Signs of Maturity

U.S. science used to be a practical parasite on visionary Europe. Before World War II, the "basic" discoveries were made by Europeans; U.S. scientists busied themselves with developing the new knowledge, and U.S. technicians put it to work commercially.

No one knows all this better than the man who led U.S. science to war: Dr. Vannevar Bush, wartime head of the Office of Scientific Research and Development. But Dr. Bush is hopeful that things are changing. In the first issue of Physics Today, he declares that U.S. science is now putting less emphasis on "practical" work and digging intofundamentals.

Writes Dr. Bush: "It might well have been expected that there would be a clamor, after the war, for intense support by Government of all forms of gadgeteering.

"There was some of this, of course. But, surprisingly enough, it gave way before a conviction, apparently deep and widespread, that the whole gamut of the scientific effort is worthy of support, and that basic science in particular should be furthered. This is a very healthy sign, and it may indicate that we acquired a considerable amount of intellectual maturity."

Dr. Bush points to the G.I. bill of rights as one indication of progress: "The returning veterans ... have not demanded a welter of practical applied courses. In the field of science in particular, there has not been a rush to courses in gadgeteering, rather a wholesome inclination to try to get to the bottom of things scientific . . .

"Then note the remarkable phenomenon of the military . . . supporting fundamental research by contract with universities. Who would have expected ... to find the U.S. Navy vigorously furthering a program . . . including nucleonics and genetics? . . ."

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