The scientific method throughout history - EPFL

Looking to the past can help us better understand the workings of science today. Jérôme Baudry, Professor at the College of Humanities at EPFL, explains how the procedures for proving and communicating scientific results have changed over time.

"I’m a historian, not a prophet! Still, it is interesting to note that a lot of current controversies actually echo those of the past. For example, debates about integrity and scientific fraud, or arguments about the shortcomings of the peer review system have been around for a long time. Concerning these issues, I think that digital technology offers us some possibilities that haven’t yet been fully explored. From the arXiv.org pre-publication platform, to the current open access movement, to trials with open peer review, there are a number of routes available for making scientific research more efficient, more transparent, and more accessible. Things have started to change, but we need to move faster and go further!"