INNOVATION

Waves of Innovation

Five “carrier branch technologies” have driven economic growth over the past three centuries on generational innovation cycles called “kondratiev waves,” according to a recent work of economic history. We need to be prepared to take advantage of the sixth.

Medicare Costs and the Income Trap

Biomedical research cannot solve all the problems of public health. An effective overhaul of the current system won’t happen without attention to some basic psychology and economics.

The Most Important Assistant in American Science

The National Academies have just offered a report detailing the most critical presidential science appointments in the executive branch and ways to streamline the process of getting new hires into their posts. Their first recommendation, however, is to hire the top science adviser at the level of assistant to the president.

Without Better Calculations, It’s Just Carbon “Toe Prints”

Corporations typically underestimate their carbon footprints by an average of 75 percent, according to a new study from Carnegie Mellon researchers. One of the major blind spots is in calculating the total greenhouse gas emissions from myriad supply chain inputs, as opposed to the direct emissions involved in primary operations.