This is the 16189th most frequent Russian word.
раскрывая
"Раскрывая" means "revealing" or "unfolding."
Here, 'раскрывая' is used as a present participle indicating the act of opening occurring simultaneously with the action of immersion.
Раскрывая книгу, он начал погружаться в мир великих произведений.
Opening the book, he began to immerse himself in the world of great works.
In this context, 'раскрывая' means 'revealing' and serves to specify what kind of thoughts they were sharing while discussing their difficulties.
Секрет успеха стал ясен только после того, как они, раскрывая свои мысли, начали честно обсуждать свои трудности.
The secret of success became clear only after they, revealing their thoughts, started honestly discussing their difficulties.
Here 'раскрывая' refers to the ongoing action of scientists as they uncover information about nature.