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gathering, interpreting and distributing scientific data is an especially important function today when the "Team" approach to scientific problems is being emphasized more than the individual approach. The Academy's practice of getting the best minds available from the academic community, industry and government to work on a problem is achieving notable results. In the World Science Center this function, too, will be strengthened.

The objective of the World Science Center is to create the most up-to-date and effective facilities in the world for the conduct of meetings and conferences. Despite advances in modern communications media, books, journals, the press, radio and television, the fact remains that there is a crucial need for a suitable place, a purposeful "summit" where knowledgeable people can meet face-to-face for the discussion of scientific and related problems.

A recent survey at Bell Telephone Laboratories showed that when the scientists wanted information on almost any subject, they "asked somebody" at least 80 per cent of the time. The Academy's conferences have long been notable for the fact that they allow ample time for discussion both in and out of session. Finally, because of the Academy's complete independence, the World Science Center will serve as a "yardstick"--a means of evaluating and demonstrating the benefits to the economy of industrial and private research compared with that performed by government agencies.

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