permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

The Sparc - A floating knowledge archive for the survival of people and
planet
http://www.thesparc.net/index.php

TheSparc
A Floating Knowledge Archive for the Survival of People & Planet

The acronym is chosen to resonate with spark (electric), arc (connection),
ark (for survival) and archive (systematic knowledge); S for survival and
science, P for people and planet

Public access to scientific information and the scientists� ability to make
the information generally available to the public are both under threat
simultaneously as tremendous opportunities are opening up to counter the
threat. TheSparc has been created to take full advantage of the
opportunities for distributing scientific information and promoting public
access.

TheSparc is a web resource that provides free open access *for scientists
and the general public* to scientific papers important for the survival of
people and planet, and enables authors to make such papers available
promptly to the widest readership. It is a knowledge archive in the sense
of being a systematic collection of papers classified by subject areas and
searchable by subject areas, authors, and key words. It is �floating�
because the papers are stored on other websites, to which TheSparc provides
title, author(s), abstract, key words, and link to the full paper.

TheSparc is supported by a Founding Team with dozens of advisors from all
over the world including eminent scientists and leaders from other sectors
of civil society, who will help develop and improve the site.
Corporate monopolization of science & governments shaping science to
politics

Over the past two decades, science has become increasingly monopolized and
distorted to serve corporate interests (see [1] The Corporate Takeover of
Science <http://www.i-sis.org.uk/isisnews/i-sisnews7-35.php> , reviewing
George Monbiot�s *Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain*,
*ISISnews* 7/8 and [2] Big Business = Bad Science?
<http://www.i-sis.org.uk/isisnews/i-sisnews9-7.php> *ISISNews* 9/10). This
has reached new heights in the recent unilateral retraction of the
published S�ralini study by its journal editor for no other reason than the
finding of serious health impacts on rats fed genetically modified maize
with and without exposure to Roundup herbicide. The retraction is
unprecedented in the history of science publishing and a clear violation of
both science and ethics [3] (Retracting S�ralini Study Violates Science and
Ethics
<http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Retracting_Serallini_study_violates_science_and_ethics.php>,
*SiS* 61). It is particularly invidious as so many policy decisions that
affect our everyday life and our prospects of survival depend on impartial,
reliable, and disinterested scientific knowledge that we can trust, that *has
now been erased from public record.* The [4] Open Letter on Retraction and
Pledge to Boycott Elsevier
<http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Open_letter_to_FCT_and_Elsevier.php>� (*SiS* 61)
attracted more than 4 800 signatures from both scientists and
non-scientists since it was launched in December 2013.

Simultaneously, there is a deplorable worldwide trend of governments
silencing scientists for political ends [5] (Politically Correct Science
for the Masses
<http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Politically_correct_science_for_the_masses.php>,
*SiS* 61) thereby effectively curtailing people�s access to information
potentially vital to their safety and well-being, and based on which they
can exercise their democratic right as voters. It is also an intolerable
restriction on the freedom of scientists to speak as scientists and as
ordinary citizens. Scientists *must* be free to tell the truth and express
their views accordingly on scientific issues.

These developments highlight the importance of liberating science, of
opening it up for public debate and discussion, and perhaps more
importantly, for innovation [6] (Liberating Science and Imagination
<http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Liberating_science_and_imagination.php>, *SiS* 57).
Open access, a largely untapped potential

Science publishing has been undergoing profound changes since the open
access movement began in the 1990s. The movement was driven primarily by
the high costs of journals and journal subscriptions at a time when online
publishing and the internet have conspired to enable scientists to make
their work available to one another and to the public without going through
the conventional printed journals [7].

Since then, open access electronic journals have proliferated enormously,
reaching a total of 9 804 at the end of 2013, with an annual growth rate of
15 % or 3.5 new journals a day [8]; providing free public access to over
365 000 published papers. Despite that, public access to *relevant*
scientific information has hardly improved, nor has it opened up science to
public debate or innovation; quite the opposite.

First of all, the relevant information is now dispersed in far too many
specialized and less well known journals. Second, as the cost of publishing
is borne by the author scientists, the system discriminates against
innovative scientists or scientists dissenting from conventional wisdom
often without institutional support. Third, despite open access, the
process of reviewing submitted scientific papers still involves a few
anonymous referees, and is notoriously open to abuse [9]. Pharmaceutical
companies themselves point out that the majority of peer-reviewed papers in
biomedical science are not reproducible, up to 89 % according to Amgen. The
effect on innovation is devastating, for it has largely ensured that only
conventional and �politically correct� science is published and funded, as
�maverick� geophysicist J Marvin Herndon observes from personal experience
[10]. And he is by no means alone in the fields of geophysics and cosmology
[11] (Continuous Creation from Electric Plasma versus Big Bang Universe
<http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Continuous_Creation_from_Electric_Plasma.php>,
*SiS* 60), which are by no means atypical in the summary exclusion and
dismissal of new ideas.

Above all, crucial information such as new findings on the risks of GMOs to
health and the environment may be blocked or delayed by the peer-review
process, and worse, retracted from public record a year after it has been
published [3, 4]. Similar papers important for public health, safety and
well-being exist across the disciplines in epidemiology, toxicology,
oncology, pharmacology, ecology, to name but a few; all in need of prompt
public attention that they are not getting.
Liberating science for democracy

Independently of open access journals, there have been other notable
attempts to opening up science for public debate and discussion and
innovation. For example, platforms such as Academia.edu [12] and
ResearchGate [13] currently enable scientists to upload reprints and
unpublished preprints so they can be freely and promptly shared among
subscribing scientists, and in the case of Academia.edu also among the
public. (*Many current journals, including a number at the top, already
allow authors to submit papers for publication that have been posted on the
web as preprints* [14].)� ArXiv.org [15] was a similar platform for physics
and mathematics (though some claim it was soon taken over by the
establishment to exclude �mavericks� [10]). It is clear that all this
information is in need of being systematically archived and made readily
and freely available to the public.

And that is precisely what we at TheSparc set out to do. We shall collate
information by subject areas on e-prints (both published papers and
unpublished preprints) available on the web and send out weekly or biweekly
alerts to subscribers free of charge.

This information � consisting of title, author(s), abstract, and key words,
together with the link to the full paper � will be posted on TheSparc site,
so it can be retrieved by subject area and key words (including authors�
names). Individual subscribers can also post this minimum information on
e-prints to TheSparc, which is moderated solely to exclude spoofs and
trolls.

TheSparc panel of scientific and other advisors will keep abreast of
developments and new findings in the relevant areas and suggest continuing
improvements to the site.
References

   1. Ho MW. The corporate takeover of science. ISISNews 7/8, February
   2001, http://www.i-sis.org.uk/isisnews/i-sisnews7-35.php
   2. Saunders PT and Ho MW. Big business=bad science? ISISNews 9/10, July
   2001, http://www.i-sis.org.uk/isisnews/i-sisnews9-7.php
   3. Ho MW and Saunders PT. Retracting S�ralini study violates science and
   ethics. Science in Society 61 (to appear) 2014.
   4. Becker H et al. Open Letter on retraction and pledge to boycott
   Elsevier. Science in Society 61 (to appear) 2014.
   5. Saunders PT. Politically correct science for the masses. Science in
   Society 61 (to appear) 2014.
   6. Ho MW. Liberating science & imagination. Science in Society 57
   <http://www.i-sis.org.uk/isisnews/sis57.php>, 37-38, 2013.
   7. Open access, Wikipedia, 9 December 2013,
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_access
   8. �Dramatic growth of open access: December 31, 2013: first open source
   edition�. The Imaginary Journal of Poetic Economics, 1 January 2014,
   
http://poeticeconomics.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/dramatic-growth-of-open-access-december.html
   9. ��Peer review needs to expand so that more scientists are reviewing
   paper�, Richard Price, High Education Network, The Guardian, 23 October
   2013,
   
http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2013/oct/23/peer-review-system-science-research
   10. Herndon JM. The corruption of science. The Dot Connector
   Magazine/Sott.net, 30 August 2011,
   http://www.sott.net/article/234225-The-Corruption-of-Science-in-America
   11. Ho MW. Continuous creation from electric plasma versus Big Bang
   Universe. Science in Society 60
   <http://www.i-sis.org.uk/isisnews/sis60.php> , 20-25, 2013.
   12. Academia.edu, accessed 2 February 2014, http://www.academia.edu/
   13. ResearchGate, accessed 2 February 2014, http://www.researchgate.net/
   14. List of academic journals by preprint policy, Wikipedia, 16 January
   2014,
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_academic_journals_by_preprint_policy
   15. arXiv.org, accessed 2 February 2014, http://arxiv.org/


TheSparc Founding Team
Advisory Panel

*Chair *

*Peter Saunders *
PhD Theoretical Cosmology, Prof Emeritus Applied Mathematics,
Biomathematician, Co-Director of ISIS, London, UK

Panel Members

*Million Belay Ali*
PhD Participatory Mapping for Learning and Change in the Context of
Resilience and Biocultural Diversity, AFSA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

*Nnimmo Bassey� *
Environmental Justice Advocate Food Sovereignty, Health of Mother Earth
Founsdation HOMEF, Benin City, Nigeria

*Adolpho Boy *
Researcher retired from INTA Msc in Horticulture WSU Horticulture Professor
University of Moron BsAs Argentina , GRR, Salsipuedes Cordoba, Argentina

*Larissa Brizhik*
Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Leading Research Fellow, Bogolyubov
Institute for Theoretical Physics, Prigogine Medal 2011, Ukraine National
Academy of Sciences Medal 2012, Kiev, Ukraine

*Martin Chaplin*
PhD, FRSC Professor Emeritus, Chemistry of Water, South Bank University,
London, UK

*Yokeling Chee*
Law degrees, University of Malaya (Malaysia), Cambridge University (UK),
Director of Programmes, Third World Network, Penang, Malaysia

*Joe Cummins*
Ph D Genetics, Environmental Pollution and Remediation, Prof Emeritus and
Distinguished Fellow of ISIS, London Ontario, Canada

*Stefan Doeblin*
Chairman and Chief Executive Network-Economy Group,
Bern-Brussels-Frankfurt-London

*Irina Ermakova *
Prof Biology, Expert on Ecological and Food Safety, Member of Academy of
Geopolitical Problems, Moscow, Russia

*Sally Fallon Morell*
MA English, President of Weston A. Price Foundation, Editor of Wise
Traditions quarterly journal, USA

*Adrian Gibbs *
BSc PhD, ARCS FAA, ANU Emeritus Faculty, Canberra, Australia

*Adrian Ho*
Senior Founding Partner of ZeusJones, New Business Models, Minneapolis, USA

*Mae-Wan Ho *
PhD, Biosafety Roster of Experts, Director of ISIS, Physics of Organisms
and Sustainable Systems, Prigogine Medalist 2014, London, UK

*Rosemary Mason *
MB ChB FRCA, Award winning ex editor of medical journal, Wales, UK

*Stuart Newman *
PhD, Chemistry, Developmental Biology, Biological Physics, Evolution of
Developmental Mechanisms, New York Medical College, USA

*Alexis Pietak *
PhD Physics, Queen�s University Canada, Organic Electric, Kingston, Canada

*Michel Pimbert*
Director, Centre for Agroecology and Food Security, Coventry University, UK

*Gerald Pollack *
PhD Editor in Chief, Water, Prof Bioengineering, University of Washington,
Prigogine Medalist 2011, Seattle, USA

*Claire Robinson*
M Phil, Editor GMWatch, Researcher, London, UK

*Stephanie Seneff *
PhD, Senior Research Scientist, MIT Computer Science and Artificial
Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, Mass, USA

*Nancy Swanson *
PhD, Quantum Optics, 5 US patents, author of books, Seattle, Washington, USA

Advisory Panel Manager/Moderator

*Eva Sirinathsinghji*
PhD Molecular biology, Researcher and Staff Writer, Institute of Science in
Society

IT Manager and Webmaster

*Julian Haffegee*
MPh, Productions Editor, & Publicity *Science in Society*, and Webmaster of
ISIS