The Unintended Consequences of Research

In the world of commons advocacy, a powerful argument in its favor goes like this: by sharing as much information as possible, especially in the research arena, you increase the possibility of researchers stumbling across discoveries not originally sought.

As but one fascinating example, Reuters reports that Israeli researchers may have found a "promising new way to stop the growth and spread of cancer cells" -- while researching ways to increase the size of peaches and nectarines.

Is this an example of the commons working? I don't know, but it is certainly an example of the basic paradigm: we don't always know to where one initial path, fact or discovery will lead, so if we decrease access to information, we decrease the chances of stumbling upon such discoveries.

Food for thought . . .