AS and A2 Media Studies. Do Scientific Advancements Lean on the Shoulders of Giants? A Bibliometric Investigation of the Ortega Hypothesis. Abstract Background In contrast to Newton's well-known aphorism that he had been able “to see further only by standing on the shoulders of giants,” one attributes to the Spanish philosopher Ortega y Gasset the hypothesis saying that top-level research cannot be successful without a mass of medium researchers on which the top rests comparable to an iceberg.
Methodology/Principal Findings The Ortega hypothesis predicts that highly-cited papers and medium-cited (or lowly-cited) papers would equally refer to papers with a medium impact. The Newton hypothesis would be supported if the top-level research more frequently cites previously highly-cited work than that medium-level research cites highly-cited work. Really cool stereoview-esque GIFs by Dain Fagerholm. Really cool stereoview-esque GIFs by Dain Fagerholm Nice Gifs by Seattle-based artist Dain Fagerholm.
There’s more at his website. Via The Curious Brain.