It’s true that a significant portion of the America’s high-tech manufacturing jobs have been outsourced to Asia. However, The Atlantic’s Jordan Weissmann refutes the common impression that the United States “is now on the verge of giving up its crown as the world’s leading innovator.” In fact, as Weissmann points out, the U.S. is still the global leader when it comes to research and development (R&D).

The latest National Science Board estimates have the U.S. accounting for about 31% of the global total R&D. In the past decade, ten Asian nations (including China and Japan) have collectively matched the total R&D spending of the U.S. Further, American R&D spending increased by more than 30% from 2004 to 2009, despite the challenged economy. The U.S. is still on top and deserving of the moniker “the world’s research lab." Remaining at the top will require vigilance, continued innovation, and good policy.