When an patentable idea is posted to the blockchain, it is provably owned and timestamped. Steem is the digital contract that science can use to build upon itself. There can be more guidelines about linking to original threads if research does start to build here though, which would create a chain of research as topics became more complex. There is currently no easy way to link posts to other posts except to just provide a link, however current citation methods in the scientific community would function well here.

The real question is not will scientist stop writing amazing grant proposals for various businesses or research institutes, as per the current system, but when will they post them to steem and start reaping in the rewards now from the people here?

The culture is admittedly not there yet; steem needs a more robust organic marketing campaign to bring in both institute dollars and scientists and a subculture of valuing real, hard research.

But it will only take one success story to start the process.