The Corporation RAND published an extensive investigation Global Technology Revolution 2020. The publication reflects the forecasts linked with the future development of the science and technique within half decade, Trend reports with reference to Washington ProFile.
The report includes the reviewed rating of the modern scientific and technological opportunities of the countries around the world, within which it was analyzed the factors such as the number of learnt engineers for 1 mln of population, number of published scientific articles, expenditures on science, number of received patents, etc. during the preparation of the rating, the data from 1992 to 2004. According to the rating, the USA possesses the most potential in creating new materials and technologies, as well as in applying them to the practice (5.03 mark). Japan takes the second place 3.08 mark, and German (third place) 2.12 marks. Besides, the first ten includes Canada (2.08), Taiwan (2.00), Sweden (1.97), Great Britain (1.73), France and Switzerland (1.60) and Israel (1.53).
Russia took the first place among the former soviet countries and took the 19th place (0.89) as a result of rating. And Ukraine possesses the 29th position (0.32) and Belarus follows it (0.29). They exceeded Czechia and Croat. Estonia took 34th place (0.20), Lithuania 36th (0.16) and Azerbaijan 38th (0.11). These countries exceeded China, India, Republic of South Africa and Brazil. Uzbekistan took 48th place. Moldova possesses 53rd place (0.14), Armenia 57th (0.19), Turkmenistan 71st (0.30), Kirgizistan 76th (0.32), Tajikistan 80th (0.34), Kazakhstan 85th (0.38), Georgia 100th (0.44). The final places are taken by countries such as Eritrea, Chad, Laos, North Korea and Gabon 0.51.
RAND called 16 more hopeful directions of the scientific-technological development. They includes sun energy, wireless connection technology, genetic modification of plants, water clean-up methods, cheap housing construction, ecologically clean industrial production, hybrid automobiles, medicines, etc.
The results of the report havent any signs that the speed of the scientific-technological progress will become slower in upcoming half decade. However, several technologies and inventions may bring damages to the human civilization. The first places in the world scientific-technical progress will be taken by the countries of Northern America, Western Europe and Eastern Asia. In the near half decade, China, India and countries of Eastern Europe are expected to have positive progress.