In foreign science and after recent reforms in Russian one too, the number of publications is considered one of the key factors for the evaluation of a researcher's competency.

The motto "publish or perish" weighs upon scientific community. However, recent statistical analysis of the greatest Scopus scientific publications database has shown that less than 1% of all researchers annually deliver an article. PLoS ONE journal published this news, whereas its summary was suggested by the online media Science News.

There were found out 15 million researchers who published the results of their studies in 1996-2011. Each year the articles belonged to only 150608 authors, however, the members of this elite group were frequently found in journals; their names are presented in 41.7 % of all publications and 87% of the most cited articles (more over 1000 references).  

The research conductors tried to analyze what researchers are among the leaders of publications. These are first of all the heads of laboratories and scientific groups; they arrange financing, manage researches, and as a result their names are mentioned among the authors of numerous articles.  Other researchers from this exclusive group are those having enough spare time and employment security to conduct their own researches.

The base of the pyramid is occupied by thousands of postgraduates working for joint projects for many years that results in a short reference in one or two articles. The modern system of the organization of research process is based upon the labour exploitation of millions young researchers, add the authors.