Death of distance? Remote collaboration and scientific breakthroughs

Abstract In this paper, we explore how the rise of remote collaboration has shaped the pursuit of new ideas in scientific discovery. To systematically distinguish between disruptive breakthroughs and incremental discoveries, we use citation data for over 10 million research teams—publishing in 11 fields of research from 1961 to 2020. On average, we document a robust and significant negative correlation between remote collaboration and breakthrough discovery. However, beginning in the 2010s, such correlation tapers off and even becomes positive. We provide evidence suggesting that the reversal is driven by improvements in key technologies needed for remote collaboration. We conclude by deriving some implications for the organization of knowledge work.