The hottest Research & Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Frequently Asked Questions About US Government Funding for R&D

New Things Under the Sun • 96 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government funding Research & Development Economic Growth Public Policy Innovation
  1. The US government spent about $160 billion on research and development (R&D) in 2022, but this is a declining share of overall GDP. In contrast, the private sector spends significantly more on R&D.
  2. Averaging across sectors, every dollar spent on R&D can generate about $5.50 in economic growth, with some estimates suggesting even higher benefits when considering broader impacts.
  3. Government funding is important because it explores research areas that might be overlooked by private companies, ensuring that valuable scientific knowledge is developed for public benefit.

How We Got the Lithium-Ion Battery

Construction Physics • 49690 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Energy Storage Battery technology Research & Development Electronics
  1. The lithium-ion battery is key to many modern technologies like smartphones and electric vehicles. Its high energy density and rechargeable nature make it very useful.
  2. The battery's development took many years and involved multiple researchers from around the world. Many discoveries were made by chance, not through a clear, straight path.
  3. Advancements have made lithium-ion batteries much cheaper and more efficient over time. Innovations in materials and manufacturing have helped lower costs and boost production.

China’s Quantum Gamble

ChinaTalk • 415 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Quantum Computing Research & Development International relations
  1. China's quantum technology sector may rely more on state funding due to new U.S. restrictions on investments. This means Chinese companies could get support directly from the government instead of international investors.
  2. The recent rules about quantum tech could make it harder to understand what's happening in China's commercial quantum efforts. Since U.S. money is less involved now, there may be less transparency.
  3. Even though the restrictions are significant, they might not stop China's progress in quantum technologies. China already has strong funding and a growing start-up scene focused on these developments.

AI Roundup 102: The Stargate Project

Artificial Ignorance • 71 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Data Centers Geopolitics Corporate strategy Research & Development
  1. The Stargate Project is a huge partnership by OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle to build new AI data centers in the U.S., promising up to $500 billion investment. This is much larger than past projects like the Manhattan and Apollo projects.
  2. China is making fast progress in AI, with new models from companies like DeepSeek that can compete with major Western models. This raises concerns for leading U.S. labs about staying ahead in AI technology.
  3. There are new challenges in measuring AI performance since current benchmarks are not effective anymore. A new test called 'Humanity's Last Exam' highlights this issue as AI systems advance beyond human-level capabilities.

Japan’s Technological Prowess Should Enable 2.3% Per Capita Growth, Part I

Japan Economy Watch • 299 implied HN points • 13 May 24
💼 Business Technology Economic Growth Innovation Competitiveness Research & Development
  1. Japan's technological prowess could potentially lead to 2.3% per capita growth, doubling the current rate.
  2. The challenge Japan faces is converting technological strength into economic value due to rigid financial and labor systems.
  3. While Japan excels in complexity of technology use, it lags in adapting new technologies and faces challenges in sustaining growth as demand shifts.
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Space Robotics: The Pivotal Role in Lunar and Martian Colonization, Current Innovations, and Future Trends

Space Ambition • 219 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Robotics Space Exploration Artificial Intelligence Research & Development Commercialization
  1. Robots are super important for exploring and building on the Moon and Mars. They can do tough jobs in space where humans can't easily go.
  2. Using robots in space is way cheaper than sending people. Robots can do tasks like repairing satellites and cleaning up space junk, making them great helpers for astronauts.
  3. The private space industry is growing and creating new robots for space. This can lead to cheaper and easier ways to send things to the Moon and beyond.

Developing the Arx General Intelligence System

Applied General Intelligence • 2 HN points • 04 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Software Development Machine Learning Research & Development Benchmarking
  1. The Arx system is a new type of AI being developed to go beyond current technology like Large Language Models. It's designed to better understand, reason, and explain complex ideas.
  2. Arx-0.3 recently achieved a high score on the MMLU-Pro benchmark, proving its capability in solving multi-step problems and reasoning.
  3. The team plans to continue improving Arx and aims to roll it out to selected testers in the future, hoping to create a trusted intelligence system.

CEA-Leti, Imec launch chip pilot lines

Semiecosystem • 2 HN points • 29 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Semiconductors European Union Research & Development Economic Growth
  1. European Union boosts semiconductor industry with new chip pilot lines led by CEA-Leti and Imec to drive R&D and explore advanced technologies.
  2. European Chips Act aims to strengthen EU's semiconductor ecosystem with a $47 billion program and increase Europe's share of semiconductors from 8% in 2021 to 20% by 2030.
  3. Initiatives like these are crucial due to the global importance of semiconductors in various products, the geopolitical vulnerabilities in current chip production regions, and past disruptions like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Discovery and design in bio

Digital in bio • 19 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
🔬 Science Biology Artificial Intelligence Research & Development Evolution Genetics
  1. Biology is complex and evolving, with AI playing a crucial role in advancing our understanding and abilities in the field.
  2. Biological research consists of two main pillars: discovery and design, with a focus on broadening our knowledge and engineering biology to suit human needs.
  3. Collaboration between academia, research organizations, and commercial entities is key to pushing forward progress in AI-driven biology.

Lessons Answer.AI can learn from history’s greatest R&D labs

FreakTakes • 11 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Research & Development Industrial Funding Innovation
  1. Learn from the past: Draw lessons from historical R&D labs like Edison's Menlo Park Lab and the Early GE Research Laboratory.
  2. Focus on application: Aim to build practical, impactful technology rather than just pursuing theoretical breakthroughs.
  3. Embrace innovation: Be bold, think long-term, and run your own race free from competition.

Rate hikes and the damage to our national productivity

Klement on Investing • 6 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
💰 Finance Investing Monetary Policy Productivity Research & Development Stock Market
  1. Central banks have been implementing aggressive rate hikes to control inflation, leading to a reduction in investments in research and development (R&D).
  2. Rate hikes negatively impact corporate spending on R&D, resulting in a decline in innovation, lower productivity growth, and slower job creation.
  3. To counteract the adverse effects of rate hikes on R&D, fiscal policy measures supporting R&D efforts, like the Inflation Reduction Act, are crucial for boosting productivity and maintaining competitiveness.

ASML: A Monopoly on Magic

The Generalist • 1 HN point • 30 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Innovation Semiconductors Manufacturing Global relations Research & Development
  1. ASML is the sole provider of EUV lithography machines for semiconductor chips, making it a monopoly in a valuable market.
  2. ASML's EUV machines are incredibly complex and rely on a vast supply chain, with the company coordinating components sourced from multiple manufacturers.
  3. ASML's technology is crucial for industry advancements, particularly in AI, and the company faces challenges from US-China tensions and the need to maintain Moore's Law.