Discussions, summarized

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• Hacker News1No science, no startups: The innovation engine we're switching offThis content explains how science works in the U.S., distinguishing between scientists (theorists and experimentalists who ask questions and run experiments), engineers (who build products from scientific discoveries), and entrepreneurs (who commercialize innovations). It describes how universities conduct 50% of basic research through labs that function like mini-startups, funded by government agencies. The piece emphasizes America's unique post-WWII strategy of funding university research rather than just government labs, and warns about threats to this ecosystem from recent policy changes.Corporate research decline and share buybacks:Discussion centers on whether 1982 SEC ruling allowing stock buybacks caused the decline of corporate research labs like Bell Labs, Xerox PARC. Some argue buybacks shifted focus from R&D to short-term shareholder value, while others dispute this connection.PhD bias and academic career challenges:Comments highlight how HR departments view PhDs as red flags, the venture-capital style pitch requirements creeping into academia, and the difficult academic career path from PhD to postdoc to potentially tenured professor that deters talent.Science funding effectiveness and university spending:Debate over the $109B annual university research spending, administrative bloat consuming resources, tuition subsidizing STEM fields, and whether current government-funded academic research effectively translates to innovation compared to private companies.
• Reddit science1Using scented products indoors changes the chemistry of the air, producing as much air pollution as car exhaust does outside, according to a new study. Researchers say that breathing in these nanosized particles could have serious health implications.Using scented products indoors, such as flame-free candles and wax melts, can create significant indoor air pollution comparable to car exhaust. Research by Purdue University found these products release nanosized particles that can penetrate deep into lungs and potentially enter the bloodstream, posing serious respiratory health risks.Misleading title scope:Discussion about how study only focused on wax melts but title suggests all scented products, with debate about whether findings could logically extend to other scented itemsHealth concerns from chemist:A chemist's perspective against using scented products leads to sharing of personal health impact stories, from COPD to cancer cases, and debate about necessity of artificial scentsAir purification solutions:Discussion of HEPA filters and other air purification methods as solutions, with debate about effectiveness against different types of pollutants like VOCs and nanoparticles
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