Science is losing knowledge it cannot afford to lose. Negative results go unpublished, hard-won expertise walks out the door with departing researchers, and preservation efforts remain fragmented. The consequences are wasted resources, duplicated effort, and missed discoveries. In this perspective, we argue that the research community can act now by embracing alternative dissemination channels, improving documentation best practices, and building sustainable digital infrastructure. We envision moderated platforms for sharing null results and practical know-how, community-driven standards, and AI-powered tools that lower barriers to implementation. With coordinated effort, science can become more open, efficient, and resilient for future generations.
doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72667-3 (open access)
@article{Manneschi-2025,
author = "Penn F. Rainford and Annalisa Occhipinti and Bo Wang and Susan Stepney and Claudio Angione
and Suraj Verma and Lucia Marucci and Kieren Sharma and Sarah A. Harris and Rudolf M. Füchslin
and Edda Klipp and Claire S. Grierson and Mathias S. Weyland and Aalap Mogre and Harold Fellermann
and Le Minh Thao Doan and Ioana M. Gherman and Alice L. B. Pyne and Timothy J. Rudge and Victor M. V. Berrelleza
and Thomas E. Gorochowski",
title = "Knowledge preservation in the era of big science and AI: strategies for sustainable scientific research",
journal = "Nature Communications",
volume = 17,
pages = 4069,
year = 2026,
doi = "10.1038/s41467-026-72667-3"
}