Introduction
To ensure a lasting influence and broad adoption, web3 needs to present examples of distributed ledger technology (DLT) applications that can be easily understood by the general public. Beyond the public, these applications must demonstrate increased efficiency, effectiveness, reliability, and trustworthiness beyond the financial realm so as to better convey the technological possibilities of DLT to societies with strong existing financial infrastructures. Decentralized science (DeSci) is well-suited to provide such examples, thus bolstering the credibility and legitimacy of the entire web3 industry.
The necessity for open science has already been acknowledged by policymakers, academics, investors, and the public; traditional compartmentalized systems hinder the free exchange and progression of knowledge. Additionally, the longstanding push for open access has led to a shift in scientific culture, with openness now considered the standard. Now, the accelerating open data movement stands on a solid foundation of principles as it advocates for universal access to scientific data. Web3 tools provide the necessary infrastructure for a system of science that inherently promotes these open principles, leaving no need to fight for them as with web3 tools, open principles are default by design.
The current reality is that while various forms of peer-to-peer digital cash, tokens, and decentralized autonomous organizations may seem legitimate to those familiar with their technology and use-cases, the general public often views them as unfamiliar, unregulated, and potentially dangerous. We can more easily showcase the great range of potential for the decentralized web by using complex web3 primitives, such as the marketplace of currencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), non-transferrable tokens (NTTs), and distributed autonomous organizations (DAOs), to build tools for open science. As various stakeholders recognize the importance of open science and as DeSci emerges as the leading movement to implement open science principles, it is reasonable to assume that DeSci's success will contribute significantly to the validation of the entire web3 ecosystem.
In this paper we invite web3 builders to join the DeSci movement through an exploration of how DeSci is best positioned to serve as a powerful legitimizing force for the entire web3 industry. We contend that by empowering scientists to utilize DLT in their research workflows, DeSci not only accelerates the development of layers 1 and 2 of the web3 stack but also fosters a favorable regulatory environment, secures public support for web3, demonstrates utility beyond the financial sector, and attracts non-profit, impact, and institutional funding, backing, and alignment. Additionally, we argue that DeSci offers contributors invaluable benefits, such as personal fulfillment through complex interdisciplinary problem-solving, significant networking opportunities with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporations, and the capacity to employ web3 to create a measurable impact today rather than in the distant future.
Please note that there are numerous existing DeSci projects. However, to maintain neutrality, we have not provided any specific examples in this paper. We invite anyone interested to join the DeSci community and inquire about the projects and their respective focuses. A few resources can be found at the end of the paper for further exploration and guidance.
A brief review of the problems in science
The problems within the traditional system of science are complex, interconnected, and multitudinous. We recommend exploring the additional resources provided at the end of this paper if you wish to learn more.
To illustrate one main issue in the traditional system of science, however, let us consider a simplified parallel to the music industry. Artists and record labels have a relationship wherein record labels fund artists by purchasing the rights to their music. Artists then receive royalties beyond the initial funding.
In contrast, scientific publishers provide neither initial funding nor royalties to scientists for their research. Instead, scientific publishers profit from the knowledge scientists discover, often funded by taxpayers through government grants. It makes no sense that scientists, arguably one of the most important creators in our society, are paid minimal wages while their research is funded by taxpayers and while publishers force everyone to pay to access the knowledge they discover.
Other examples of central challenges in scientific research are the reproducibility crisis, whereby a significant number of published studies cannot be independently reproduced or replicated, and the competitive "publish or perish" culture, which often leads to the cherry-picking of data, sensationalism, and even research fraud. These issues are exacerbated by the centralized and opaque nature of research funding, publication, and peer review.
Web3 technologies offer potential solutions to these problems by providing transparent, tamper-proof, and collaborative platforms for scientific research. DLT also offers scientists the opportunity to retain ownership of the research they create, while the public nature of DLT democratizes the gatekeeping responsibility of scientific knowledge, transforming it into the more accessible role of simple curation. Supporting Legitimacy in Web3
DeSci stands to dramatically reshape public perception of the web3 industry by producing easily comprehensible and relatable outcomes that emphasize the benefits of decentralized technologies. Discoveries and advancements in fields such as physics, engineering, biomedical and environmental sciences, as well as more reliable scientific results, resonate more strongly with the public than other blockchain applications like yield farming, art NFTs, or algorithmic stable coins.
DeSci projects focus on issues that directly affect public well-being, thereby fostering public engagement with web3 technologies and the scientific process. For example, DeSci projects that work on vaccines and medicine, climate change solutions, ecosystem revitalization and restoration, and science education and engagement, already exist and have made significant positive impact in the world. The public’s appreciation of science and such directly impactful outcomes allows DeSci to serve as a bridge between the public, science, and the web3 industry, simultaneously promoting a positive perception of decentralized technologies and expanding public participation in scientific research.
Positive media coverage is also critical to legitimizing web3. The outcomes of DeSci initiatives directly counter negative narratives surrounding DLT applications, such as those related to scams, environmental concerns, and criminal activities. For instance, consider the coverage behind DeSci-adjacent initiatives such as Rosetta@Home and Folding@Home that helped combat the COVID pandemic.
DeSci is also uniquely positioned to align with the goals of numerous philanthropic organizations, impact investors, and institutions that aim to improve public well-being and tackle global challenges through scientific research, innovation, and inclusion. DeSci tooling enables these parties to optimize research funding allocation, increase transparency, promote cross-disciplinary collaboration, and engage and educate the public. Many DeSci initiatives have already formed relationships with public institutions, philanthropic organizations, and corporations that prioritize metascience, societal improvements, and the advancement of human knowledge and discovery. Support from public and other established institutions further legitimizes the entire web3 industry. Ultimately, DeSci provides an onramp to web3 that doesn’t otherwise exist for unique impact-based public and private organizations.
A major reason such partnerships are possible is that DeSci applications and platforms are built specifically for day-to-day real-world use by researchers, funders, libraries, and institutions. This use does not depend on financial tooling such as tokens, cryptocurrencies, or yield. Instead, DeSci initiatives work to remove specific inefficiencies in the scientific process. The result is an abstraction of highly intricate web3 primitives behind user-friendly interfaces designed to improve workflows.
The absence of financial tooling, which is often a major barrier for skeptical participants, combined with genuine workflow utility and technical abstraction, acts as a springboard for massive adoption throughout the scientific community. Moreover, open science is the future of academia; The scientific community is interested in anything that helps achieve open science by default. As scientists engage with DeSci applications, they provide invaluable, highly focused feedback and insights, driving the development of more refined and practical web3 tools. Researchers who delve into the technical intricacies of these innovative tools bring with them their academic training, instinct, and expertise, all of which are indispensable assets for the web3 industry in its pursuit of legitimacy.
Increased day-to-day adoption necessitates healthy, robust, and scalable layers 1 and 2 of the web3 stack. The scientific community, for example, generates vast amounts of data and requires dependable, secure platforms for collaboration, data sharing, and computation. The scientific community also relies heavily on real-world identity verification and web-of-trust reputation, lending public facing identities to the use of web3. By stimulating real-world day-to-day usage of web3 technologies, DeSci pushes developers to address scalability and performance challenges, thereby ensuring the ongoing growth and sustainability of the web3 industry. The increased stability leads to increased adoption, ultimately creating a feedback-loop that attracts some of the world’s brightest minds and influential institutions to the web3 ecosystem.
As the public begins to recognize the potential benefit of the web3 industry beyond the financial system, and as the world’s brightest minds and most impactful institutions begin to utilize web3 tools, policy-makers will be more encouraged to take a nuanced approach to regulation. Regulators will also need to strike a balance between national competitiveness and public interest when drafting legislation, as over-regulation could hinder scientific progress and cede advantages to other countries with more supportive regulatory environments. By demonstrating the benefits of web3 technologies in driving scientific advancements instead of alternative financial systems, the DeSci movement serves as a reminder for regulators to carefully weigh the consequences of their decisions on a nation's research ecosystem.
Lastly, and as with many DLT tools, DeSci tools are inclusive by nature, locking open participation to individuals from all backgrounds, socio-economic status, and geographies. Combining the open nature of DLT with science, DeSci promotes the development of cross-border standards and best practices for applying web3 technologies to scientific research. DeSci’s emphasis on stringent, day-to-day, true utility for the global scientific community can foster international cooperation and standardization, creating a global environment in which decentralized technologies can flourish.
DeSci Needs You
The potential of DeSci to revolutionize the way we conduct, publish, access, and assess scientific research cannot be understated. While engagement with scientists and institutions is crucial for DeSci’s advancement, realizing its potential undoubtedly requires the active contributions and support from the web3 community. DeSci offers unique opportunities for personal and professional growth and impact for those contributing to this nascent movement.
DeSci projects accelerate the pace of verifiable and accessible scientific discovery by fostering a more efficient, collaborative, and transparent research ecosystem. These enhancements have already contributed to the development of life-saving treatments, novel technologies, and innovative solutions to issues such as climate change, food security, and public health. While much of web3 focuses on important long-term impacts, DeSci is building for impact today.
Still, DeSci initiatives have immense potential for delivering substantial long-term societal benefits by advancing scientific research and implementing and improving tools for open science. DeSci enables researchers to easily share data, methodologies, and findings, reducing duplication of efforts, enabling cross-disciplinary collaboration, and building trust with the public. The benefits of this open system of science have far-reaching implications for various aspects of human life and society’s collective ability to address pressing global challenges for centuries to come.
For example, DeSci initiatives democratize access to scientific knowledge and resources, leveling the playing field for researchers and institutions worldwide. By breaking down information barriers and fostering a more inclusive research environment, DeSci aims to empower scientists from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented regions to contribute to global scientific progress. This democratization of science can lead to more diverse and innovative solutions to global challenges.
DeSci initiatives also motivate young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, expanding our collective problem-solving and innovation capacity. Take for example, SETI@Home, a very well known web2-based DeSci-adjacent project developed in the late 90s. SETI@Home was designed to empower, include, and engage the public. It and similar initiatives inspired countless currently practicing scientists, developers, and DeSci builders. By including the public and showcasing the transformative potential of decentralized technologies in science, we can build a society that contributes to, and in doing so trusts, the discovery, validation, and replication of knowledge, the core public good of modern society.
Simultaneously, DeSci addresses a global phenomenon in which countries with sophisticated financial infrastructures are slower to adopt web3 due to their existing systems, while others leapfrog traditional financial infrastructure in favor of web3 systems. Nations with well-developed financial infrastructures might not see the necessity for web3 as their systems, despite their flaws, generally function well compared to countries that are adopting web3 financial structures. However, these same countries with advanced financial infrastructures often face challenges in their scientific systems. Recognizing this, the public, governments, and institutions are open to innovative solutions that address the issues within the scientific domain. DeSci is the catalyst for web3 adoption in the more financially stable parts of the world.
Considering these examples of outcomes of DeSci, those you will learn when you join the community, and the possibility to collaborate and network with some of the worlds most influential institutions, governments, and corporations, DeSci is a field of web3 that offers countless opportunities to builders in the space. Conclusion
Progress in the traditional system of science is held back by a complex tapestry of patchwork structures and failing mechanisms. DLT and the web3 industry offer powerful tools that enable a new way forward for humanity's greatest endeavor: the discovery of new knowledge. As a result, each successful DeSci initiative serves as a vital link between the public, science, and the web3 industry.
By building DeSci, we can demonstrate the tangible benefits and true utility of web3 technologies in real-world applications. This, in turn, will reshape public perception and understanding of decentralized technologies, foster a more favorable regulatory environment, and encourage wider adoption across various sectors. DeSci lends immediate legitimacy to web3 that the industry can leverage to accelerate adoption across the board.