How to deal with being “scooped”: the vast majority of science is a process of derivative, incremental advance

Researchers are under increasing pressure to deliver novel research findings and as such, it can be incredibly disheartening when another team publishes ahead of you on a similar topic. But is this competitive mentality true to the scientific process? Chris Chambers argues there are several positive sides to being “scooped” and by focusing on these positives, researchers can overcome the initial disappointment. Getting scooped is a sign that your research is important and that you are probably asking the right questions.