For example a new research paper comes out and it describes some algorithm, say this is a cutting edge algorithm and came out last week, is there anything stopping me from using that algorithm in my codebase that is for commercial purposes?
What if the paper includes some code and I use that code? There does not seem to be any information about code licensing on the paper so I am not sure how this is meant to work.
2
You are free to use it unless it is a patented or copyrighted work. Usually such work won’t be published, or not all necessary reproducing the work details will be available in the publication.
However, one must follow the code of ethics and cite the publication in their work to avoid plagiarism. I wouldn’t encourage using of the same code myself.
However, there could be legal issues associated with this, and this is not a right place to ask this question.
6
In difference to the given and accepted answer, just to prevent some poor souls who run over this question to not do wrong decisions too easily:
No, you can not use that code until you have clarified the licensing terms. So for you, as you don’t have any licensing terms, all you can assume is that there are “all rights reserved”.
You solve that by trying to find out who the copyright holder of that code-fragment actually and then ask for the licensing. The person who wrote the paper probably is able to tell you. I can not say to you if she is willing though to tell you.
What if the paper includes some code and I use that code?
You have copied that code. You also have changed the work, you translated it from a printed work into a digital file on your computer most likely.
There does not seem to be any information about code licensing on the paper so I am not sure how this is meant to work.
Well, the reproduction of a work (for example translation) is only allowed if the copyright holder granted you a (at least limited) right to do so.
As you write that there is no information about the code-licensing given, then you perhaps (I don’t know so I can only assume) have no right at all to “use” that code (if using means to type it from the paper into your project).
For the code licensing itself, it’s perhaps only used in that publication to give an example, a quote from an existing copyrighted work, used under fair-use. No information must be given about it, and you can safely assume that there is all rights reserved on anything you see there unless you know otherwise. Which is not the case, so clarify with author(s) and copyright-holder(s) first.