Understanding DeSci

Understanding decentralised science will provide a greater appreciation of DeSciWorld

DeSci is a quickly evolving sector that demonstrates how blockchain can leverage open science. DeSciWorld is a uniquely positioned organisation that believes that with the right infrastructure, DeSci can revolutionise research. To understand DeSciWorld you can consider four key areas:

1. Open Science

2. Onchain science

3. The DeScientist

4. Empowering the DeScientist with DeSciWorld

Should you be looking to engage or just understand DeSciWorld, we strongly recommend taking the time to digest the following information.

Please also find below a long-form podcast with founder Joshua, discussing DeSci with Web3FM:

1. What is Open Science?

DeSci pursues many of the same values that Open science upholds: decentralised and democratised access to resources and knowledge; more minds on the problem is superior; continuous and open evaluation of science is essential.

Many charters and definitions of open science can be found elsewhere. Institutions such as UNESCO, The Biden Administration and the rather brilliant UCL each define Open Science differently. UNESCO poetically advocates for openness-where-appropriate, citing national security and other interests as justification for a continued multi-tier system of access to knowledge.

The Open Science movement tilled the fertile minds of academia and planted the seeds of change within. However, the renaissance of equitable access and unfiltered innovation never quite arrived.

One core blocker to reaching that promised land was the state of the technology. Previously, distributed systems had little functionality and were costly to operate. Communication systems, funding, access to resources and machinery ++ have been limited by the technology available. With the advent of blockchain and AI however, the opportunity for truly open science is reinvigorated.

1. Onchain science: DeSci

DeSci, an abbreviation for "Decentralised Science," represents a new approach to the realm of scientific research and dissemination. By leveraging decentralised methodologies such as DLT powered by blockchain, DeSci seeks to challenge traditional centralised research structures, fostering a more inclusive and collaborative ecosystem.

“Decentralized science (DeSci) is a movement that aims to build public infrastructure for funding, creating, reviewing, crediting, storing, and disseminating scientific knowledge fairly and equitably using the Web3 stack.” - ethereum.org

[add illustration of DeSciWorld view on DeSci Model]

This model not only ensures the democratisation of knowledge but also reinforces the principles of transparency, reproducibility, and accessibility in scientific endeavors. As a progressive movement within the academic landscape, DeSci underscores the importance of returning scientific authority to a global collective, mitigating biases and potential censorships typically encountered in more conventional frameworks.

The diagram below illustrates the trajectory of the internet's history from Web1 to Web3 (+decentralised AI) and the effect this has on the collective intelligence and its ability to connect to others within the network. Web3 will not be explained in these documents but the principles that underpin it are essential to understanding DeSci.

1. The DeScientist

The DeSci pracitioner looks in many ways identical to the traditional academician, yet simultaneously unrecognisable. In both fields, what drives an individual scientist is unique. The pursuit of truth, money, happiness or prestige, the upbringing or tutorage they receive; the opportunities afforded to them - all vary wildly between peers and fields.

The core differentiator between a traditional scientist and a DeScientist is the infrastructure available to them. DeSci utilises the decentralised tools capable of standardising, interoperating, distributing, trustlessly verifying and securing the objects of science. It provides a new framework for a scientist to conduct their research, publish the findings, receive incentives and feedback for their work.

The DeScientist can be anyone around the world, and they need not be associated with a particular university or research group. They might be:

• providing groundbreaking research from a shed on their farm, connected via mobile hotspot to Web3 servers;

• a scientist that cannot obtain funding for the science they truly care about;

• a woman publishing in a country that decries the value of the fairer gender's mind;

• a dissident challenging the status quo anonymously in order to protect their family, yet save millions of lives from production of harmful pharmaceuticals;

• committed to countering harmful misinformation by providing factual and verifiable counterarguments;

• an institution leveraging the distributed network of scientists for their research task.

These examples are arbitrary, but you can see the potential for DeSci to change science for everyone, including the institutions many fear may be replaced.

1. Empowering the DeScientist with DeSciWorld

A multifaceted approach

Our mission is clear: to strengthen and connect the decentralised research community while offering unwavering support to innovators everywhere. We believe in making science accessible to everyone, ensuring it remains unbiased, uncensored, and resistant to external pressures.

To succeed in this mission we leverage three core pillars:

1. Proof-of-Knowledge

   An experimental protocol that allows anyone, anywhere to attest to knowledge through an on-chain mechanism. This creates an immutable statement that a certain user (wallet address) published an idea. Others can view this idea, dispute, utilise or expand upon it while maintaining the integrity of the original claim. Thus, creating a chain of provenance that facilitiates open sharing of information while retaining the incentive distribution among all contributors.

2. Humanity at the Core

   We believe that science should maintain its connection to this earthly realm by considering the humans in the loop at all times. Technology will never cease to innovate, thus it is our responsibility as the current wielders of the tech to ensure we can continue our stewardship of the chips. DeSciWorld maintains the position of keeping humanity's best interest at the centre of all plans for innovation.

3. Community Empowerment

   The decentralised science movement requires decentralised participation by definition. Through the desci.world platform and the World of DeSci conference circuit, we aim to keep everyone informed and engaged with minimal barriers to entry. The global science community is often handicapped by the loci of power in universities and business districts. With DeSci, participation can be achieved from anywhere.

In conclusion, we have moved from the ambitions of the Open Science community to the reality of the DeSci movement. Empowering globally distributed and uncensorable participation in science has been a oft cited goal but with advancements in DLT and blockchain, we are finally able to realise it.