Science is a bonus system. Your scientists write books every tick, and you spend those books on sciences that make your province stronger: more gold, better attacks, stronger spells and more. This page explains how books are earned and spent, what each science gives, and the formulas behind the numbers.
In short
- Books are your science points. Your scientists produce them every tick.
- Each scientist works in one of three categories: Economy, Military or Arcane Arts.
- You put books into any science in that category. They take effect instantly.
- More books in one science gives a bigger bonus, but with diminishing returns (the bonus grows with the books raised to the power 1/2.125).
- Scientists rank up with experience and write more books. Re-assigning one sends them back to Recruit.
- Universities speed up new scientists and book production. Libraries raise science efficiency.
How science works
Scientists and books
Your province starts with a set number of scientists, assigned across the three categories: Economy, Military and Arcane Arts. Every tick they produce books in the category they are assigned to, and the number depends on their rank. Schools increase this effect. Scientists have no networth value. Inactive provinces do not produce books.
Every tick your province also builds progress towards a new scientist. Universities increase the rate of that progress.
Spending books
Books can be allocated to any science within the category they were produced in. Allocated books take effect instantly. See the table below for what each science does.
Ranks and experience
Scientists start as Recruits. Their experience is based on how many books they have produced in their category. As they rank up, each one writes more books per tick.
| Rank | Experience | Books per tick |
|---|---|---|
| Recruit | 0-1439 | 60 |
| Novice | 1440-5279 | 80 |
| Graduate | 5280-12479 | 100 |
| Professor | 12480+ | 120 |
Numbers last updated 27 Sep 2026. Changed? Help keep it current.
Numbers last updated 26 Aug 2025.
Re-assigning scientists
You can re-assign a scientist to another category at any time, but they drop back to Recruit when you do. Refer to this forum post for a discussion on this topic: http://forums.utopia-game.com/showthread.php?639982-A-Question-About-Ticks-amp-Buildings
What each science gives
There are three categories, each with six sciences. The multiplier is the science's strength in the Science Bonus formula below. For descriptions, check the Guide at https://utopia-game.com/guide/, then go to Science in the navigation menu.
| Category | Science | What it does | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Alchemy | Income | ~0.0724 |
| Economy | Tools | Building Effectiveness | ~0.0524 |
| Economy | Housing | Population Limits | ~0.0262 |
| Economy | Production | Food & Rune Production | ~0.2172 |
| Economy | Bookkeeping | Wage Reduction | ~0.068 |
| Economy | Artisan | Construction Time Reduction, Construction & Raze Cost Reduction | ~0.0478 |
| Military | Strategy | Defensive Military Efficiency | ~0.0367 |
| Military | Siege | Battle Gains | ~0.0262 |
| Military | Tactics | Offensive Military Efficiency | ~0.0367 |
| Military | Valor | Reduced Military Train Time & Increased Dragon Slaying Strength | ~0.0582 |
| Military | Heroism | Draft Speed & Draft Costs Reduction | ~0.0418 |
| Military | Resilience | Reduced Military Casualties | ~0.0489 |
| Arcane Arts | Crime | Thievery Effectiveness | ~0.1557 |
| Arcane Arts | Channeling | Magic Effectiveness | ~0.1875 |
| Arcane Arts | Shielding | Reduced Damage from Enemy Thievery and Magic Instant Operations | ~0.0314 |
| Arcane Arts | Sorcery | Increased Magic Instant Damage | ~0.0314 |
| Arcane Arts | Cunning | Increased Thievery Operation Damage | ~0.0314 |
| Arcane Arts | Finesse | Reduced Wizards and Thieves lost on Failed Spells and Operations | ~0.0965 |
Numbers last updated 27 Sep 2026. Changed? Help keep it current.
Numbers last updated 26 Aug 2025.
Science networth
Books count towards your networth. Books are worth [0.000006 * Current Land] points.
Formulas
Science Bonus
This gives the bonus a science provides. It grows with the number of books in that science, scaled by the science's multiplier and by your modifiers.
Scientist Spawn Rate
This gives how quickly your province builds progress towards a new scientist each tick.
Obsolete and historical data
Historical information on science systems and formulas can be found here: Science: Obsolete and historical data
See also
- Universities and Libraries
- Mystics (Amnesia, Scientific Insights, Revelation)
- Race and Personality
- Networth