The United States remains the leader in scientific innovation, according to the 2008 Science and Engineering Indicators released by the National Science Board earlier this year. But Asia, led by China, South Korea and Taiwan, is closing the gap and challenging the U.S. market position, the report says. Overall, the U.S. economy continues to be strong in the key indicators of national competitiveness —GDP growth, risking per capita income, and productivity growth. However, the report finds the European Union, although economically healthy overall, is slipping in science-and technology-related industries. Looking at public attitudes towards science and technology using survey data from a variety of sources, the report also finds most Americans are unfamiliar with emerging technologies. Only 1 in 10 consider themselves “very familiar” with biotechnology and 54 percent have heard “nothing at all” about nanotechnology. Still, more than two-thirds of Americans in 2005 supported the use of biotech. And when told about nanotech, about half of Americans, Canadians, and Europeans saw some benefit from it, the report says.
— Julie Chao
The Percentage of articles published in peer-reviewed journals that are authored by an industry researchers is a rough indicator of industrial research activity. In general, the ratio in the United States is declining in all fields, except for medical science, where it is growing slightly, and the biological sicences, where it has remained stable.
