yeah, that is true. It always has an effect in some way or the other.
About the trickling down, I personally think that access to knowledge shouldn't be restricted. The internet can help immensely in that regards. And then we need to allocate more funds towards science as a species. That will get things done a lot faster. Also, cross border sharing of knowledge should be as easy and free as possible. I believe that science is not a race between nations but a common objective for all of humanity.
Exactly. This is why I spent a lot of my time co-founding the Spaceport Norway conference which we held this year. To showcase space technologies and new breakthroughs to non-space industries such as the local oil and gas, robotics, maritime and ICT sectors we have locally.
Indeed science should be the collective effort to enhance the knowledge-toolkit available to innovators and engineers in all countries around the world who can then take enhanced knowledge and apply it locally. :)
It is initiative like those that will truly help expand scientific knowledge to everyone in the world. We badly need it right now!!