Podcast Transcript: Hillary is undecided. Obama and McCain both passed. But the scientific community is committed to staging a candidates’ debate about science and technology. They want straight talk on political buzzwords like climate change and stem cells, as well as less discussed issues like funding for basic research and the National Institutes of Health. What started as citizens worried about the U.S. losing its edge is now a movement called Science Debate 2008.

An article in the current issue of the journal Science, claims that, by 2010, 90 percent of the world’s scientists and engineers will live in Asia, where research is well funded. The authors say the US needs to keep up because science and engineering drove half of America's economic growth over the last fifty years.

Science Debate 2008 had to cancel a debate before the upcoming Pennsylvania primaries because candidates wouldn't commit.  Now plans are already in the works for Oregon, where primaries are set for May 20th. It’s proof, the journal article says, “that scientists can be quickly organized when motivated.” If only politicians shared that motivation.

—Adam Hinterthuer

60-Second Science is a daily podcast. Subscribe to this Podcast: RSS | iTunes

60-Second Science is a daily Podcast. Subscribe to this Podcast: RSS | iTunes