"American science has been the envy of the planet since the Second World War at least, but it has recently gone into decline. After President Trump took office last year, his administration started vandalizing the country's scientific institutions, suspending research grants in bulk and putting entire lines of cutting-edge research on ice."
"In August, Trump's Department of Health and Human Services canceled $500 million in mRNA-vaccine research, less than two years after Americans won a Nobel Prize for pioneering that technology. More than 10,000 science Ph.D.s have left the federal workforce, according to one group's estimate."
"While all of this has been unfolding, metascientists have been following a very different story overseas. They've watched in wonder as China has built out a gigantic research apparatus at world-record speed, stocking institutions, universities, and laboratories with talent and some of the best equipment and facilities money can buy."
"In 1991, China spent $13 billion on research and development. Today, its annual spending is more than $800 billion, second only to the U.S."
China's scientific research capabilities are expanding rapidly, with significant investments leading to a robust infrastructure. The U.S. has seen a decline in its scientific standing due to policy changes and funding cuts, particularly under the Trump administration. This has resulted in a loss of talent and resources in American science. In contrast, China's research spending has skyrocketed from $13 billion in 1991 to over $800 billion today, positioning it as a formidable competitor in the global scientific arena.
Read at The Atlantic
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