Sharing science/knowledge vs Proprietary $ecret

[Onetor]

I was taught to always read and continue to educate myself. I respect knowledge, research, and Academia. I have a great admiration for people with PHD's and for those without college degrees. Having learned a great deal from varying disciplines. Many years ago, I read a book about sharing vaccines across borders and it really made me think. The older I get, I have differing thoughts.

I've endeavored to learn new subject matter and expand my horizons. However; there is the old adage "The more I learn, the less I know." I've noticed that certain entities hoard knowledge for $$$$. I understand, but don't agree it's the what the world is. For instance, I've located several books on Tribology, but the cost for PDF's are astronomical. These docs are antiquated too.

PLEASE, I DON"T want a topic about politics, just sharing knowledge. (Adhere to forum rules please.)

I've learned how to ask specific/direct questions to people/corporations. Most hide behind "Proprietary." (Not asking for chemical recipe. Nor, would I would understand it. Lol.) While I 'm only trying to take good care of my vehicle or home. Or they deflect and never answer the question. I was reading a recent thread and someone commented about how a certain group of individuals obtain research papers and publish them. *I don't advocate hacking or taking without permission.

I reside in a place, where there are retired scientists and have had varying conversations. All tell me about inadvertent discoveries (technology) that were never released that could have helped humanity or certainly saved lives (auto/aero crashes). Or tech, reserved for dignitaries, heads of State.

Or a Chemist discloses that they signed a Non Disclosure Agreement and won't discuss a certain additive (anything) on the internet. I don't expect a Chevron Chemist to betray their employer or a Scientist at Oak Ridge Labs (just example) to betray her/his Country. Civilians have certainly benefited from NASA et al. Apparently, scientists (courtesy NASA, historical archives) are looking at penguin bovine from space.

So, there is sharing a bit and this is great. Or great public relations.

There have been scientists imprisoned for sharing knowledge with fellow scientist(s) in the interest of science, not $$$$/espionage.

At what point does knowledge become classified and not for public consumption?

I DONT want to discuss politics or govts, but knowledge for everyone.

Khan Academy, Library of Congress, via Internet are wonderful, among others.

What do scientists (retired/employed) and others think?

If you can't post true beliefs, just topic for inner thought.

Thank you!

 

[Nyogtha]

You lost me at "penguin bovine".

 

[PimTac]

Put down the eggnog.

 

[BobsArmory]

Everybody loves a good conspiracy. I think it's all because of the Lizard People.

 

[BobsArmory]

Or Scotty Kilmer.....

 

[FlyNavyP3]

 

[Vern_in_IL]

You have to figure out "trade secrets" yourself. It is protected because if discovered it would negate scientific research, knowing that your formula will get ripped off by China.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by Onetor

There have been scientists imprisoned for sharing knowledge with fellow scientist(s) in the interest of science, not $$$$/espionage.


Can you provide examples,
besides "that guy who invented a 200 MPG carburetor", and was forced to deliver his car to a warehouse owned by the oil companies?

 

[kschachn]

I have no clue what you're asking. I've read through your post a couple of times and I still don't know. Please rephrase and use more direct language.

 

[philipp10]

if you are alluding to science based secrets.....let me just say there are very few if any out there. There are a few trade secrets but nothing that would change the world to any discernable degree. There are no 200 mpg carburetors hidden away.

 

[maxdustington]

Academics have to make money, too. Think about the overhead costs of some of those papers. I'm sure a lot of them are sponsored/receive grants from private companies, and keep lucrative information a secret.

 

[02SE]

I just want to know what "penguin bovine" (bovine is another name for cattle) is supposed to mean.

 

[wallyuwl]

I am a scientist with a PhD in Biomechanics. I do not currently work at a research university and do not have the requirement or resources (too much teaching, not enough lab equipment and grants prefer to pay for personnel vs equipment) to get large grants or contracts. Most academics are eager to disseminate their findings, unless they are from a contract with a company and the contract states the vendor owns the data. The research university I got my doctorate from only does contracts where the researcher owns the data, and I was the main researcher on one of these.

So it depends a little based on discipline, but usually people like to share their work. We do research to hopefully make a difference and that can't happen if it is not disseminated.

 

[sloinker]

WD-40, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dr. Pepper.....enough with the trade secrets! People need to know the truth!

 

[Nyogtha]

OP, please share with us your research resulting in scientists looking at "penguin bovine" from space since you like to disseminate knowledge. I still have no clue what you're posting there. How does one see "penguin bovine" anywhere, including from space?

 

[Shannow]

With a relatively sumple google search I was able to dig up some useful papers (well not really papers, more articles online)….

That's only a couple of minutes of searching...I'm sure that if you've got a little more time on your hands, and use multiple different search phrases penguin, cow, bull, scatology, you might get even more.

 

[Kestas]

I don't believe there are beneficial and groundbreaking discoveries or patents that are withheld from the public. The "200 mpg carburator" is a good example.... not that such a device exists, but it shows that if a hoax can make the rounds, a device with merit will leak out and go viral.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Originally Posted by Nyogtha
You lost me at "penguin bovine".


I think the term should be "penguin excrement"?

I heard a radio spot recently about how scientists are studying penguins with satellite images. The amount of pink in the guano shows how much krill they're eating. That, in turn, suggests how healthy the krill population is.

OP, your local library could be a good source for scientific papers. Often, a library card gets you access to databases of scholarly articles (EBSCO, JSTOR, Elsevier, Proquest to name a few. Mine also has online Chilton repair manuals.). You might also be able to get a card with a local college or university library. They will have access to a lot more information.

 

[emg]

Originally Posted by Kestas
I don't believe there are beneficial and groundbreaking discoveries or patents that are withheld from the public.


Secret patents are not unknown, but are generally only enforced for significant military technologies. Either a government makes the patent secret after submission, or allows a company to patent something they developed for military use on the condition that it's kept secret (which obviously completely destroys the often-claimed justification that patents are good for us because they get knowledge out in the open rather than protect it in trade secrets.)

I've read of a few cases, but can't remember specific examples.

The 200mpg carb is obviously nonsense because the patent would have expired decades ago.

Personally, I think patents should be scrapped entirely, or restricted to the very, very few cases that are really so innovative that a competitor couldn't come up with the idea in a few minutes. I used to work in a patent-heavy industry, and all it really meant was that every company had to cross-license its patents with its competitors, which prevented newer, more innovative companies from entering the field as they had no patents to cross-license. So, far from encouraging innovation, the patents reduced it.

 

[sloinker]

Bell Labs patented the transistor after American military scientist's reverse engineered the crashed Roswell flying saucer and spoon fed the technology to favored contractors........