Digital tools for the scientific endeavour – one response to the changing world of science

"New mechanisms for sharing data allow experiments to be replicated to verify or refine scientific findings. Data sharing prevents duplication of experimental findings and accelerates the scientific process. Making datasets reusable allows data to be ‘repurposed’: imagine temperature measurements made by the Met Office reused and recycled to study the effect of temperature on wildlife; or linking drugs that affect the activity of genes to chemical databases to accelerate drug discovery. Greater openness with scientific data may also lead to interdisciplinary collaborations and attract investment from a wider range of organisations. But how can data be more openly accessible? There is a range of software developers who are working on projects designed to help scientists make the most of new technologies – bringing more data to more people. A few will be covered below...."