Whether you loved or loathed it at school, it can’t be denied that science is one of the most integral aspects of modern society. Our pursuit of knowledge in the fields of biology, chemistry and physics has catapulted global society from a literal age of darkness to the world we live in today.
Every country (well, almost) has had some part to play in that. But in 2019, who can give themselves the biggest pat on the back for all the work they’re doing?
Given a relatively strong economy and a massive populous, it’s perhaps not shocking the USA currently leads the way in this regard. With nine researchers for every 1,000 people employed and 26,855 research papers published last year, it’s fair to say Donald Trump hasn’t had too much of a detrimental impact on the development of science in the States.
Other countries who can hold their heads high include:
- Israel. 3,804 patents were applied for in the Eurasian nation.
- South Korea. As many as 14 in every 1,000 employees in South Korea is a scientist.
- Sweden. 1,547 research papers were published in Sweden in 2018.
Meanwhile, Chile might want to take a look at themselves in the mirror. Just 79 patents were applied for across the whole of the South American nation in the last 12 months.
To find out where your country ranks, see RS Online’s full infographic on the subject!
