Open Source Science
Coastal sunrise photo by Scott Kelly (credit: NASA/ISS)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) makes all its research discoveries, data, imagery, and analysis freely available to the public. Access to this information is available through an online portal and searchable databases maintained by NASA STI Compliance and Distribution Services. According to the space agency:
"we are celebrating this opportunity to extend access to our extensive portfolio of scientific and technical publications. Through open access science and innovation we invite the global community to join us in exploring Earth, air, and space. The portal is in response to a request from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, directing science-funding agencies to increase access to the results of their research."
Making federally research easier to access could greatly magnify its utility and impact. Besides data from the space agency, geological research, environmental and marine studies investigations by the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offer even more data to mine. Utilizing 'open source' science is now available to anyone. A NASA presentation may garner a wider base of interested users. WHB