This document discusses the current status and potential future of blockchain and cryptoeconomics in science. It begins by defining blockchain as a distributed, decentralized, and immutable way to organize online services and records in a transparent manner without a central authority. It then discusses how blockchain could transform how scientific research is conducted by making the research process more open, transparent, and incentivized through cryptoeconomic mechanisms like tokens and smart contracts. Some specific areas discussed include storing and timestamping research data immutably on blockchain, processing data through smart contracts, decentralized peer review and publication, and new forms of decentralized research funding like initial coin offerings. However, challenges are also noted around technical implementation, governance, and addressing real issues of control over

1. The Blockchain and
Cryptoeconomy in Science &
Research –
Current Status and What Should
We Do Moving Forward
PD Dr. Sönke Bartling
(@soenkeba)
Founder Blockchain For Science,
Associated research Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society

2. First: What is Blockchain?
Some viewpoints & thoughts….

3. A chain of blocks...
Compare: “Internet”

4. A chain of blocks...
• A new way to organize online services
– Distributed
– Decentralized
– Immutable (append only)
– Transparent / provable

5. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
• A socio-techno-economic-legalo-cultural
(r)evolution
• A fascination in the triangle of game
theory, strong cryptography, tech and
money
• A hype
@fortyfoxes

6. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
• A new way to look at user identity/
autonomy
Web 2.0
Blockchain

7. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
• A new way to look at computer security
BLOCKCHAIN
for Science
ITsecuritytoday
Firewall
Database
Service
Buisiness logic
VPN
Info
Another
island
Content
Ports
Evil outside world

8. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
• A new way to look at computer security
BLOCKCHAIN
for Science
ITsecuritytoday
Firewall
Database
Service
Buisiness logic
VPN
Info
Another
island
Content
Ports
Evil outside world
BLOCKCHAIN
for Science
ITsecurityinBlockchainworld
Blockchain
IPFS
Smart contracts
Content
Wallets
IPDB

9. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
• A detachment of control over hardware
from control over content
Today
Blockchained

10. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
• Unnecessary …

11. Let´s have a 3rd PARTY!
First international conference on
Blockchain for Science and Knowledge
creation
5th – 6th of November, Berlin
www.blockchainforsciencecon.com

12. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
• Unnecessary #2 …

13. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
We should think about including…
• novel P2P technologies, like DAT ? IPFS?
• Novel data processing concepts based on
cryptography
• Trusted hardware concepts?
• Decentralized data market places?
• ….
@lambo

14. TALK
“DECENTRALIZATION” ?
• Not really technical decentralization
• Lack of an intransparent central point of
failure
• Independency of service provider and
control over the service
• Lack of artificially constraining business
models
• Openness
• Power

15. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
• A new economy …

16. CRYPTOECONOMY
• BC creats bullet proof
variables=tokens=coins=...
• with provable behavior (max. amount,
smart contracts, ...)
• at near zero costs
• without a traditional trusted third party
(paper contract, lawyer, notary, banks,
stock exchanges ...)

17. CRYPTOECONOMY
• BC creats bullet proof
variables=tokens=coins=...
• with provable behavior (max. amount,
smart contracts, ...)
• at near zero costs
• without a traditional trusted third party
(paper contract, lawyer, notary, banks,
stock exchanges ...)

18. TOKENEVOLUTION…
• Protocol level tokens (Bitcoin…) ...
• Completely independent token ...
• Security token, utility token …
• … future: more legal structures….

19. BITCOIN

20. Tokenevolution…
• Protocol level tokens ...
• Completely independent token ...
• Security token, utility token …
• … future: more legal structures….
But: Will there be really novel value
propositions?

21. CRYPTOECONOMY
• A more onboarding, open economy?
• No more “a few become really rich”?
• Integrating economy that really supports
cooperation?

23. Second: What is Blockchain in
Science?

24. Science structure today?
• Legacy structures
• Centrality (data repositories, service providers)
• Unlimited media breaches
• Walled gardens/silos around business models
• Admin efforts, artificial competions (grants…)
• Lots of overhead
• Only parts of the research process open
• Control in hands of obscuring third parties

25. We are doing science!
• Grown cultures
• Science culture deeply intervened with society and
individual´s lifes
• Science is important & fun
• We want to build something great and not just destroy
stuff!
BLOCKCHAIN
for Science
Wearedoingscience!
• Grown cultures
• Science culture deeply intervened with society and
individual´s lifes
• Science is important & fun
• We want to build something great and not just
destroy stuff!

26. Our enemy
US AND OUR SCIENCE
CULTURE
#COMPL
EX

27. What is different?
• Open Science
• Science 2.0
• Open Access
• …
This time science funding is affected!

28. RESEARCH CIRCLE

29. ACQUISITION
• Research data in Blockchain database
• Time stamped
• Immutable
• Blockchain / Real-world interface problem

30. BLOCKCHAINIFIED
SCIENCE

31. TRUSTED HARDWARE

32. PROCESSING
• Processing through smart contracts
• Unchangeable
• Provable processing trail

33. ANALYSIS
• Smart evidence

34. NEW SUBJECT PRIVACY

35. RESEARCH DATA
STORAGE
• Decentralized cloud
• 100% cryptography
• Storage forever?

36. BLOCKCHAIN SECURED DATA
STORAGE

37. PUBLICATION
• Dynamic publications
• Micro contributions
• Standard peer-review “on the blockchain”
• Incentivation for peer-review

38. SCIENCE FUNDING
• Decentralized research
marketplaces

39. FUNDING – first ICO in
Science!

40. FUNDING
• Create token for an idea
• Continuous coin offerings
• Grow with the project, share with your peers
• Todays Crowdfunding <=> Tokens can be sold
• The project should be ‘blockchain open’
• Value proposition ? Patent application ? …

41. Youth of ideas today...
Sharing
with peers
Patent
application
Publication
Commercializati
on/
Grants

42. Youth of ideas blockchain
world...
Sharing
with peers
Patent
application
Publication
Commercializati
on/
Grants

43. SCIENCE FUNDING
• Expertise systems …
• Reputation systems…
• Value flow …
#COMPL
EX

44. OPEN SCIENCE
ECOSYSTEM
• Expertise systems …
• Reputation systems…
• Value flow …
#COMPL
EX

45. PAIN POINTS

46. PAIN POINTS
• Identity
– Soverin ID
– ORCID?
– Can ORCID withstand economic pressure?
– Traditional trusted third parties?
– Social network for scientists?

47. PAIN POINTS
• Technical setup ?
– We have trusted third parties
– No mining necessary
– We already have the best mining BFS: Bitcoin
– Combine different blockchains
– Ongoing development
– How much technical decentralization does
science really need?

48. BUT: Brewer triangle / CAP -
THEOREM
Consistency
Availability Decentralization

49. BUT: Brewer triangle / CAP -
THEOREM
Consistency
Availability Decentralization

50. BUT: Brewer triangle / CAP -
THEOREM
Consistency
Availability Decentralization

51. Supernodes
Something at stake

52. “Trusted
channels”
e.g. through smart contracts
that put something at stake,
Negotiated, e.g. Ripples
“State channels”
Availability limited
through how much
they trust

53. PAIN POINTS
• Technical setup
– Combine many setups
– Centralized, non blockchain services will co-
exist, for ‘worthless’ transactions
– Legal issues
– Delegate proof-of-stake
– Permissioned BC does not mean …
@vldgunter @sherminvo

54. PAIN POINTS
• System gamers
• Trust in reserch results???
• UI challenges
• Governance
• Communication, wording, …

55. IMPLEMENTATION

56. And all the rest..
Collectively address the real issue of control and governance of public research.
@protohedgehog

58. Let´s unslice the pie!

60. First international conference
on Blockchain for Science
and Knowledge creation
5th – 6th of November, Berlin
www.blockchainforsciencecon.com
List of Blockchain for Science projects
Open Science Ecosystem Telegram

62. Ideas?
• Ideas
• Concepts
• Observations
• New sparks
• New interpretations
• Serendipities
• ...