Modern science and healthcare generate vast amounts of data, and coupled with increasingly cheap and accessible computing, there is a tremendous opportunity to use these data to improve care. A better understanding of data science and its relationship to neurosurgical practice will be increasingly important as we transition into this modern "big data" era. We first define the nature and scope of data science from a technical perspective. We then discuss its relationship to the modern neurosurgical practice, highlighting key references which may form a useful introductory reading list. We conclude with a discussion of challenges going forward, and the role of organized neurosurgery in the broader effort to merge data science with neurosurgical practice.