International Research Efforts Comparison
From Wise Nano
Contents |
Introduction
This article will attempt to provide a rough outline of the research capacities of various countries with an aim to developing a probable relative timeline for the development of advanced molecular manufacturing. This kind of analysis is essential in making any kind of judgements about geostrategy in the time right before and after the advent of the first Drexlerian assembler, should such a device prove possible to build. In any case, these analyses will be useful as nanotechnology will proffer many changes, even short of fully advanced MNT as envisioned by K. Eric Drexler in Engines of Creation.
[more statistics, data & analysis to follow]
Regions
For some quantitative evidence, see data from Bethesda List Center (2003/08) which counts heads rather than dollars.
United States
The United States is generally considered to be the world leader in nanotechnology research. The field's most prominent researchers, including K. Eric Drexler, Ralph Merkle, and Richard Smalley are all Americans. By most measures the US outspends any of its competitors individually.
Europe
The European Union has shown interest in harnessing the power of nanotechnology to further economic growth and stay ahead in competition with the US and the rapidly growing Asian powers. Its academic system is poorly funded and coordinated in comparison with the United States, but it is not yet clear that this will continue to be a significant handicap in nanotechnology research (given the nature of the research). According to Bethesda List Center data, the U.K. alone currently has more people working on nanotechnology than the U.S., and the whole of Western Europe has more than 2.5 times the head count. Significant numbers are also reported in the Eastern Europe countries of Czech Republic, Poland, Turkey, and Hungary.
Russia
There are a number of research centers devoted to nanotechnology and related advanced fields, but funding is scarce. Nonetheless Russia was able to maintain rough military parity with the United States through much of the Cold War through a combination of very talented engineering and effective espionage, and this same combination could clearly make them a significant participant in the later stages (beyond basic research) of nanotechnology development.
Asia
China
Often considered the main long term competitor to the United States in scientific research with its huge yearly crop of talented college graduates and a government dedicated to advancing science (especially for military uses), China still has many problems to overcome and sees relatively little funding or research in absolute comparison to the United States at this point.
Japan
Japan is the second-most powerful economic power in the world and has a history of being on the forefront of scientific and technological research. Its efforts in the area of nanotechnology are no less impressive.
Taiwan
Taiwan ranks second in Asia in the Bethesda List Center list (or third slightly behind China+Hong Kong if they are combined).
South Korea
Home of large technology corporations (e.g. Samsung, which is pursuing research on carbon nanotubes) and another dedicated government, as well as a talented workforce.
India
India is a nuclear power with a strong IT industry and a strong entrepreneurial culture. Government attention to nanotechnology has been minimal, but their close scientific and business ties to the U.S. and U.K. ensure that industry will not have a big problem getting in at a slightly later stage.
Middle East
Israel
Israel is by far the most technologically advanced and entrepreneurial country in the Middle East. It also has an extensive and sophisticated military complex. Israel is a strong ally of the U.S., but any suspected military development of nanotechnology in Israel is likely to spur research, and potentially an arms race, in the other Middle East countries.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia ranks second in the Middle East in the Bethesda List Center list, but most of the current research is concentrated on membranes with applications in the energy and petroleum industries. There is growing evidence, however, that the Saudi government is taking the eventual decline of their petroleum supplies and/or petroleum demand increasingly seriously, and is exploring nanotechnology as a potential new industry in which they could establish themselves through significant early investment, which is clearly within their means.
Iran
Iran is ranked a rather distant fourth in the Bethesda List Center list, but their post-war (with Iraq) baby boom generation is largely in or approaching university age just now. The new generation is highly literate and technically savvy, and has widespread access to the Internet.
Pakistan
Pakistan is a nuclear power with good relations with China and the U.S. and apparently warming relations with India. They are currently ranked quite low in the Bethesda List Center list, but large numbers of their nuclear weapons specialists could plausibly be (or even have already been) re-deployed to nanotechnology development projects.
Kuwait
Kuwait ranks third in the Middle East in the Bethesda List Center list, which is surprising for such a small country.
Australasia
Australia and New Zealand both have government-sponsored nanotechnology research initiatives.
Latin America
Brazil and Mexico are the current leaders in nanotechnology research, according to the Bethesda List Center list. Brazil would appear to have the greater prospects for continued growth in this area based on their demographics.
Africa
South Africa and Egypt are the only African nations to appear in the Bethesda List Center list. However Libya has just been relieved of a number of trade restrictions, and has a very high literacy rate and a substantial base of petroleum-derived investment capital. Also to be considered in longer-range estimates is Nigeria, which is still very poor but has a vast and young population with growing access to the Internet.
