Rate of scientific breakthroughs slowing over time

(UPDATE) THE rate of groundbreaking scientific discoveries and technological innovation is slowing down despite an ever-growing amount of knowledge, according to an analysis released Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) of millions of research papers and patents.

While previous research has shown downturns in individual disciplines, the study is the first that "emphatically, convincingly documents this decline of disruptiveness across all major fields of science and technology," lead author Michael Park told Agence France-Presse.