The article discusses a shift towards a more inclusive and open approach in the global scientific community, highlighting initiatives like Europe’s Plan S for immediate open access to publicly funded research and Japan’s efforts to ensure free access by 2025. Despite these advancements, the U.S. faces challenges, particularly with actions from the current administration that undermine scientific institutions through funding cuts, censorship, and prioritizing ideology over evidence. This presents a threat not only to U.S. leadership in science but may push researchers to seek opportunities abroad.
Open science emerges as a critical counterweight to these anti-science efforts, advocating for transparency, diversity, and accessibility in research. Diversity in science fosters better outcomes and address issues like gender bias in medical research. The COVID-19 pandemic showcased the importance of open access for rapid response to public health crises, with preprints and open data playing vital roles.
However, the article warns against the politicization of open science and the risk of pseudoscience being validated through compromised peer review processes. It calls for a mobilization of the open science movement through adherence to principles set by UNESCO, encouraging scientists to share research openly and maintain rigorous standards. The authors emphasize that transparency and inclusivity are essential to uphold the integrity of science, especially in the face of growing misinformation and ideological attacks on the scientific community.
