To understand quantitatively how scientists choose and shift their research focus over time is
of high importance, because it affects the ways in which scientists are trained, science is …

INTRODUCTION In most areas of human performance, from sport to engineering, the path to
a major accomplishment requires a steep learning curve and long practice. Science is not …

It is important to explore how scientists decide their research agenda and the corresponding
consequences, as their decisions collectively shape contemporary science. There are …

The lack of predictability of citation-based measures frequently used to gauge impact, from
impact factors to short-term citations, raises a fundamental question: Is there long-term …

In many academic fields, the number of papers published each year has increased
significantly over time. Policy measures aim to increase the quantity of scientists, research …

Understanding how institutional changes within academia may affect the overall potential of
science requires a better quantitative representation of how careers evolve over time …

Despite persistent efforts in understanding the creativity of scientists over different career
stages, little is known about the underlying dynamics of research topic switching that drives …

The spread of ideas in the scientific community is often viewed as a competition, in which
good ideas spread further because of greater intrinsic fitness, and publication venue and …

Despite its presumed role as an engine of economic growth, we know surprisingly little
about the drivers of scientific creativity. We exploit key differences across funding streams …

New ideas no longer fuel economic growth the way they once did. A popular explanation for
stagnation is that good ideas are harder to find, rendering slowdown inevitable. We present …