Can Social Networks help the progress of Astrophysics and Cosmology?
An experiment in the field of Galaxy Kinematics
(2010)Abstract
This paper is crucial part of an experiment aimed to investigate whether
Social Networks can be of help for Astrophysics. In the present case,
in helping to eliminate the deep-routed wrong misconception of Flat
Rotation Curves of Spiral Galaxies, more rapidly and efficiently
than the traditional method of publishing peer-reviewed papers and
organizing a number of international conferences. To reach this goal
we created the Facebook Group "Rotation Curve are not Flat" that
we filled with all the evidence necessary for an immediate and definite
confrontation with the above fallacious legendary belief. In this
paper, we solicit the interested Astrophysicist/Cosmologist FB users
to join this group. Finally, the paper informs the Astrophysical
Community that a widespread belief is instead an hoax, whose consideration
may slow down the progress of science and that must be taken care
by innovative means of communicating scientific advances. This test
case may anticipate the future in which Web n.0 will become an effective
scientific tool for Astrophysics.