Scientists, citizens and goods

The social utility of science deals with the need of breaking down some barriers separating the scientific community and society. Both are involved in the relationships among science, democracy and goods. It is a recent phenomenon linked to the advent of the World Wide Web, which has led to a huge explosion in the availability of information. Many companies are now involved in this revolution and are aware of the importance of the sharing culture. Conversely, the academic world travels at a slower pace, despite the widespread awareness of the importance of accessibility to research products for scientific progress.