Key Points

  • Decentralized Science (DeSci) is a movement that aims to build a public infrastructure for scientific research using Web3 technologies.

  • Compared with TradSci, DeSci has more funding sources, more censorship-free collaborations, and wider open access to scientific research data.

  • DeSci uses blockchain technology to make science more decentralized, transparent, and accessible.

Introduction

Decentralized science is an emerging movement that uses Web3 technology to optimize scientific research. This article will introduce the concept of decentralized science, some of its use cases, and how it differs from traditional science.

What is decentralized science?

Decentralized science (DeSci) is a scientific research method that applies decentralized technology and will completely change traditional science (TradSci). DeSci does not rely on centralized institutions and intermediaries, but adopts decentralized means to achieve knowledge creation and dissemination.

Essentially, DeSci aims to expand access to scientific data, promote a more transparent peer review process, and encourage international collaboration among researchers. Using blockchain technology, DeSci can ensure the integrity and immutability of scientific records while removing barriers to entry.

How does DeSci enhance scientific practice?

DeSci uses Web3 technology to solve the core problems of TradSci. Below we will explore some of the main ways DeSci improves the scientific environment.

Funding Allocation

DeSci can revolutionize research funding through mechanisms such as quadratic donations and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), thereby promoting a more equitable distribution of resources.

Accessibility

DeSci uses blockchain-based research repositories to expand access to resources. This ensures that scientific data and publications are transparently stored on a decentralized ledger, making them easily accessible to more people. Smart contracts can manage data access and generally ensure that data is distributed fairly and securely.

Reproducibility

DeSci can introduce measures to encourage reproducibility, such as token rewards and reputation mechanisms. Smart contracts can promote a transparent and verifiable peer review process, encouraging researchers to conduct reproducible scientific research. This generally improves the reliability of scientific discoveries.

Use cases for decentralized science

Academic publications

Some DeSci platforms can provide decentralized repositories of academic publications. Researchers can publish their results directly on these platforms, making scientific knowledge more accessible to the public.

research Fund

Decentralized funding mechanisms are simplified by smart contracts and can promote transparent allocation of research funds. Decentralized science can use decentralized networks to raise funds for research projects and reward contributors based on the quality of their work.

Data Sharing and Collaboration

The DeSci platform helps scientists share research data and resources securely and transparently. This has the potential to help researchers tokenize and monetize data while ensuring data ownership.

Peer Review

The blockchain-based reputation mechanism can improve the credibility and reliability of scientific publications. DeSci can use blockchain technology to create an immutable record of researchers' submissions and peer review activities, improving the transparency and credibility of academic exchanges.

Decentralized Science vs. Traditional Science

Both DeSci and TradSci can advance knowledge and solve real-world problems, but there are still some key differences between the two.

Transparency and Trust

DeSci's use of blockchain technology can widely improve transparency and trust, ensuring the integrity and immutability of scientific records. In contrast, traditional science usually relies on centralized institutions to verify research results.

Access and inclusion

The DeSci platform promotes open access to scientific data and publications, democratizing access to knowledge. TradSci’s publishing model often has subscription fees and access barriers that can easily limit the dissemination of research results.

Collaboration and innovation

DeSci enables collaboration in general, where researchers can interact and share resources using blockchain-based technology. Traditional scientific practices are often isolated and trapped in institutional frameworks, which inevitably hinders collaboration.

Funding and incentives

DeSci uses a decentralized funding mechanism to incentivize submissions and reward researchers based on the quality of their work. In contrast, TradSci's funding sources generally rely on the budgets of donor agencies and academic institutions, which can lead to inefficiencies.

Conclusion

Decentralized science has the potential to change the scientific landscape, foster collaboration, and accelerate the pace of scientific discovery. DeSci uses decentralized technology to democratize access to knowledge, increase transparency, and drive innovation in all areas of research.

Further reading

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