Scientific Instruments

Science can measure the drag resistance of a swimsuit, allowing companies like Speedo to make suits that dramatically increase the speed of Olympic swimmers. And lighter arrows increase the distance of archers. This is fine and fair, according to the rules of the Olympic committee. But some performance-enhancing drugs are not acceptable, nor are the prosthetic legs that Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee uses for racing. Where do we draw the line between human achievement and technology achievement? Scientific instruments can help or hinder human performance — but how much is too much help?

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The recession means everyone's trimming back their budgets, which spells trouble for basic scientific research. If your research depends on grant money, beware: you're trying to grab a slice from an ever-shrinking pie. NIH and NSF funding is down, and now Wired reports that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's budget will be cut by $100 million. What's a researcher to do? Is this time to rein in spending, boldly try for larger projects, or refocus on short-term commercially promising work?

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Gas prices rising out of control, oil from pig manure, biofuels — the rapid increase in prices is changing the equation of the world fuel markets. Fuel bootleggers, like the ones in Japan, are trying to escape taxes, while pig manure distillers are looking for alternatives to petrochemicals. And scientific instruments are being used in applications that weren't worth the effort a few years ago. Do you think that science can help us get out of the current fuel bind?

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Call it academic outsourcing: Industry-sponsored research at US universities can be a win-win relationship, providing cutting edge research for companies and funding for departments. But an editorial in May's Physics Today points out that the fruitful collaborations are being strangled by academic red tape and bickering over rights to inventions, as well as more attractive offers from beyond the US. Is the heyday of academic-industry research coming to an end?

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Counterfeit brand-name jeans are still viable trousers, but counterfeits of drugs (like Tamiflu) that don't work are a major risk to public health. Human nature got us into this mess: drug developers want their profit, consumers want their wares, and counterfeiters want to make a quick buck any way they can. How do we counter this threat? How do you think we can put the kibosh on the counterfeit drug trade? Is easier testing the tool that the FDA needs, or is political will a bigger issue? Or does the entire pharmaceutical system need an overhaul?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Scientific Instruments, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Scientific Instruments today.