3 forgotten keys to a real scientific golden age for the USA
It’s easy to criticize how someone else does their job, but it’s a lot more difficult to actually do that job properly. In July of 2026, the Trump administration released their vision for remaking the USA’s scientific infrastructure, as the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published their document, Science: A New Golden Age . I went through the document and gave a full summary of…
The 1990s saw the introduction of Donald Stokes' framework known as Pasteur’s Quadrant, a crucial guide for the United States’ scientific infrastructure. This framework categorizes research endeavors into four distinct quadrants: Bohr’s, Pasteur’s, Edison’s, and tinkering. Bohr’s Quadrant represents pure, curiosity-driven research that seeks to understand the fundamental workings of our universe.
Pasteur’s Quadrant focuses on problem-solving basic research, encompassing areas such as disease treatment, vaccines, and nuclear fusion. Edison’s Quadrant deals with applied research directly benefiting humanity, like building more efficient electrical grids. The fourth, tinkering category does not contribute to society. Stokes’ framework serves as a more accurate and impactful method for funding research, ensuring investments are made in areas with both long-term and immediate societal value.
Written by urgent.news from Big Think's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
