Fear of Terrorism Potentially Choking Scientific Research in the U.S.A.

As a result of 9/11, both the U.S. government and researchers are debating how to strike a balance between the long-held tradition of keeping science research open, and worries that terrorists could exploit such research for nefarious purposes. There currently are no U.S. federal guidelines dictating what types of research should be kept secret, but attempts to impose restrictions on academic initiatives have met with criticism and refusal: Some major universities have rejected government contracts and grants because they came with the proviso that research required federal approval prior to publication. For more on this trend, read this article.