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Here are two
reports that underscore the long-term geopolitical shift that is currently
underway (which happens to be a key theme of my third book, When Giants Fall):
"Poll:
Voters Worried US Falling Behind in Science" (The
Hill)
More than
three-quarters of likely voters think the United States is losing its edge in
science, technology and innovation, according to a new poll released
Wednesday.
The 2012 ResearchAmerica poll aims to bolster the case for
increased federal spending on medical and other forms of research in a
political year dominated by tight budgets. Some 77 percent of respondents
said they agree the United States is losing its edge, while a slight majority
— 51 percent — thought a bigger slice of each healthcare dollar
should be spent on research (the current ratio is 5.5 cents per dollar).
"China
Continues Pouring Cash into Basic Science" (Times
Higher Education)
The Chinese
government's budget for basic research is set to increase by more than a
quarter this year.
According to Science magazine's Science Insider website, a draft budget
published last week pledges more than 32 billion yuan
(£3.3 billion) for basic research in 2012.
This represents
a 26 per cent increase on last year's budget.
Overall,
Chinese state spending on science and technology is set to increase by more
than 12 per cent to nearly 230 billion yuan.
The news
follows a succession of lavish increases for Chinese science funders in
recent years.
The budget of
the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the country's main
competitive funding agency, was doubled between 2009 and 2011.
Michael J. Panzner
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