General

China takes on scientific superpowers

The U.S., Europe and Japan risk losing science supremacy

A new report by the Royal Society science academy in the U.K. says China and other emerging nations, including Brazil and India, are growing their science credentials and may soon rival traditional “scientific superpowers,” like the U.S., Europe and Japan. International cooperation is crucial, the report noted, highlighting that from 2002 to 2007, global spending on research and development had risen by almost 45 per cent, but in developing countries it had risen by 100 per cent. The increase in the developing world is driven mainly by China. The U.S. still leads the world in terms of publication, but its share of global authorship has fallen from 26 to 21 per cent, and its closest rival is now China.

Reuters

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: