs in the natural sciences so far outstrips the available jobs (often a hundred to one) that there is little natural pressure to suppress bad behavior. In fact, the assholes tend to thrive because it turns out that taking advantage of others can get you ahead.
I appreciate that there's a difference between different fields. I'm also aware that the article above is about research students in the US- I'm in a UK university.