Science space: the evolution of scientific knowledge specialisations across European regions

Abstract This study extends evolutionary economic geography to science by mapping how regional scientific capabilities emerge and evolve across Europe. Using Web of Science publications (2000–2017) geo-coded to 1,216 regions in 35 countries and classified into 228 subjects, we construct a pan-European “Science Space” based on subject co-occurrence and relatedness, and test whether relatedness density, i.e., the embeddedness of a subject in a region’s existing portfolio, predicts subsequent entry (Revealed Scientific Advantage ≥ 1). Network evidence shows Europe’s science system becoming more interdisciplinary, with technology-adjacent subjects (e.g., nanoscience, robotics, computer science) gaining centrality, while Life Sciences & Biomedicine remain dominant by volume. Econometric results (pooled OLS and GLM for binary entry, with region/subject/period fixed effects and controls for the regional economy and knowledge base) indicate that higher relatedness density significantly raises the likelihood of scientific entry. The effect is stronger in non-metropolitan regions and when a subject’s initial RSA is very low, consistent with relatedness seeding new capabilities rather than merely consolidating near-threshold strengths. These findings generalise the principle of relatedness from technology to science and advise regional innovation policy to prioritise adjacent scientific opportunities, invest in bridging infrastructures, and design interdisciplinary platforms where relatedness density is high but specialisation has not yet emerged.