Snap Observations: January 9, 2008

But what if you don’t have broadband in your area yet? A new site dubbed Broadbandcensus.com will allow users to sign on and share information about the availability and quality of broadband services in their localities. The Broadband Census of America Act, currently awaiting a vote in the Senate, will require the FCC to provide information on the promised speeds of various providers. The site hopes to provide on-the-ground assessments of the actual speed and quality of these broadband services.

New York City officials recently deployed a small battery of detectors that will monitor the air in high-traffic areas for indicators of a biological attack. But is direct detection of airborne pathogens the best strategy, when resources could go towards testing programs at traditional facilities like hospitals, which allow public health officials to monitor health and agricultural disease patterns that may indicate bioterrorism?

China has introduced new legislation that will allow scientists to own the rights to intellectual property that emerges from their publicly-funded work. The move is an attempt to jumpstart scientific innovation. Scientists can also report failed or incomplete results without risking their ability to receive future funding. Supporting more high-risk innovation is a good a policy move for the U.S. as well, as a recent Center for American Progress report on the opportunities for economic growth through science and technology argues.

Tags: Innovation, intellectual property, Internet

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