Research makes the world go round.
It’s not something people think about all the time – and in fact we probably take it a bit for granted. But research is how we discover breakthroughs in healthcare, technology, agriculture, and a whole host of other fields. Those people in white coats, holed up in their labs, are the ones who turn abstract ideas into real things. They’re the ones who help us understand ourselves and the world around us. Imagine every new phone we doomscroll on, every new medicine we take or food we now avoid, and every new AI-powered car that seems to silently judge our driving skills. Behind these innovations, there are hordes of scientists whose research findings make it all possible.
They are the magicians of the modern age.
The Curse of the Modern Researcher
Sadly, these neo-alchemists are constantly hamstrung by myriad issues that hinder them from being able to do their jobs effectively. By extension, this prevents new knowledge, breakthroughs, and advancements from hitting the speed frequency many of us would like. (Cure for cancer, anyone?)
1. Research Funding
One of the most significant constraints is funding, meaning that many research teams are wholly reliant on grants from governments, corporations or institutions. When those funds do arrive, it’s clear that the price tag comes complete with a laundry list of T&C’s. The biggest chain on these scientists? The expectation (implicit or explicit) that their research should align with the values and aims of the funding body – rather than letting them be the wide-eyed, unbiased explorers they yearn to be.
2. Misaligned Motives
When it’s a corporation footing the bill, it’s safe to say that agendas will become skewed. Profit-driven projects and organizational performance often end up taking precedence over critical societal or environmental needs. In addition, the all-important systematic review processes that are designed to ensure fairness and quality are subject to the very same biases and inefficiencies. Not only can this create skewed research results, it ends up creating brutal delays, slowing the dissemination of crucial findings.
3. Silo Mentality
Another big challenge is the duplication of effort – a byproduct of the ‘siloing of knowledge.’ Knowledge silos all but ensure that scientists are not able to collaborate, blocking the exchange of new ideas. Despite being funded by organizations who are invested in their research questions, critical knowledge ends up locked behind paywalls and restrictions. Ironically, these are imposed by the institutions that researchers have been forced to bend the knee to. As a result, many global research teams end up working on the same thing at the same time, rather than building on top of one another. This is a huge waste of time and resources.
In contrast, – regardless of the theories surrounding it – the Covid-19 vaccinations were a clear example of what can actually be done when different teams are allowed to share scientific knowledge and collaborate on shared goals. We benefit from incredible results, in a fraction of the time.
Solving Knowledge Silos & Funding Woes With DeSci
Fortunately, DeSci (Decentralized Science) has arrived on the scene in a big and bold way, making its noble aims abundantly clear. Namely, DeSci seeks to leverage blockchain technology to make scientific research and collaboration more community-driven, open and fair while decentralizing knowledge sharing. Indeed, it offers to do no less than solve all of the issues that have plagued researchers since the first strings-attached check was handed out many moons ago.
Firstly, DeSci introduces a host of decentralized funding opportunities, such as taxes from token trading, donations and DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations). All of these negate the need to rely on specific organizations or corporations. Instead, they essentially crowd-sourcing the funds directly from a global community of supporters. Since no one individual can demand direction or specific results, research can be conducted in unbiased and unimpeded ways.
DeSci can also tackle the pesky knowledge and data silos, removing duplication of effort at the same time. If researchers are unburdened by corporate or governmental oversight, they’re free to share their research in a collaborative environment for the greater good. This means technology that benefits all (rather than corporate bottom lines). It means truth about foods and medicines, genuine medical breakthroughs and a whole host of other goodness – all in record time. From a more technical standpoint, DeSci can also provide the blockchain as immutable ways of sharing research information itself. DeSci can ensure this information stays permanently accessible and tamper-free. By extension, this also allows transparent peer reviews to be performed.
All pretty good stuff.
Giving the Power Back
Research is part of human nature – an extension of the natural curiosity that we all have for the world we live in. It’s the deeper dive that lets us understand the way things work, what we should find important, and the framework for our evolution as a species. As such, it’s a role that should be protected at all costs.
By removing traditional gatekeepers and making the practice of research unbiased and decentralized, DeSci is the key to putting power back in the hands of researchers. This then allows them to build and discover incredible things together – while still keeping them firmly accountable to us, the people, by way of transparent, open-source technology.
And that is a very good thing.
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