Crossref New Datasets Screensaver
The Crossref New Datasets screensaver streams real newly-registered research datasets as they're reported. It is free, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.
Live preview
Press ESC to leave fullscreen. Settings are saved in your browser only.
How the Crossref New Datasets screensaver works
The background pipeline polls Crossref's own public API — the DOI registry used by most scholarly publishers — every few minutes for new records.
Each new item eases up into its slot at the bottom of the list as it arrives.
A header shows a live/connecting indicator and the last update time.
No key is required for this key-less public endpoint.
What counts as a Crossref dataset
Researchers increasingly publish the data behind a paper separately, with its own DOI so it can be cited. Crossref, the DOI registry used by most scholarly publishers, has a content type called dataset in its REST API, one of dozens of record types that also include journal articles, books, reports and posted content, and this screensaver follows the newest dataset records as they are registered.
Expect it to run far slower than the article or preprint feeds. Datasets are only one type among many in Crossref’s records, and a dataset DOI can be registered through other DOI registration agencies rather than Crossref, so only those deposited through Crossref can appear here. Slow does not mean broken: the list may sit unchanged between refreshes.
The records are metadata, not data. A dataset record describes a collection of files, so titles are often terse or technical, and the DOI is a persistent identifier that points to wherever the registering organisation says the dataset lives. A single depositor can also register a batch of similar items at once, which is why near-duplicate titles sometimes appear in a row.
A worked example
A real recent item scrolls into view with its details, then eases upward as newer ones arrive behind it.
Settings & tips
- These are dataset DOIs specifically, filtered from Crossref's full record stream.
- Accent recolours the header and highlights.
- New DOIs appear here within minutes of registration.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this real data?
- Yes — it's read live from Crossref's own public API, the DOI registry used by most scholarly publishers.
- Is a key needed?
- No. This is a fully key-less public API.
- How often does it refresh?
- The pipeline polls for new records every few minutes.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.
- Why are there so few datasets compared with articles?
- Dataset is just one of many record types Crossref holds, and datasets can also be registered with other DOI agencies. This feed shows only what Crossref receives.
- Can I download the data from here?
- No. The saver shows information about newly registered datasets, not the files themselves. The DOI points to wherever the depositor has registered the dataset.