I wrote this as an open letter to my colleagues not already involved in the science online community, but I hope it strikes a chord with everyone. 

It might sound cliché of me to say that the web revolutionized our world. It’s transformed the way we consume information, expanded communication, changed participation in commerce and politics, and even fueled massive social movements.

What might be less often pondered is the remarkable ways in which the web is changing science – the way it is communicated, taught and done.  Public web-portals supply data on unprecedented scales. Mass communication and scientific collaboration happens instantly through online networks. Researchers gather far-reaching financial support through crowdfunding, and employ small armies of research assistants as part of citizen science projects.

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