Social scientists contribute enormously to important national issues, and all of us—scientists and the public—are better off as a result. The combined power of both the natural and social sciences can be particularly effective in providing analysis and insight on such matters as arms control and conflict resolution, industrial competitiveness, crime, disease and so many of the other problems that face our society in the years ahead.
At the same time, our futurologists of 1967 simply didn't mention two scientific discoveries whose economic effects will be earthshaking: genetic engineering and fiber optics.
The trouble is in the timing. The time lag between an innovation and a product development, says the National Science Foundation, may be up to 40 years....
Sometimes scientists don't know how powerful their discoveries are....
Sometimes, though, the scientists have exaggerated notions of what their inventions will do....
"Surely we have learned from our past mistakes with ...
