IBM continues blockchain push with patent around 'open scientific research'

Imagine a system where researchers could collaborate on scientific study, share their results, and be able to trust one another's data -- even across international borders. IBM has conjured up just such a vision with "Blockchain For Open Scientific Research," a patent filing published last week. IBM has been a patent powerhouse with blockchain, running essentially even with China's Alibaba in total filings. The new patent talks about the immutability of data on the blockchain as a way of increasing trust and ideally allowing better reproducibility of findings. It does note that "correction" blocks can also be added to fix problematic data -- but again those would be visible to all. Some social science work has been called under question lately when results couldn't be replicated, and IBM's system could in theory help mitigate these and other issues. Mastercard and Bank of America are also big into blockchain patents, though are significantly behind IBM and Alibaba. (Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)