Innovation is the source of economic prosperity and global progress, simplifying routines and enriching quality of life. The internet has fundamentally altered how the world works, communicates and thinks. The global information revolution has ushered in a new era of global conversations, cooperation and crowd-sourcing among researchers, speeding the spread of new ideas and technologies in every discipline. Researchers race to develop energy alternatives, synthetic biology, transportation improvements, environmental protections or cures for disease. Governments must keep up pace with funding of education and infrastructure as well as regulations on patents, immigration, intellectual property protections and more.

Obama Administration Joins Critics of US Nonprofit Group That Oversees Internet

Countries resist US controls and clamor for UN oversight of the worldwide web
Ian Shapira
March 2, 2011

Putting Poppies in the Gas Tank

Opium projects could power Afghan villages and satisfy US energy addiction
Nicholas Schmidle
March 1, 2011

Anonymous and the Global Correction

Anonymous activists oppose any who are comfortable with censorship or tyranny
February 28, 2011

A Simmering Cyberwar With Cuba

Trial of US contractor raises media access and foreign policy questions
Nick Miroff
February 25, 2011

Revolution 2.0: Democracy Promotion in the Age of Social Media

A free and open internet spreads the best ideas and unnerves the powerful
Mark Sedra
February 18, 2011