“Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.”

This is part of Article 27 in the UN Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed on 10 December 1948. Science and art are such a part of the human existence that the importance of participation was recognized as a human right. This document is not legally binding, but it does set what should be considered a human right.

But what does it mean to “to share in scientific advancement and its benefits”? It is an interesting question especially as that concept has evolved over the last 75 years.