SAN BERNARDINO, California, USA, 17 December 2024 - In a compelling Genomic Press Interview, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Julio Licinio reveals how a children's book about a lonely color has shaped the innovative vision of scientific publisher Genomic Press. The story of Flicts, penned by renowned Brazilian artist Ziraldo Alves Pinto, has become more than just a brand element – it represents a revolutionary approach to academic publishing.
"Sometimes the ideas that don't fit anywhere else are precisely the ones that help us reach the stars," explains Dr. Licinio, highlighting the publisher's mission to support research that transcends traditional academic boundaries. This philosophy stems from Flicts, a tale about a color that found its true home not on Earth but on the moon – a connection famously acknowledged by astronaut Neil Armstrong with his handwritten note: "The Moon is Flicts."
The significance of Flicts extends beyond its literary origins. Written during the height of the Space Race in 1969, the story captured both the isolation of innovation and the boundless possibilities of exploration. Ziraldo, who passed away in April 2024 at age 91, created more than just a children's story – he crafted a metaphor that would resonate deeply with scientific pioneers decades later.
The timing of this editorial coincides with significant developments in cross-disciplinary research publishing. As scientific fields increasingly overlap, researchers often struggle to find appropriate venues for work that doesn't fit neatly into established categories. Genomic Press's journals – Brain Medicine, Genomic Psychiatry, and Psychedelics – specifically target this gap in academic publishing.
Dr. Licinio points to the unique character of Flicts – technically a "fictional color" with precise digital values (Hex D49126 or RGB 212,145,38) – as a metaphor for research that exists between established categories. "What color is consciousness?" he asks. "Where in the traditional rainbow do you file research that bridges neuroscience and psychedelic therapy?"
The editorial raises intriguing questions about the future of scientific publishing: How might other disciplines benefit from similarly innovative approaches to categorical boundaries? Could this model help advance other emerging fields where traditional publication venues prove inadequate?
The story of Flicts, published in 1969 – the same year as the moon landing – continues to resonate with contemporary challenges in academic publishing. "Like Flicts being told there is no room in the rainbow, researchers have often been told their work is 'too cross-disciplinary' or 'doesn't fit our scope,'" notes Dr. Licinio.
Genomic Press has already begun implementing this philosophy through several groundbreaking initiatives. The publisher's peer review process specifically welcomes interdisciplinary perspectives, and its editorial boards include experts from diverse scientific backgrounds. "When researchers come to us with work that crosses traditional boundaries, they're not just finding a publisher – they're finding a home for ideas that could reshape our understanding of science," explains Dr. Licinio.
This innovative approach has already attracted attention from leading researchers in emerging fields such as computational psychiatry, psychedelic medicine, and neural interface development. The publisher's commitment to breaking down traditional barriers is particularly relevant as science increasingly moves toward integrated, systems-level approaches to complex problems.
The complete editorial, titled "Genomic Press and the moon are Flicts: A tale of belonging and innovation," is available on December 17, 2024 in Genomic Psychiatry. The article is freely accessible online at https://doi.org/10.61373/gp024d.0091.
