funding neuroscience lab with bitcoin donations

[ChefBorjan]

Interesting idea, but I think funding for science should really be done through the usual peer reviewed processes... it will ensure that money is diverted to the right places, or at the very least that the science is sound enough etc. I'm not saying that your work isn't, but you get what I mean of course.

[greyhawk]

Outside funding is already happening all the time especially in the life sciences. As long as the outside sponsor is clearly mentioned in the published results there is no problem with that.

Hell, I'd rather have our nootropics4bitcoin guy sponsor research of this dude and I'd know to read the study with a grain of salt than have what is usually happening in the performance supplement sector right now (which is pretty much: "Yeah, like in the 50s that Russian dude gave some of that stuff to a mouse and it could like benchpress a cat and so here we are and put it into our new Musclerizer Extreme Black Edition. No, we can't show you that study. It's in Russia, in Russian, in an obscure Russian dialect actually that no one speaks anymore but my mother, but she died yesterday, a shame really. But it totally works.")

[ChefBorjan]

I'm all for funding from any source as long as the funders are suitably informed and experienced within the field to decide where the money should go. This is why charities for example should delegate their money to research councils or have a team of dedicated scientists to decide who gets sponsorship.

Otherwise as I've said you could have people who have good intentions who desperately want to help cure cancer for example, and unknowingly donate money to 'quacks'.

[greyhawk]

I'm all for funding from any source as long as the funders are suitably informed and experienced within the field to decide where the money should go. This is why charities for example should delegate their money to research councils or have a team of dedicated scientists to decide who gets sponsorship.

Otherwise as I've said you could have people who have good intentions who desperately want to help cure cancer for example, and unknowingly donate money to 'quacks'.

Oh, you meant distribution of funds in the first place. Yeah. You're right.

[raze]

For what it's worth, I sent an email to 'rhartman@llu.edu' which is the email cited at http://www.llu.edu/behavioral-health/psychology/faculty/hartman.page. I then received a reply from Rich Hartman <behavioralneuroscience@gmail.com>. So this appears to be legitimate.