OHBM
OHBM

Global access to brain science: OHBM launches channel with 1,000+ talks

What if you could journey back in time to hear world-leading neuroscientists present the ideas that shaped today's brain science? A new open-access initiative led by researchers from the Donders Institute, in collaboration with the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM), makes that possible.

Dubbed the OHBM Time Machine, this initiative opens up more than a decade of scientific talks—previously accessible only to conference attendees—to the global public. The channel makes 1,000 recorded talks—spanning keynotes, symposia, and educational courses—freely available on YouTube.

Published in Aperture Neuro, the project exemplifies a major step forward for open science. “We’ve turned the conference hall into a playlist,” says Dr Stephanie Forkel, Theme 1 Leader at the Donders Institute and Programme Chair of OHBM. “Now anyone, anywhere can binge-watch brain science like a box set.”

Opening the doors to knowledge

Academic conferences are treasure troves of early-stage ideas, new discoveries, and expert discussions—but historically, they have been limited to those who can afford to attend time- and money-wise. For early-career researchers, scientists in low-income regions, or the simply curious public, this knowledge was often out of reach.

The OHBM Time Machine changes that. Talks from as far back as 2013 are being uploaded, transforming the way science is preserved, taught, and shared. It also provides a longitudinal record of how scientific thinking has evolved—something rarely visible in journal publications alone.

Already, the numbers speak for themselves: content views on YouTube are three times higher than on the previous members-only platform, with the highest engagement from viewers aged 25–34 across the US, India, and Europe.

A tool for diversity, equity, and inclusion

The Time Machine is more than an archive—it's a tool for equity. By removing financial and geographical barriers, it empowers scientists from underrepresented regions and backgrounds to engage with cutting-edge research. 

“This project doesn’t just preserve the past,” Forkel notes. “It sets a precedent for how the scientific community can future-proof knowledge—and make it truly global.”

Sustainable scientific archive

To make this happen, the team designed automated tools to extract, clean, and upload massive volumes of conference video content from internal servers to the public platform. The result is a permanent, easily searchable, and global repository of brain science. It is a testament to the power of open science and a step forward in making neuroscience accessible to all.

Publication

Wearn, A., Sitek, K.R., Valk, S.L., & Forkel, S.J. (2025). The Organization for Human Brain Mapping Time Machine: A freely accessible archive of Annual Meeting talks on YouTube. Aperture Neuro. https://doi.org/10.52294/001c.138647.

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Theme
Behaviour, Brain, Diversity, Health & Healthcare, Language, Science, Sustainability