Now it is time for open science...

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We all know very well about open access publications. But open science?, many might not have known about it, at least I have not. It involves performing experiments with the full scrutiny of public. That is exactly what Dr.Rosie Redfield, a microbiologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver been trying to do.

Interestingly the decision to do 'open science' was to answer controversial results published in a much scientific way. Many will remember the controversy surrounding the 'Arsenophagist' bacteria which were touted to incorporate arsenic, a toxic substance, to its genome if slowly deprived of phosphates. This had created a storms eye, since it gives novel dimensions to the molecular genetics as we know. But later there were hues and cries from around the world that the work indeed is nothing but a sensationilization and even possible plagiarism. The study was dismissed as a myth (though it was published in Science).

In her laboratory Dr. Redfield is trying to emulate all the steps as initially claimed by the previous authors infront of full public glare, while knowing fully that confirming such results will be almost impossible. But that doesnt deter the scientist.she has already got two negative results, first that the bacteria dies when slowly deprived of phosphates, and second that the bacteria cannot tolerate arsenic. These were the claims made by the original research groups.

Apparently this is not the first time such open science is being done. Previously, Dr Paul Docherty, a chemist, had performed similar open science to debunk the myth that sodium hydride could oxidise an alcohol

The open science has its demerits...the major one is about being scooped

But merits are too there...since the publicity avoids the work being reproduced elsewhere, a kind of intellectual property right. Then the work can be guided by interested scientists if something goes wrong by a mile. Again the plagiarism type of things may not come up.

One can only wish that science opens up to become open science in near future.

Disclaimer: The article content is adapted from an article titled Open science — a transparent and novel way to do research : you can read the news by clicking here

copy right and courtesy: The Hindu   Photo courtesy: Wikipedia