Decentralized science, or DeSci, is a growing movement to decentralize research and funding for science projects. It aims to build public infrastructure for funding, creating, reviewing, and disseminating scientific knowledge fairly and equitably using blockchain technology. DeSci advocates for openness, transparency, and decentralization of funding, making scientific information publicly accessible on a public blockchain to prevent one powerful donor from skewing research. NFTs can be used to generate income for companies without paywalls or charging users. Crypto tools for decentralized funding, such as DAOs and quadratic funding, are effective in raising money and awareness for different projects, including decentralized science projects.
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Introduction
Science is facing a crisis as huge corporate interests have infiltrated the peer-reviewed process and skewed the research. Decentralized science (DeSci) is a growing movement to decentralize research and funding when it comes to science projects.
The Importance of Decentralized Science
DeSci advocates for openness and transparency but also decentralization of funding. With blockchain technology, academic research becomes free, open to the public, and independently funded. Transparency and accessibility will not only make information free but also make the research itself better and easier for scientists to work. Using NFTs, DeSci harnesses the power of intellectual property rights for different research studies and generates income without having paywalls.
Funding Challenges and How Crypto Can Help
Funding for science is a massive challenge as the money often flows to the wrong places. Crowdsourcing funding could help adequately address the needs of the people. DAOs and quadratic funding, a system that distributes funding based on how many people have contributed, are effective tools for decentralized funding. Gitcoin, a platform that funds open-source development, is one project exploring regenerative finance (ReFi), a system that uses financial incentives to accelerate the funding of public goods.
Projects in Decentralized Science
There aren’t many projects working in the DeSci industry, but some worth mentioning are LabDAO, which operates a decentralized network of open-source computer labs, and NeuroDAO, which funds neuroscience research.
Conclusion
Decentralized science has significant use cases, and blockchain technology can make academic research publicly accessible and independently funded. DeSci is just getting started, but it’s a movement that could change the way science is done.
