Digital transformation, or digitalization, has marked the first plunge into making research more accessible around the world. However, two decades of such process have revealed that simply numeralizing content is still scarce enough to alleviate barriers to the scientific space.
Peer review, an integral process to ensure the high quality and accuracy of published academic work, is still considered inefficient. The sluggish and hazy digitalization leads to delays in publishing new studies. On top of that, most researchers from smaller institutions or developing countries have to go a long way to win recognition and access mainstream scientific platforms.
The centralized nature of such platforms poses challenges related to control and rights over one’s scientific data and findings for many researchers. Such hurdles result in a slackening of scientific advancement and collaboration, often putting a damper on scientists and curbing the diversity of contributions in the scientific establishment.
Blockchain technology can potentially ramp up various aspects of scientific publishing, offering a solution to core challenges. The immutability, transparency and global availability of blockchain empower science circles to strike a path toward decentralization while granting power and governance to users and researchers alike.
How Decentralized Science is revolutionizing research
NobleBlocks is a blockchain-based DeSci platform seeking to address hot buttons in the field of academic publishing. Built on the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP), a blockchain infrastructure widely known for its lightning speed and high scalability, NobleBlocks features transparent transactions to minimize the time and complexity associated with distribution of scientific articles.
Think of going for PhD for a moment, cramming for a research that could reshape the entire world. Now imagine that in order to share your findings, you’re faced with a staggering $10,000 publication fee—nearly a month’s salary or more. It’s a sky-high price that few can afford…
So, the key to NobleBlocks’ mission of incentivizing scientific contribution is NOBL, the platform’s native token, which is built on the Ethereum blockchain. NobleBlocks employs its custom ckNOBL solution to integrate the NOBL with the abovementioned ICP blockchain, stepping up the decentralization aspect of the DeSci platform and ensuring a smooth and secure connection between two robust blockchain ecosystems.
The tokenization of scientific efforts allows DeSci to acknowledge and incentivize every single contributor — from editor to reviewer — in a fair model. Being globally accessible, NobleBlocks enables researchers to push back their projects’ limits via partnerships with researchers from every corner of the world.
Making scientific work streamlined and obtainable
What’s more, the platform provides a slick system on blockchain that reduces the time from research submission to publication substantially, speeding up inefficient peer review processes.
NobleBlocks democratizes access to critical study material globally by offering all researchers an unbarred and easy-to-access platform. It also establishes data sovereignty and the integrity of scientific work by empowering researchers to retain control over their intellectual property, thus encouraging original and diverse scientific contributions.
Integrating the decentralized nature of blockchain with conventional scientific publishing practices is far from being easy. To achieve it, NobleBlocks harmonized the sternness of academic peer review with the efficiency and transparency of blockchain. The resulting solution has enabled the preservation of the integrity of the scientific process while also opening doors to faster, more equitable access to research.
As a fully on-chain platform, NobleBlocks ensures complete transparency and immutability of scientific data and publications. Being fully on-chain allows every transaction, submission and review process to be recorded on the blockchain, offering enhanced security and trust in the hosted academic content.
DeSci as a platform for science communities
Apart from providing a platform for publishing and reviewing scientific work, NobleBlocks also builds a network to connect researchers, academicians and visionary leaders from diverse disciplines and geographies. The platform seeks to contribute to a richer and more inclusive scientific dialogue by encouraging collaboration, idea exchange and collective problem-solving.
The concept of making scientific research globally accessible through blockchain has sparked interest from both the Web3 ecosystem and the scientific communities. Along with receiving grants from the Dfinity Foundation, a leading contributor to the Internet Computer blockchain, NobleBlocks also enjoyed a rapid tokensale of NOBL in under one minute.
Not only does NobleBlocks strive to become a major tool for publishing scientific papers, but also a global community that brings together scientists and researchers from all over the globe. This community upholds the true values of scientific inquiry – freedom of information, plainness and collaboration – all designed to lead to new discoveries and solutions to global issues.
So, what about blockchain in science?
NobleBlocks strives to build an open, transparent and efficient scientific publishing landscape enhanced by blockchain technology. The platform anticipates a shift toward more accessible and participatory scientific processes that lower barriers and boost efficiency.
By merging scientific publishing with blockchain, NobleBlocks aims to contribute to this evolution of scientific space. Its target is to redefine how research is shared and accessed, enhancing the integrity and value of scientific work.
For the broader crypto and Web3 ecosystem, NobleBlocks epitomizes the practical application of blockchain in non-financial sectors through the utilization of DeSci concept. The platform offers a model for integrating blockchain into academia, encouraging similar adaptations in other areas and advancing the entire Web3 ecosystem.