---
title: "Discovery science"
chunk: 2/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_science"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:43:35.183336+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

=== Proteomics ===
Another example of discovery science is proteomics, a technology-driven and technology limited discovery science. Technologies for proteomic analysis provide information that is useful in discovery science. Proteome analysis as a discovery science is applicable in biotechnology, e.g., it assists in 1) the discovery of biochemical pathways which can identify targets for therapies, 2) developing new processes for manufacturing biological materials, 3) monitoring manufacturing processes for the purpose of quality control, and 4) developing diagnostic tests and efficacious treatment strategies for clinical diseases. In the context of proteomics, current life-science research remains technology-limited, however, recent available tools have assisted in evolving such research from being hypothesis-driven to discovery-driven.

=== Hydrology ===
Field hydrology has experienced a decline in progress due to a change from discovery-based field work to the gathering of data for modal parameterisation. In field hydrology, models are not any more useful than an understanding of how systems work, and discovery science allows for this understanding. Several important examples of field-based inquiry and discovery have taken place in field hydrology. These include: identifying spatial patterns of soil moisture and how they relate to topography; interrogating such data through the use of geostatistics; and discovering the importance of macropore flow and hydrological connectivity. Some discovery-based questions that have been asked in field hydrology include 1) determining which parts of the watershed are most important in determining water delivery to the channel, 2) how the presence of 'old' water can be explained by groundwater travelling into the stream, and 3) how there can be an explanation for flashy hydrographs when there is no overland flow visible. Therefore, there is a need for discovery science in field hydrology, despite any unusual hydrological hypotheses that are formed.

=== Psychology ===
An example of discovery science being enhanced for human brain function can be seen in the 1000 Functional Connectomes Project (FCP). This project was launched in 2009 as a way of generating and collecting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from over 1,000 individuals. Similarly to decoding the human genome, the mapping of human brain function presents challenges to the functional neuroimaging community. For the first phase of discovery science, it is necessary to accumulate and share large-scale datasets for data mining. Traditionally, the neuroimaging community within psychology has focused on task-based and hypothesis-driven approaches, however, a powerful tool for discovery science has emerged in the form of resting-state functional MRI (R-fMRI). The potential of discovery science remains vast, e.g. 1) helping with decision-making and guiding clinical diagnoses by developing objective measures of brain functional integrity, 2) assessing the level of efficacy of treatment interventions, and 3) tracking responses to treatment. Among the scientific community, recruiting participation and achieving collaboration from the broad population is essential for successfully implementing discovery-based science in the context of human brain function.