science

In this era of economic globalization, the race for innovation and future growth among nations has prompted a profound debate about how the U.S. is preparing its next generation of workers and leaders. While the United States has responded vigorously to global challengers in the past — the Soviet Union in the era of Sputnik, Japan in the 1980s — the potential for a dramatic loss of competitiveness is more acute than ever.

In the past, studies of large-scale changes to the Earth’s oceans have been restricted both by the limited nature of physical sampling and the reality that often these changes occur over great lengths of time.

As Internet search engines have become increasingly integrated into the way people locate, use and define information, concerns have been voiced over the impact this digital “crutch” may have on the lucidity and richness of human thought. Meanwhile, techno-enthusiasts claim that the mind is enhanced by such technology. Up to the present, however, little research has been done on the actual effects of such tools on human cognition.

The general public continues to perceive a large degree of uncertainty among scientists on issues relating to climate change. A May 2011 survey sponsored by Yale University and George Mason University, for instance, showed that only 39% of the public believes that most scientists agree on global warming (up from 34% in 2010.)

The rise of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is among the greatest emerging public health problems. Resistance, acquired by bacteria through natural selection, has been accelerated by the improper use of antibiotics. Because such strains can be resistant to even newer, more powerful compounds, their infections are associated both with higher disease and death rates and with greater economic tolls on health care systems.