Imagine This
22 February 2009 by jimmer
This is new on thursday Feb. 19 2009
Nanotechnology researchers say they have achieved a breakthrough that could fit the contents of 250 DVDs on a coin-sized surface and might also have implications for displays and solar cells.
The scientists, from the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, discovered a way to make certain kinds of molecules line up in perfect arrays over relatively large areas. The results of their work will appear Friday in the journal Science, according to a UC Berkeley press release. One of the researchers said the technology might be commercialized in less than 10 years, if industry is motivated.
The rest of that article can be found here.
I found this when looking for other information that had nothing to do with Nano tech. Yet the idea still provides background for the basis of why research is so important. Regardless of whether or not any remedies/products will result from such research. In fact that is the reason to do research. I’m certain that we have millions if not Billions of ways that do not yield results yet eventually something comes from research all of it’s own.
Here is another research idea that should be brought up when people are denying the value and merit of research.
Business Activity: On average, in fiscal year 2007, each dollar of NIH funding generated more than twice as much in state economic output. That is, an overall investment of $22.846 billion from NIH generated a total of $50.537 billion in new state business activity in the form of increased output of goods and services.
Business activity generated per dollar of NIH funding ranged from $2.49 (Texas) to $1.66 (South Dakota).
The 10 states that generated the most economic activity per dollar of NIH funding were Texas ($2.49), Illinois ($2.43), California ($2.40), Georgia ($2.36), Colorado ($2.34), Pennsylvania ($2.32), Tennessee ($2.32), Utah ($2.30) Ohio ($2.29), and New Jersey ($2.26).
In fiscal year 2007, every $1 million that NIH invested generated $2.21 million in new state business activity.
All of this came from the American Research website. And just to give you some comparisons on relative dollar amounts spent in the U.S. each year on a wide variety of items. Here is the relative cost on these items and how that translates into funding dollars.
This post is in response to the politicians who have been stalling scientific reasearch for strictly political reasons. So if you get the chance then please send them a letter or email regarding this. We need it.
22 February 2009, on 1:03 pm
Interesting, Jimmer that those who wish to block fundings for various research are the first in line to reap the benefits of that research. Like fundies who say to trust in Gawd while putting down scientific research turn to the same research to look for a “miracle” when their god cannot provide one.
22 February 2009, on 6:51 pm
Stardust
Exactly. The influence of religion has been the bane of research and has in many ways put the U.S. decades behind. Not only by lack of funding but because some companies just don’t need the hassle and have sent their research elsewhere.
All in all I don’t think that the relgious will have a very big impact for much longer. South Korea and Great Britain and other nations are forgeing ahead in many realms of research. The U.S. will play catch-up later or we will be left behind. The competitive edge is what has always swayed the American involvement in such endeavours. The more I investigate what has happened the more I am confronted by the Bush years as haveing been a waste and setting the clock back by at least a decade. No real increase in any substantial productivity or earnings were gained for the Bush years. Undoing the damage done by the asshole will be quite a change of direction for the Obama admin. and I wish them well and give them my support.
Also about what the post is about. With the reduction in size of such amounts of information it hardly seems like we are very far from having the option of implanting such knowledge into our btains or at the very least having the mechanism available that will allow us to interface with our brains. Fuckin outrageouis idn’t it?
22 February 2009, on 7:15 pm
The religious have also been standing in the way of NASA funding, thinking it’s a waste of money, not understanding that space research and exploration has been the reason for much of the technology we enjoy, including the computers and internet that the fundies use for spreading their superstitious propaganda, medical equipment that they don’t want turned off while the evil science they hate so much keeps their loved ones alive. Idiots.
22 February 2009, on 8:34 pm
Stardust
Exactly. That is why I left the post as ambiguous as I did. I got a bit overwhlemed as to all the BS delivered by the Bush Asmin.. There are so many things the Govt does not need to be or do. But they also do not need to stand in the way of research. NASA has been my biggest complaint, since Deutsch (sp) was so unqualified and held a position at NASA. I truly hope that the truth about all that Bush has done is brought out and revealed. “Bush the Lost Years of US Advance”
22 February 2009, on 9:19 pm
Jimmer, I am sure it all will be brought out in time.