ED ITORIAL

ike many scientist-editors of journals published by

Sci-Hubs unauthorized collection of their monographs.
nonprofit scientific societies, I have a love-hate reJournals have real costs, even though they dont pay
lationship with Sci-Hub, the website operated out
authors or reviewers, as they help ensure accuracy, conof Russia that provides access to 50 million piratsistency, and clarity in scientific communication. For
ed scientific articles to researchers worldwide (see
most of the Science journals, editors are paid profesthe News story on p. 508). I recognize the underlysionals who carefully curate the journal content to bring
ing motivation of bringing global research content
readers an important and exciting array of discoveries.
to the developing world. However, I also recognize that
They make sure that papers are complete and conform
much traffic to Sci-Hub is from researchers who already
to standards of quality, transparency, openness, and
have access to the articles they seek through mechanisms
integrity. There are layers of effort by copyeditors and
such as site licenses, open access, or other means. Auproofreaders to check for adherence to standards in scithors who publish in Science journals, for example, can
entific usage of terms to prevent confusion. Illustrators
make their papers available
create original illustrations,
immediately upon publicadiagrams, and charts to help
tion through free referrer
convey complex messages.
links at the authors webScientific
communicators
sites. Research published afspread the word to top meter 1996 in a Science journal
dia outlets so that authors
is made free with registraget excellent coverage and
tion 1 year after its publicareaders do not miss importion date. So what does the
tant discoveries. Our news
scientific community risk by
reporters are constantly
gathering papers illegally?
searching the globe for isThe collateral damage
sues and events of interest to
may not seem obvious. When
the research and nonscience
researchers access papers
communities. Our agile Inthrough Sci-Hub, article usternet technology departage information is lost. AuOne hour of Sci-Hub activity in February 2016
ment continually evolves the
thors do not benefit from
website, so that authors can
download statistics, for exsubmit their manuscripts
ample, which are increasand readers can access the
ingly being used to assess
journals more conveniently.
the impact of their work.
The costs of scientific
Libraries cannot properly
publishing are increasing
track usage for the journals
worldwide, driven by the exthey provide and could wind up discontinuing titles that
pansion of content, which includes more contributions
are useful to their institution. As institutions cancel subfrom the developing world, as well as open-access pascriptions, the ability of nonprofit scientific societies to
pers, which are supported through a different business
provide journals and support their research communities
model. Today, digital publishing is just as expensive as
is diminished. Journals published by scientific societies
print for a state-of-the-art Web design that incorposuch as the American Association for the Advancement of
rates multimedia, is responsive to desktops, tablets, and
Science (the publisher of Science journals) are not the sole
smartphones, and maintains access to back content.
contribution to the research community; such nonprofit
Scientific nonprofit societies do indeed understand
societies also support a range of efforts that have a histhe need to continue addressing research accessibility
tory of benefiting the greater scientific enterprise, such as
by those in challenged regions, but through legitimate
fellowships for young scientists, advocacy for science, scimeans. For those who have such avenues but choose to
ence diplomacy, science education, and fostering sciences
pirate a paper instead, ask yourself whether it is worth
many interfaces with culture and society. Like nonprofit
risking the viability of a system that supports the qualscientific societies, university presses, largely subsidized
ity and integrity of science. And please let us know your
by their parent institutions, are also at risk. These pubview of Sci-Hub: love or hate? (http://bit.ly/Sci-Hub)
lishers already face many challenges, which now include
Marcia McNutt

Marcia McNutt
Editor-in-Chief
Science Journals

PHOTO: STACEY PENTLAND PHOTOGRAPHY; MAP: J. YOU/SCIENCE

...what does the scientific

community risk by gathering
papers illegally?

10.1126/science.aaf9419

SCIENCE sciencemag.org

29 APRIL 2016 VOL 352 ISSUE 6285

Published by AAAS

497

Downloaded from http://science.sciencemag.org/ on May 15, 2016

My love-hate of Sci-Hub

My love-hate of Sci-Hub
Marcia McNutt (April 28, 2016)
Science 352 (6285), 497. [doi: 10.1126/science.aaf9419]

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