Nearly half the papers published in scientific journals disappear without
trace. Sidney Redner, a polymer scientist at Boston University, has analysed the
database of papers maintained by the Institute for Scientific Information in
Philadelphia. Of those published between 1981 and 1997, 47 per cent were never
referred to again in the scientific literature, even by the researchers who did
the work. Another 33 per cent were cited 10 times or fewer, while just 0.1 per
cent of papers attracted more than 1000 citations.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Mind
‘Remarkable’ discovery upends our understanding of how brains store memories
News
Humans
DNA reveals a society organised around women in pre-Roman Britain
News
Physics
Quantum entanglement is key to solving 250-year-old maths problem
News
Space
The most breathtaking photos of the total solar eclipse
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles