
Lost in translation: How the dominance of English turns science into a closed and privileged conversation
English is modern science’s common language, with up to 98% of scientific articles published in English. Most major scientific journals operate in this language, limiting a researcher’s success to their English competence. In some countries, such as Colombia, English proficiency is a privilege usually linked to a high-income background, while translation and editing services remain unattainable by most. To understand and minimize the gap in the global production and comprehension of science, it is crucial to address the hegemony of the English language as its main quality control.