– Piratas en la ciencia

[Google translate] Pirates in science

The activity of scientists is under constant pressure and threat. The last decade has brought a reduction in the funds devoted to research and a suffocating increase in bureaucracy in Spain. But, in addition to this, a phenomenon that is a real cancer of science has appeared very intensely worldwide.

According to the dictionary of the Royal Academy, "cancer" has two main meanings. The disease is characterized by the transformation of cells, which proliferate abnormally and uncontrollably. And a second on the proliferation within a social group of destructive situations or events. I am referring to this second meaning, the proliferation of negative events that endanger a situation that was more or less stable and can impede progress. A cancer that is increasingly affecting the development of science and its fundamental pillars.

For more than a century the development of modern science has been based on the publication of research results in scientific journals. To publish an article, the journals have an editor who uses referees who are other scientists who evaluate the quality of the work. After several revisions and clarifications, if the publisher accepts the work, it will be published and will remain (except for retractions) accessible in the scientific literature forever.

Science has progressed enormously using the results of previous publications. This system, called peer review, usually anonymous, has ensured a reasonable quality and seriousness of the results published. Newton, perhaps the most famous scientist of all time with Einstein's permission, said he was standing on the shoulders of giants, wanting to indicate that the work of a scientist who has reached a higher level has been thanks to the contributions of colleagues who preceded him.