Open science

Open science is the idea that all science, including research samples, data collected, software, and publication, should be accessible to all people. Proponents of open science say that making knowledge accessible helps put everyone on an equal playing field and may lead to innovative connections and conclusions. Those cautioning about open science argue that people who do not have a background in whatever field they are reading about may come to inappropriate conclusions and may not know the studies that were done well and the ones that were done poorly.

Open science became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic because many researchers across the world were trying to learn more about the virus. Opening up data and research ideas meant that research did not have to be duplicated if it had already been done once. This allowed researchers to examine samples from around the world without having to leave home and expose themselves to the virus.

Background

Scientific journals were the first forays into making knowledge accessible to a larger number of people. Before that, most scientists tried to keep any developments they made under wraps, at least until they were ready to unveil them and get the credit. Most of the time, they were not ready to share their work until they had found a way to profit off of it. They did not want to have it stolen in the meantime. This led to a few issues over the course of history. One famous example was when British scientist Isaac Newton and German scientist Gottfried Leibniz both claimed to have discovered calculus in the late seventeenth century.

At this time, most science was funded by wealthy people known as patrons. Patrons gave researchers money in exchange for some of the credit for their finds. As this system changed, scientists began joining together to do some of their work, as a single patron could no longer fund an entire project. These groups began to publish their work, first for each other and later for anyone who wanted to subscribe to their journals.

Journals became more popular as funding sources began to vary. Some research was still funded by private individuals, but more and more was funded either by governments, non-profit organizations, or corporations. Because some of these funding sources had questionable motives, such as companies funding research on a product they had a financial interest in, journals began to be peer-reviewed. This meant that every article published had to be accepted by authorities in the field to determine that the research done was structured well and was equitable.

Some people began to try and make science accessible for non-scientists as well. Some magazines focused on taking cutting-edge research and making it intelligible and relevant for those who were not experts in the particular fields studied.

The internet made access to research even easier. Many journals became online-only, and some dropped the requirement that those who want to read pay for a subscription. The COVID-19 pandemic showed just how much researchers across the globe need each other, especially in a crisis.

Overview

A cry for even more open science was taken up by a variety of governments and governmental agencies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. These include the US government, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Dutch government. However, questions about implementing these ideas remained.

The first questions involve what type of science and research should be available for everyone. For example, there are questions about data sets that by necessity may include information that identifies individuals. Researchers are concerned that these data can be released without compromising an individual’s privacy. Corporations also have some motivation to keep their research private, especially if it is about products they want to profit from.

Another question involves how to ensure that everyone has equal access to whatever research and data is made available. Opening science up requires changing certain data programs and algorithms so they are in sync with these new ideas. This takes time and money, and it is sometimes unclear who is going to pay for these changes to be made. Additionally, even if the data is accessible, millions of people around the world live without consistent internet access, so the science is still not available to them. To truly make all science open, it will be necessary to ensure that everyone who wants access can get it.

Finally, questions involve whether there needs to be any regulation or oversight of open science, even if on an informal level. While the idea of regulating something that is open seems antithetical, there is the possibility that data will be misused or misconstrued, or even used to create something that is harmful, like a biological weapon. Additionally, many studies contain a lot of nuance. Unless people have experience reading research in that particular field, they may not realize that they cannot make sweeping conclusions based on a single study. They may also be unable to identify studies that are poorly designed or executed.

The ideas behind open science have a lot to offer the world. While questions remain, the goals of disseminating information and allowing researchers to make connections and contacts that would have previously been impossible are important. Open science will also allow for more thorough and rigorous peer reviews and better, faster solutions to worldwide problems, like the COVID-19 pandemic. As open science develops, research and regulatory worlds need to work together to make sure that the experience is positive for everyone involved.

Bibliography

“About.” Center for Open Science, 2022, www.cos.io/about. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

Dominik, Martin, et al. “Open Science — For Whom?” International Science Council Committee on Data, 10 Jan. 2022, storage.googleapis.com/jnl-up-j-dsj-files/journals/1/articles/1366/submission/proof/1366-1-10119-2-10-20220110.pdf. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

“Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Advance Open and Equitable Research.” The White House, 11 Jan. 2023, www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2023/01/11/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-advance-open-and-equitable-research/. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

“Open Science Announcements from Federal Agencies.” Science.gov, 31 July 2023, open.science.gov/. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

Ramachandran, Rahul, Bugbee, Kaylin, and Murphy, Kevin. “From Open Data to Open Science.” Earth and Space Science, 29 Apr. 2021, doi.org/10.1029/2020EA001562. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

Santoro, Helen. “Open Science is Surging.” American Psychological Association, 1 Jan. 2022, www.apa.org/monitor/2022/01/special-open-science. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

“UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.” UNESCO, 20 Feb. 2023, www.unesco.org/en/open-science/about. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

“What is Open Science?” Lumivero, 9 Feb. 2023, lumivero.com/resources/what-is-open-science/. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.