Scientific journals are foundational to the modern research ecosystem. They are the primary formal medium by which empirical results, theoretical developments, and methodological advances are communicated and validated. Their relevance to innovation arises from their core functions: codifying and communicating new knowledge, facilitating systematic dissemination of original research. The peer review system is designed to ensure that claims are supported by evidence, that methods are described in sufficient detail to allow replication, and that conclusions flow logically from data, enabling other researchers to build upon validated findings rather than merely speculative claims. Chemical journals maintain high standards for experimental description (e.g., detailed synthetic procedures, analytical data, proof of structure), serving as gatekeepers and quality filters.

Scientific publications also serve as an official record of priority: when a discovery is published in a reputable journal, it establishes a timestamped claim that can be cited in subsequent work.

Academic careers are largely shaped by publication, and they may initiate chains of innovation. However, the authors should resolve all intellectual rights and property prior to submitting their papers.

Publication also promotes research through recognition and reward. It catalyzes interdisciplinary and translational innovations, increasingly publishing interdisciplinary research and driving breakthroughs that would not emerge within narrowly defined silos.

The Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (JBCS) is Brazil’s flagship chemistry journal, published by the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ). It provides a platform for Brazilian and Latin American researchers to publish high-quality work in English, increasing visibility of research from these regions on the global stage, connecting Brazilian chemists with the broader international community, fostering collaboration and contributing to global scientific dialogues. The journal endeavors to meet international standards of peer review and scientific rigor, enabling innovative research developed in Brazil to compete and be recognized on a global scale.

Still, the role played by JBCS can and needs to be enlarged, considering the status of the Brazilian innovation ecosystem. Innovation in Brazil has evolved significantly over the past three decades, increasingly driven by structured collaboration between universities and industry. Braskem, Embraer, Oxiteno (now Indovinya), CBMM and Petrobras acquired global relevance by their innovative products and processes, often including academic inputs. From the 1990s onward - especially after the creation of sectoral funds in the late 1990s and the 2004 Innovation Law (Lei da Inovação) - a more diversified national innovation system began to emerge.

Brazil’s public universities account for the majority of the country’s basic research output and are key sources of highly qualified human capital. Through NITs (Núcleos de Inovação Tecnológica), incubators, and science parks, these institutions increasingly support patenting, licensing, and startup creation. However, there are persistent deficiencies. For instance, the scarcity of incubator facilities adequate for chemical and other related activities, making the “Death Valley” for Brazilian innovation wider and deeper.

Industrial-academic collaboration involving Chemistry is particularly strong in many sectors: oil and gas, agribusiness, biofuels, polymers, mining, and pharmaceuticals. However, rare earths are a case of regression, triggered by the transformation of Orquima S/A in a state-owned company.

Despite these successes, challenges remain. Brazilian industry invests proportionally less in research and development (R&D) than counterparts in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, largely due to regulatory complexity and taxes. Beyond, cultural differences between career indicators and timelines slows academic-industrial joint technology developments.

Government agencies such as FINEP, CNPq, and state foundations like FAPESP increasingly provide funding mechanisms that encourage joint projects. The current emphasis on open innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation is creating new opportunities for synergy. Strengthening trust, long-term funding stability, and intellectual property management will be crucial for expanding Brazil’s capacity to translate scientific excellence into industrial competitiveness.

In this context, JBCS may play a decisive role in preventing problems that currently harm the academicindustrial collaborations worldwide. Scientific journals and the broader publication ecosystem face well-documented challenges that threaten intellectual honesty and innovation. These stem from systemic pressures - often referred to as publish or perish, impact factor obsession, and science marketing.

A major concern across disciplines is publication bias - the tendency to preferentially publish positive results, with negative or non-significant results remaining unpublished or relegated to less visible venues. This creates a distorted picture of scientific reality, where only the “exciting” findings are visible, regardless of reproducibility or long-term validity. Large replication efforts have shown that many highly cited findings fail to replicate when independently tested, underscoring that published prominence does not guarantee truth.