What is Decentralized Science (DeSci)?

Decentralized science is an emerging movement that applies Web3 technology to optimize scientific research. This article will introduce the concept of decentralized science, some of its use cases, and its differences with 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. DeSci leverages blockchain technology to ensure the integrity and immutability of scientific records while eliminating barriers to entry.

How does DeSci enhance scientific practice?

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

Fund Allocation

DeSci can completely change the allocation of research funds through mechanisms such as secondary donations and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO), thereby promoting a more equitable distribution of resources.

Accessibility

DeSci uses a blockchain-based research database to expand the scope of resources available. This ensures that scientific data and publications are stored openly and transparently 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 facilitate a transparent and verifiable peer review process and encourage researchers to conduct reproducible scientific work. This often increases the reliability of scientific findings.

Use cases for decentralized science

Academic publishing

Some DeSci platforms can provide decentralized repositories of academic publications. Researchers can publish their results directly on these platforms, making it easier for more people to access scientific knowledge.

Research Funding

The decentralized funding mechanism is simplified by smart contracts, which promotes 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 their data while ensuring ownership of the data.

Peer Review

Blockchain-based reputation mechanism can improve the credibility and reliability of scientific publications. DeSci can use blockchain technology to create tamper-proof records for researchers’ submissions and peer review activities, improving the transparency and credibility of academic communication.

Decentralized Science vs. Traditional Science

Both DeSci and TradSci can improve knowledge and solve practical problems, but they still differ in some major aspects.

Transparency and Trust

DeSci uses blockchain technology to widely improve transparency and trust, ensuring the integrity and non-tamperability of scientific records. In contrast, traditional science often 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 generally enables collaboration, and researchers can use blockchain-based technology to interact and share resources. Traditional scientific practices are often isolated and trapped in institutional frameworks, which inevitably hinders cooperation.

Funding and Incentives

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

Conclusion

Decentralized science is expected to change the landscape of the scientific field, promote collaboration and accelerate the pace of scientific exploration. DeSci uses decentralized technology to democratize access to knowledge, increase transparency, and promote innovation in various research fields.

The above is the detailed content of What is Decentralized Science (DeSci)?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!