Paper Mache: Creating Dynamic Reproducible Science

For centuries, the research paper have been the main vehicle for scientific progress. From the paper, readers in the scientific community are expected to extract all the relevant information necessary to reproduce and validate the results presented by the paper's authors. However, the increased use of computer software in science makes reproducing scientific results increasingly difficult. The research paper in its current state is no longer sufficient to fully reproduce, validate, or review a paper's experimental results and conclusions. This impedes scientific progress. To remedy these concerns, we introduce Paper Mache, a new system for creating dynamic, executable research papers. The key novelty of Paper Mache is its use of virtual machines, which lets readers and reviewers easily view and interact with a paper, and reproduce key experimental results. For authors, the Paper Mache workbench provides an easy-to-use interface to build an executable paper. By transforming the static research paper into a dynamic and interactive entity, Paper Mache brings the presentation of scientific results into the 21st century. We believe that Paper Mache will become indispensable to the scientific process, and increase the visibility of key findings among members and non-members of the scientific community.