Next Big Future August 23, 2018 According to The Pentagon’s annual report to Congress on China’s military and security developments even if China’s nominal GDP matches the US around 2030, China will still need longer to match the US military. China is building up regional advantages where it could win conflicts over Taiwan or the South China Sea, nuclear missiles are not prepped for launch, the overall number of Chinese ICBM launchers reported by DOD has remained stable since 2011: 50-75, China intends to use the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to develop strong economic ties with other countries, modernization […]
Category Archives: Science Policy
Singapore bets big on synthetic biology
Nature April 25, 2018 The government is pouring money into a new research programme and is encouraging scientists to make synthetic microorganisms, or redesign natural ones, that can be used to produce food, electronics, medicine and energy. The national synthetic-biology strategy prioritizes three areas: developing synthetic cannabinoids, producing rare fatty acids and developing new strains of microorganisms that can be used to create products for industry… read more.
The Three Technology Drivers (according to Neil Tyson)
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, outlines the only technology drivers that have been behind big investment projects from the construction of the pyramids to the exploration of the new world to the Manhattan Project. Making extraordinary investments in science and technology requires convincing the “checkwriters” (as he describes them) to invest not for reasons like intellectual curiosity or adventure but for very different reasons. In his survey, despite expecting to find hundreds of reasons, he only found three: The War/Defense/Fear Driver Economic/Promise of Wealth/Greed Driver Tribute to Deity/Royalty/Adoration Check out the following video where he speaks at length about these: His […]
Technology Valley of Death
The technology valley of death refers to the gap between two phases (typically basic and applied research) in the evolution of a technology where the risk is greatest that the technology will fail due to several factors, chief among them is finding a supporting body in the next phase to carry the technology. This technology transition represents the riskiest part in what is typically incremental advancements in the technology life cycle. Technology evolution is driven by technology push and application (or market) pull, though the two drivers are not so easily separated because they can be closely interlinked. This is […]