[Gondring]

But I would have to wonder how much unintentional duplicate research this would cut down on.

Interesting that the news headline I saw just before reading this article was...

Intel, IBM separately reveal transistor breakthrough

Sometimes duplicate research is a good thing, though...e.g., it can provide confirmation of a principle, or it can provide a different solution approach to the same problem.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I don't have a problem with a certain number of scientists paid from my taxes doing this on purpose, because it is necessary to prove that another's ground breaking research is valid. But I'd also like to see scientists informed enough about what has already gone on to take the next step from there. Standing on one another's shoulders is easier when one knows where others' shoulders have gone to already. Requiring the results to be free to public view, warts and all, if paid for by the public purse, is a must.