Europe seeks to catch U.S. in Nobel race Europe seeks to catch U.S. in Nobel race Americans have won the majority of the prizes for a 5th straight year By MATTIAS KAREN Associated Press STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - As American scientists again won a majority of the Nobel Prizes this year, European officials said they're trying hard to close the trans-Atlantic gap in scientific research. It was the fifth consecutive year that Americans led the number of laureates, a result that analysts attributed not only to American know-how but also to funding of thousands of researchers across the country. Europe is trying to level the playing field, but that could take decades given the fact that the United States has a head start and spends more than twice as much annually on scientific research than all European Union nations combined. U.S. dominates again A week of Nobel announcements ended Monday with the United States again dominating the science fields — medicine, physics, chemistry and economics — with seven of the 10 winners coming from America. Since the first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901, 284 of the 672 winners in all six categories — or 42.2 percent — have been Americans. Many of the other winners, including Norwegian Finn Kydland, who shared this year's economics prize with American Edward Prescott, have been researchers at U.S. universities. Just two Europeans were recognized this year, including Kydland and Austria's Elfriede Jelinek, who won in literature. "We're well aware that Europe trails well behind the United States," said Fabio Fabbi, the EU spokesman for research and technological development. "We're trying to address this in many different ways." The main reason for the American dominance is simple, Fabbi said: The United States outspends the 25-nation EU by nearly $148 billion a year on research — $271.2 billion to $123.3 billion. Al Teich, director of science policy programs at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C., said the "money certainly helps but I think it goes beyond money." He noted that the top U.S. universities are regarded as the best in the world and can attract the best talent. A competitive grant system in the United States also has boosted research because it helps "provide a marketplace of ideas on a national level," something that has been lacking in Europe, he said. Since the 1960s, Europeans have focused on applied research, while Americans have looked for discoveries in the basic sciences, said Bertil Andersson, chief executive of the European Science Foundation. "Risk taking has not been rewarded" by European funding programs, Andersson said. "But to win a Nobel Prize, you have to discover something new." More research money An EU action plan calls for an increase in research funding to 3 percent of the bloc's gross domestic product — the same percentage level in the United States — by 2010. The current figure is 1.9 percent. But more money alone won't bring Europe up to speed. "Today, Europe is too fragmented," said Andersson, who is also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which picks the winners in physics, chemistry and economics. While the United States launched several large federal research programs shortly after World War II, European countries have continued to work individually, he said. :roll:
What are you implying with this post? It is indeed interesting to know that the United States are winning all the Nobel Prizes these last few years, and it would be even more interesting to find whatever reason is behind that development. However this article is absolutely no argument for your apparent theory that all of the world is ignorant, or more ignorant than the US. "The world's lack of scientific success compared to the US" would be a better topic title. You cannot blame whole populations for the relative shortcomings of just the scientists.
Can the number of awards be attributed to the USA's high population and vast resources for those of large intellegence ? Like those that are intellectual get into very good universities(universities that are superior to those in a lot of other countries) that have outstanding teachers and resources , and the fields they choose in the working world have the best resources in the world.For example , a person working for a pharmacudical firm may have a lot of money and resources at his/her disposal,opposed to someone in a country like, lets say Brazil , who may have people as bright as the amercians , but not the resources and money to work with. Also , as I mentioned earlier , the US has a large population , the 3rd largest on earth. So , logically, they will produce more people of high intellegence , not per capita , but overall. Im just shooting off some explanations..... -better institutes of higher education -more/superior resources -larger population The first 2 make the biggest difference. It may be unrefined , and posted quickly, but as long as my point gets across.
but for the last 50+ years the USA has dominated the Nobels, before that Germany did.. I am a first generation American, Brit/ Nord.. My grandfather was one of the Spitfire designers, who went to work at the Lockheed Skunk works.. You know- U-2 Sr71.. I get so tired of hearing on international forum that Americans are ignorant.. I have lived in Europe and visited... Population? compare China & India= nihil, nada, niente, zip comparatively speaking 'ugly American' rant over..
That isn't the only factor.. resources, education, etc. Why do you do to others what you so obviously dislike being done to yourself? :-?
Your heritage has nothing to do with it, you claim to have attended 2 of the top 20 universities in the world, so show you intelligence.
