The president's guide to science

[Charlie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7619202.stm

Possibly scary stuff. The more I look at it the more I think that there may just be too much power and responsibility for one person.

[Sophist]

It's really is horrible how much Science has suffered at the hands of politicians, especially with this last administration-- and I pray that's going to change if/when Obama gets into office.

Though I find it a strange criticism that the politicians don't come from a science background. Frankly, I've not met too many scientists who are drawn to a political life, nor do I think the "personality type" of the scientist would make an especially good politician-- and vice versa.

[Noctivagus]

I think Evolution Specialists would make great Politicians... both manipulate facts to suit themselves and are closely related to apes.

[Sophist]

I think Evolution Specialists would make great Politicians... both manipulate facts to suit themselves and are closely related to apes.

[beware_the_sluagh]

I read recently that a lot of top scientists, especially physicists, in the USA came there as a result of WWII (either fleeing Germany beforehand, or leaving Europe during or after), people including Einstein, Bohr and Pauli (and pretty much all the immigrant physicists worked on the Manhattan project). These scientists drew other scientists, students, etc and fed the scientific community in the USA. Now, many of the world war II scientists are dead, and although obviously good scientists have resulted in the form of their students and others they drew in, their influence is waning and the flow on effect is diluting and the USA is losing the scientific advantage they had as much of it was externally generated.
The list of top people who came to the USA fleeing Europe is astounding, and when you look at the name, you can see that science in the USA could easily have coasted along on that wave very easily with little input or encouragement from the government. Now that the wave is subsiding, science really needs to be a serious focus in the USA.

Interesting question though - although I know the USA got a lot of external input in physics particularly, and is regarded as lagging behind now in this area, does anyone know if the USA has a home-grown lead in any area of science?

[Sophist]

Hmmm, if we excelled in any area I would think it would be in the areas of biology and medical science. But then I don't know how that compares to other nations.

::shrugs::