The Evolution of Publishing, New Types of Publications

Jonathan Heppner -

Some of the methods of communication or types of scientific publications available today probably wouldn’t even be possible without past discoveries. This article talks about the past, present, and future of scientific publishing, its evolution, and how Orvium is an excellent solution for your publications.

The Past: How Has Scientific Publishing Evolved Throughout the Years?

The roots of scholarly scientific publishing can be traced as far back as 1665, and you can read more about that in our article, a brief look at the evolution of scientific publishing. Academic credit was publicly granted to encourage scientists to share the knowledge they otherwise would’ve kept secret. This created a sense of competition among scientists to be the first to publish a scientific finding, something that (unfortunately) continues today in modern scientific journals.

Because of the immense pressures that researchers and academicians are under (publishing quantity over quality, rejected papers, etc.), a toxic environment exists within the community, and many struggle to maintain good mental health. Read about the mental health implications within the research community, factors that lead to poor mental health, and hyper-competitiveness in our Mental Health in Scientific Publishing article.

Thankfully, the new scholarly publications aimed to encourage fellow scientists to speak to each other and create public records of original contributions to knowledge, what is today’s collaboration, sharing, and peer-reviewing. Although the scope of scientific research sharing is somewhat the same, science has evolved over the years, and scientific publishing has evolved along with it.

The past decades have probably seen the most considerable scientific evolution, leading to a significant increase in the amount of scientific information published in specialized journals, online research platforms, and repositories. This evolution has also increased the number of communication methods used to disseminate scientific research results to communities globally. Think Open Access and the emergence of online journals and science platforms, which have made access to research easier and more effective for authors and readers.

An area where technological advancements in the past two decades have had a significant impact is medicine, with a focus on surgery. The last two decades have also seen space station research, which not only helps us explore space farther but benefits us back on Earth. In NASA’s 20 Breakthroughs from 20 Years of Science aboard the International Space Station, microgravity research provided new insights to scientists studying asthma, cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

The Present: What Kinds of Publications Do We Have Today?

Much of how we see the world today is through a screen. The Internet is a source of knowledge, but we also use it to interact with others and present ourselves to the rest of the world. It’s essential to remember that many of the things we use, read, and learn originate from past discoveries.

A smartphone, for example, depends on integrated chips made up of transistors which wouldn’t have been made possible without an understanding of quantum mechanics. The GPS system in a smartphone depends on the data from satellites using the theory of relativity (a theory once considered useless). Computers also help machines learn new things, offering us amazing future advancements in healthcare, science, and public services, ultimately changing the world as we know it.

Past discoveries have given us new methods and types of publications to make new discoveries and offer us infinite abilities to access that information. Thanks to the cloud (and artificial intelligence), online repositories like Orvium and PLOS have made traditional data server downloads a thing of the past. With an ability to access larger and more complex datasets, these types of repositories are more reliable, cost-effective, and encourage collaboration, creativity, and reproducibility. In this way, no one is restricted from participating in science. The following publication types are currently used for sharing scientific and academic knowledge, discoveries, and collaborations (and not only):

The Future: New Types of Publications Require New Methods of Information Storage

More new types of publications will require even more space and storage in the future. And although artificial intelligence is a sophisticated field, as more conventional computing slowly reaches its limits, more scientists look into neuromorphic computing, a process that mimics the functionality of the human brain. A team of scientists developed a means to create a new type of memory, marking a huge breakthrough in the field by combining the unique properties of quantum materials with that of spintronic magnetic devices.

They created a quantum material spintronic resonator, which uses an electron’s spin in addition to its electrical charge to process information while increasing processing and storage capacity, reducing energy. Compared to more traditional approaches, it may offer more innovative and efficient ways to process data because of its ability to mimic the functionality of the human brain.

Orvium Looks Towards the Future

We don’t know for sure what the future holds, but we can assume and prepare as much as possible. It’s clear that many past core values for sharing scientific knowledge are present today and probably will be in the future, but one thing’s for sure.

We must keep an open mindset, constant communication channels open, and continue collaborating with other researchers and academicians (and not only). Without all of the findings, research, sharing of information, and collaborations of the past, we wouldn’t be where we are today and wouldn’t be able to look towards the future with optimistic eyes. Orvium understands this and encourages researchers and scientists to use our platform for all publishing needs. Orvium is the place for everyone where you’ll always be in good company.