ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Gray literature

Gray literature is like a hidden treasure chest that grown-ups use to find information that is not in regular books. You know how we have books with stories and pictures that we read every day? Well, gray literature is different because it has information that is not in those books.

Think of it like a secret hideout that grown-ups go to when they want to find really important information that they can't find in regular books. Maybe they want to learn about a new medicine or a new way to build things. They can go to the hideout, and find papers or reports or research studies that tell them about the new thing.

The special thing about gray literature is that it is not easy to find. It might be in a big folder or on a website that only a few people know about. That's why it's like a secret hideout. Grown-ups who need to find really important information have to be really good at looking for it. And when they find it, they can use it to help lots of people.

So, gray literature is like a secret hideout where grown-ups go to find important information that they can't find in regular books. It's like a treasure chest of information that is not easily found, but when you do find it, it can be really valuable.