For example, before testing an idea, a scientist would first examine what has already been published on the subject. Perhaps the experiment has already been done. Instead of reinventing the wheel, the scientist could move on to the next logical step. Science works because new discoveries are presented to the community, examined for their validity, and often replicated to ensure that the results are sound. Experimental evidence adds to the body of scientific knowledge, helping to refine ideas and improve theories.
Publication carries responsibilities in the scientific community.
The authors of a scientific article must publish a sufficiently detailed account of their research methods so that other scientists, merely by reading the article, would have enough information to be able to repeat the experiments. In addition, once the work is published, the authors are obliged to supply the reagents they used in their experiments to others, including their competitors. The idea behind this is that science isn't believable if it can't be repeated by others. To enable such validation, reagents and protocols must be freely available to the community. Publication also provides universal recognition for the authors as being the first to make a discovery.