Conceptual and technical work: Who will disrupt science?

•We analyze the insights underlying the design of the disruption index.•Conceptual work is more likely to disrupt science than technical work.•Disruption reflects how paradigms shift in the development of science.•“New direction” identified by disruption also includes using new framing for an existing phenomenon that facilitates scientific dissemination.•Citing highly cited papers may decrease the disruption of paper.