Yep, a lot of bs in the publications. My suggestion is to start writing your own grants (don't worry about grammar, just to see if you can write something down). Also, you should construct your talk in the group meeting like a proposal talk, which will allow others to question your hypothesis ( or lack of).
Industry? If it is real, what's the application? or just another BS science that have no immediate practical uses. Singapore is very serious about this. That's why it is kicking some of so call "big-bull" PI out of their institutes.