Why Science Still Matters In The Age Of Big Data

By Vikram Jandhyala&Nitin Baliga, Inside Science - We recently met with a host of biotechnology leaders and were struck by their infatuation with Big Data and machine learning. In fact, upon reflection, it was amazing how often the word "algorithm" came up in the course of our conversations with these accomplished scientists. The boom in software and computing has achieved powerful and profound results in our society. And, yes, the world is a better place, thanks to data analytics. But we need to slow down and regain our perspective, because Big Data and machine learning are absolutely not ends unto themselves, and they certainly aren't a replacement for basic scientific research and exploration.