How Discoveries Work
Not all contributions are discoveries. And that's perfectly fine.
We use a 5-tier system to distinguish between everyday work and genuine breakthroughs — protecting the integrity of real discoveries while ensuring all contributions are tracked and valued.
Log everything. Claim cautiously. Confirm slowly.
The Discovery Pyramid
Most work stays at the base — and that's expected. Each tier up requires more evidence, more validation, and more time.
Observation
99% of all work
Anomaly
~5-10% of work
Finding
~1-2% of work
Discovery
~0.1% of work
Breakthrough
Rare (<0.01%)
Observation
Auto-loggedEvery contribution is recorded automatically. Zero friction. You don't need to claim anything — just work, and the system captures it.
Frequency
99% of all work
Anomaly
AI-detectedThe system flags unusual patterns or potential insights. Something unexpected showed up in the data or analysis — worth a closer look.
Frequency
~5-10% of work
Finding
Self-declaredYou claim you found something significant. The AI validates against prior work to check it's genuinely new, not rediscovery.
Frequency
~1-2% of work
Discovery
Peer-validatedCommunity or expert review confirms the finding. Others have checked your work, tried to reproduce it, and agreed it's real.
Frequency
~0.1% of work
Breakthrough
External impactThe discovery influences work outside the platform. It's being cited, applied, or built upon by the broader community.
Frequency
Rare (<0.01%)
Why We Don't Rush
Time delays aren't bureaucracy — they're protection. Real discoveries survive scrutiny. False positives get filtered out.
Automated detection — no friction
Reflection period before claiming
Time for validation and challenge
Impact takes time to emerge
The Five-Sigma Lesson
Particle physics requires 5-sigma certainty (p < 0.0000003) to claim a discovery — because the field was "burned by discoveries at lower significance levels being later retracted."
We're not that extreme, but we respect the principle: premature claims damage credibility.The replication crisis (50-70% of published findings may be false positives) proves that rushing to confirm leads to noise, not knowledge.
The Philosophy
Three principles that protect the integrity of discoveries while ensuring all contributors are recognized.
Log everything
Capture all contributions automatically, with zero effort from contributors. Priority is established by timestamps, not claims.
Claim cautiously
Require explicit declaration before calling something a "finding." This forces reflection and reduces noise.
Confirm slowly
Delay confirmation to allow challenges, replication attempts, and careful review. True discoveries survive scrutiny.
Why This Prevents Problems
Problem
If everything is a "discovery"
Consequence
The word loses meaning and ownership gets diluted across noise
Our Solution
Tiered system keeps signal separate from noise
Problem
If we rush to confirm
Consequence
False positives damage credibility (see: cold fusion, LK-99)
Our Solution
Time delays filter out hype and mistakes
Problem
If validation is optional
Consequence
Gaming and over-claiming run rampant
Our Solution
Peer review required for high-tier status
How Ownership Connects
The discovery tier system determines recognition, but all contributions matter for ownership.
All Contributions Count
Even Tier 0 observations contribute to your ownership stake. Every piece of data, every analysis, every experiment — it all adds up. You don't need a "discovery" to have a stake.
Bonus Recognition for Higher Tiers
Reaching Tier 2+ may grant bonus recognition — but it's additive, not exclusive. The people who contributed data and analysis still share in the discovery, even if they didn't make the final insight.
Credit Is Shared
Discoveries rarely happen in isolation. When a Tier 3 Discovery is confirmed, credit flows to everyone who contributed — weighted by their actual contribution across our 8 categories.
Example: Climate Pattern Discovery
Data Team
1000+ observations (Tier 0)
AI Analyst
Flagged anomaly (Tier 1)
Dr. Chen
Claimed finding (Tier 2→3)
Validators
Peer review team
Note: The data team has the largest share despite no one on that team reaching Tier 2+. Discoveries need foundation work.
The Bottom Line
Most of your work will be Tier 0 observations. That's normal, expected, and valuable. Real discoveries are rare — that's what makes them special. But when they happen, everyone who contributed shares in the recognition.