The chemists creating knowledge-sharing websites

Cooperation and shared ideas often provide that spark of inspiration for the next important scientific discovery – and prevent researchers from wasting time on things that others know do not work. But despite the clear advantages, the research community is surprisingly poor at sharing certain elements of scientific information effectively. Whether it’s missing details in the supporting information (SI) of a paper, standard practices not translating to the next generation, or difficulty accessing appropriate instructions for a procedure, these barriers to clear and open communication impede the progress of science.

However, as more science communication has moved online, there’s been a huge rise in privately maintained websites addressing this knowledge gap as experienced researchers look for new ways to share their wisdom with a wider audience.