Rate of Scientific Breakthroughs , Has Slowed, , New Study Finds.<br />The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota and published in a recent volume of the journal 'Nature.'.<br />Considering 45 million scientific papers published from 1945 to 2010.<br />... it found that the "disruptiveness score" of these papers has declined over time.<br />The paper describes "disruptiveness" as ideas that <br />"push the whole scientific field into new territory.".<br />[This is the first study that ] emphatically, convincingly documents this decline of disruptiveness across all major fields of science and technology, Michael Park, Lead Study Author, via Phys.org.<br />The declines are pretty consistent in their speeds and timing across all major fields, Michael Park, Lead Study Author, via Phys.org.<br />... leading them to just <br />come up with something <br />more consolidating rather <br />than disruptive, Michael Park, Lead Study Author, via Phys.org.<br />Study authors say that significant changes in research likely have contributed to the shift.<br />The nature of research <br />is shifting, Russell Funk, Senior Study Author, via Phys.org.<br />[Researchers and scientists] focus on a narrow slice of the existing knowledge, Michael Park, Lead Study Author, via Phys.org.<br />The authors also stated that academics are often "forced to slice up their papers" to bump up their publications.<br />According to the research, this may lead to "a dulling of research.".<br />Despite the findings, study authors say humans continue to make significant scientific progress.<br />We're not getting any less innovative as a species, Michael Park, Lead Study Author, via Phys.org
