Basic research can be easy to mock as pointless and wasteful of resources. But it's very often the foundation for future innovation – even in ways the original scientists couldn't have imagined.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Basic research
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China's government is prioritizing world-class science and tech. An expert describes the Chinese research landscape – and questions its sustainability.
Money always seems tight for university scientists. A sociologist conducted hundreds of interviews to see how they think about funding sources and profit motives for basic and applied research.
President Trump's first year was a rough one for scientists and others who value truth and expertise. Many rallied to the cause, while others used research to make the case for the value of science.
A new gene editing experiment explores human development. With this comes new ethical questions: How do scientists acquire embryos and how are their projects approved?
A new study connects the dots between published science and patented innovations, mapping just how society benefits from basic scientific research.
Research dollars don't stay locked up in academia and government labs. R&D collaborations with the private sector are common – and grow the innovation economy.
Bio-prospecting is the search for useful materials from natural sources. A biologist explains what we can learn from bacteria about breaking down plant material, and how we can use that knowledge.
With federal support for on-campus R&D dwindling as a percentage of GDP, keeping basic research afloat is a challenge. Schools and researchers are left to try to fill in the funding gaps.
Many people are left floundering when they try to get working on their PhDs. In Africa, this is often because the skills they need haven't been developed earlier in their academic careers.
Until more is understood, it's sensible to limit experimentation that would make changes to germ line cells that would be passed on to future generations.
These insects are so much more than just the scourge of fruit bowls everywhere. They're a key model system for all kinds of research that teaches us about our own brain and body systems.
Top contributors
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Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
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Assistant Professor of Neurobiology, Northwestern University
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Ph.D. Candidate in Chemical Biology, Harvard University
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Associate Professor of Parasitology and Entomology, African Population and Health Research Center
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Vice President for Research, University of Minnesota
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University of Minnesota
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Associate Vice President for Research, University of Minnesota
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Vice President for Research and Professor of Physics, Washington State University
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Washington State University
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University Research Professor, Dalhousie University
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Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy, J. L. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
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Invited User
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Postdoctoral Fellow of Strategy, J. L. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
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Assistant Professor of Higher Education, University of Nevada, Reno
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Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Oregon
