From leading the response to the COVID-19 pandemic to tackling climate change, scientists today are at the forefront of important discoveries, technologies and solutions for everyday life, helping humans understand the great mysteries of the universe.
And the global health crisis was the latest reminder that development in science has huge societal and economic impacts and contributes to humanity’s progress.
A notable trend over the past decade has been the growth of research and development investment in Asian science. The total R&D growth between 2000 and 2017 in East, Southeast and South Asia — including China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan — increased their combined global share from 25% to 42%, with the region exceeding the respective U.S. and EU R&D shares.