Opinion by: Sasha Shilina, PhD, founder of Episteme and researcher at Paradigm Research Institute
Science has always been about pushing boundaries, yet today, many of those boundaries are artificial — walled-off journals, slow-moving institutions and research funding locked behind bureaucratic doors. The system is designed for gatekeepers, not explorers. But what if we could tear down those walls? What if science could be set free?
Over the past few years, we’ve watched decentralized science (DeSci) morph from a radical experiment into one of crypto’s most electrifying frontiers. Once dismissed as a niche idea, DeSci is now a billion-dollar movement. As of early 2025, the top DeSci tokens collectively boast a market capitalization of around $1 billion. Momentum is undeniable: Half of the top 10 projects in the space launched just last year, according to Messari. What started as a whisper is now a roar, echoing across the