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The article reflects on the pursuit of pure science by the scientific community in the U.S. Indications showed that this endeavor is becoming more and more expensive. The authors of this paper attempts to defend one special kind of pure science, the physics of elementary particles. This is the branch of physics that looks for the fundamental constituents of matter. They proposed that in any intelligent discussion of the impact of pure science in society, it must be based upon knowledge of the development of modern physics and of the role of the study of elementary particles in the history of science.

The article focuses on issues and topics related to a federally-funded supersonic transport (SST) project in the U.S. This project was first advocated by the aircraft industry and agencies concerned with the aviation capabilities of the U.S. Air Force. The program obtained full federal commitment as a result of a general conviction that the supersonic transport represented the next inevitable advance in commercial aviation and the fear that Soviet or Anglo-French domination of the SST market would be a blow to American prestige. Upon examination of the policy-making process which led President John F. Kennedy to decide to go ahead with the project, one can find the seriousness of two of the major environmental problems associated with the SST, including sonic boom and engine noise.

The article presents a British view concerning the American and Russian space programs since the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon in July 1969. Two major events in space marked 1971, both of them signs that America's formidable lead in space exploration is being whittled away by the incredibly dynamic program of the Soviet Union. This was the first time the Soviet Union had been ahead since the spring of 1958. Following the Apollo 11 mission, the impetus of the U.S. program has been lost in a desire to cut spending. No similar reluctance to spend appears to restrict Soviet space ambitions.

The article discusses the controversies arising from the "strike" research campaign of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, launched on March 4, 1969 and subsequently discussed in a panel on March 8 of the same year. According to the organizers, the controversies did not affect the campaign since the primary objective of the organization is to inaugurate a movement. Questions raised by different social groups includes the type of movement to create and the source of fundings for the established movement. It has been an obvious knowledge in the American society that government-sponsored research in scientific fields accounts to 75% of the funds of university research projects, much of the money came directly from the country's Defense Department.

The article discusses the development of research and development programs in the United States. The National Science Foundation has issued a series of reports on how it has carried out its statutory responsibility in developing the national policy for the promotion of basic research and education in the sciences and in evaluating the scientific research programs by the agencies of the federal government. An action has also been completed by the Congress on the appropriation bills to picture out the financial structure of science for the past years and to know its prospects in the future.

The article analyzes several problems faced by the U.S. federal government on scientific research coordination. According to the Subcommittee on Reorganization and International Organizations' study led by Hubert H. Humphrey, the U.S. federal government's financial support for scientific research, development, and testing amounted to $8.1 billion a year. However, the federal government found out that no complete inventory exists of the program in research and development. Furthermore, there is no central inventory of projects and no attention was given to the lack of information on project control. Another difficulty, is the increase in administrative work necessary to make published results available, as financial support also increases.

The article addresses the growing shortage of scientists in developing countries. It is claimed that for every 91 scientists, engineers and technicians in the 33 technically developed countries, there are only nine in the 84 developed countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The shortage of scientists and technologists in developing countries is complementary with the small amounts actually spent on research and development. Clearly, there is a need for these countries to maintain and expand the number of their scientists. Thus, proper education, training and fraternal encouragement will certainly be needed for the advancement of science to be set up. Moreover, international scientific cooperation will be achieved when scientists work together for the advancement of science.

The article examines the memorandum issued by U.S. President John F. Kennedy to all government agencies regarding the standards of conduct for scientific consultants on February 9, 1962. The memorandum will insure the scientist's compliance with the conflict of interest statutes which will also requires advisors to keep the government informed about private financial interests. On the other hand, the memorandum aims to clear up the interpretations of the statutes. Several basic conflict of interests have been identified by the author. These include the two year prohibition of activities following the termination of the government service and the prohibition of officers or employees from receiving compensation for their service.

The article reports on issues and topics concerning international efforts towards the peaceful use of atomic energy. The second U.N. International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Geneva on September 13, 1958, brought scientists from 69 countries and 9 agencies together to review accomplishments made since 1955 in the utilization of nuclear energy. At the second general assembly of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria on September 22 to October 4, 1959, the U.S. offered to pay the cost of a worldwide research program in atomic energy.