No single development has altered the workings of American democracy in the last century so much as political consulting, an industry unknown before Campaigns, Inc.

NEWYORKER: The Lie Factory

From the development of the jet engine and liquid crystal displays, from cracking the inner workings of DNA to pioneering work on Lithium-ion batteries, the country has all too often managed to break new scientific ground but then fail to capitalise on the vast potential that others then enjoy.

BBC: Can UK science navigate around the Valley of Death?