As scientists and scholars, we are both creators and users of information. Our work, however, only achieves its full value when it is shared with other researchers so as to forward the progress of science. One’s data becomes exponentially more useful when combined with the data of others. Today’s technology provides an unprecedented capacity for such data combination.

Researchers can now find and read papers online, rather than having to manually track down print copies. Machines (computers) can index the papers and extract the details (titles, keywords etc.) in order to alert scientists to relevant material. In addition, computers can extract factual data and meaning by “mining” the content.

Content mining is the way that modern technology makes use of digital information. Because the scientific community is now globally connected, digitized information is being uploaded from hundreds of thousands of different sources.