Michael Price at ScienceInsider reported that the health-research organization Research!America has conducted a new poll that shows that about half of Americans think that another country will surpass the US in healthcare, science, and technology prowess by the year 2020. "Of the 1,005 likely voters polled, 47 percent said they thought the United States would lead the world in healthcare by 2020. … Only 42 percent said they thought the United States would retain its position as the world leader in science and technology by 2020, while 26 percent predicted China would assume that mantle, and 23 percent chose India." S. Pelech reflects that a lot of the present rhetoric going around about the decline of American dominance in science and technology reminds him about the hype in the late 50's and 60's about the West lagging behind the East (at that time the East meant the Soviet Union) with the space and nuclear arms race. The calls to action resulted a marked escalation of funding to advance scientific research in the West. Read More...

Tags: Research Competition, China