Tell me something about your job that’s obvious to you, but it’s not obvious to others. I’ll go first.
The peer-review process, a cornerstone of scientific publishing, necessitates the contribution of significant expertise and time from other scientists on a voluntary basis (for free).
This ensures the quality and integrity of research before publication. However, the financial burden of publication itself often falls on the authors, and access to the published work can be further restricted by paywalls.
This creates an interesting dynamic where the dissemination of knowledge rests heavily on the pro bono efforts of researchers. It underscores the vital, yet often unseen, role scientists play in maintaining the scientific record.
If all of a sudden all scientists stopped working for free, the world of research would collapse.