When undone science stifles innovation: the case of the Tasmanian devil cancer
<p class="first" id="d273975e69">Gaps or deficits in knowledge present opportunities for new and innovative research, but when studies are undone much is lost. The concept of ‘undone science’ can be understood within related concepts, including ignor...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Pluto Journals
2015-08-01
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| Series: | Prometheus |
| Online Access: | https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.1080/08109028.2016.1168202 |
| Summary: | <p class="first" id="d273975e69">Gaps or deficits in knowledge present opportunities for new and innovative research,
but when studies are undone much is lost. The concept of ‘undone science’ can be understood
within related concepts, including ignorance, nescience, non-knowledge and the chilling
effect. The Tasmanian devil cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD), is a new and
novel cancer, potentially providing many opportunities for innovative research. The
contagious cancer hypothesis for DFTD is also novel. In the research it has sponsored,
the Tasmanian government elected to follow this pathway, neglecting an alternative
plausible hypothesis that toxins in the devils' environment may have played a role
in the initiation or progression of the cancer. The studies were not viewed as opportunities
to fill gaps in devil cancer knowledge, and remain undone.
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| ISSN: | 0810-9028 1470-1030 |