The often-hidden political and economic battle over who controls the direction, funding, and narrative of scientific research. This is the dark underbelly of pure inquiry: tenured professors blocking rival theories, corporate funders shaping study outcomes, governments weaponizing research for prestige, and publishers charging outrageous fees. It's the realization that the "marketplace of ideas" is a rigged game with gatekeepers, investors, and propaganda.
Example: "His groundbreaking paper on a cheap battery was buried because of the science power struggle. A senior reviewer with ties to a lithium-ion company sat on it for a year, then recommended rejection based on a minor methodology quibble. Truth doesn't win; it needs a lobbyist." Science Power Struggle
by Abzugal January 30, 2026
Get the Science Power Struggle mug.