Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a private research institute in New York State, is a source of many major discoveries in the medical sciences. | Photo: Provided by subject

The fee-free preprint servers Biorxiv and Medrxiv are currently being reorganised, says Science magazine. Since being founded in 2013 and 2019 respectively, these two platforms have published more preprints together than any other biology server. Data traffic skyrocketed during the Covid pandemic, not least because researchers were suddenly submitting large numbers of manuscripts in hopes of speeding up potential medical treatments. The numbers fell substantially again after the pandemic, but then they rose to almost the same level in 2024. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has hosted these two platforms so far, but it’s now going to be replaced by the non-profit organisation Openrxiv. According to John Inglis, one of the co-founders of the two websites, the aim of this is independence: “It should help us to improve our technological possibilities and user interfaces, along with fundraising and marketing”.