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Growth rates of modern science: a latent piecewise growth curve approach to model publication numbers from established and new literature databases

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Resumen del artículo

Título de Paperzilla
Science Grows, But Not Always at the Same Speed: From Newton's Apple to Today's Data Deluge

Modern science has experienced overall exponential growth with a doubling time of 17.3 years, but this growth is not uniform. Distinct periods of varying growth rates correlate with economic and political developments, such as industrialization and world wars, showcasing the interplay between science and society. Analysis of growth rates in the UK versus worldwide, and in life sciences versus physical and technical sciences, revealed relatively comparable trends.

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Scientists found that the number of science papers keeps growing bigger and bigger, like a plant. But sometimes it grows really fast, and sometimes it slows down, often because of big world events like wars or new inventions.

Posibles conflictos de intereses

None identified

Limitaciones identificadas

Reliance on publication counts
The reliance on publication counts as a proxy for scientific progress is problematic, as it doesn't account for variations in publication practices, quality, or the significance of findings.
Oversimplified growth model
The exponential growth model, while providing a good fit, doesn't explain the underlying mechanisms driving growth and assumes limitless resources.
Limited interpretation of growth
The interpretation of growth as "increase in numbers" doesn't necessarily translate to increased actionable knowledge or societal benefit.
Lack of in-depth analysis of growth rate differences
The analysis doesn't fully explore the differences in growth rates between segments, limiting insights into the factors driving these changes.

Explicación de la calificación

The study uses a robust methodology with multiple databases and imputation techniques, providing a comprehensive overview of scientific growth. However, the limitations regarding publication counts as a proxy and the simplified interpretation of growth prevent a perfect score.

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Título original: Growth rates of modern science: a latent piecewise growth curve approach to model publication numbers from established and new literature databases
Subido: 14 jul 2025, 17:11:28
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