From Little Science to Big Science

The number of scientists has been increasing exponentially for at least a century, with doubling times ranging from 10 to 15 years. The needs of the scientific enterprise are now beginning to strain or even overwhelm national resources and are irreversibly transforming science's soul. Not all changes are for the worse, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain scientific integrity, fair quality control and the spirit of cooperation within the scientific community. Coming to terms with Big Science is one of the major challenges of the next scientific generation.