ASML joins with Samsung, SK hynix, for chip research lab in South Korea

Dutch photolithography dominator ASML has reached an agreement to build its first-ever offshore research lab, to be located in South Korea in partnership with Samsung. Announced during a state visit to The Netherlands by South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol, the $750 million facility will work to "develop cutting-edge …

[jgarbo]

What's the Problem?

The Chinese have historically been smarter than the West, roughly 1,000 yrs ahead until the Ming dynasty withdrew from the world. Now they're back. Hang onto your hats...

[Kristian Walsh]

Re: What's the Problem?

Not smarter, they just had the advantage of living in a much more stable society for a long period when Europeans were more occupied with constantly fighting each other. While it’s true that war accelerates invention, repeated conflicts erode the society’s ability to support long-term research and progress.

Whenever anywhere in Europe had a period of sustained peace, clever people were able to pop up with all sorts of interesting things too (clockwork, optics, combustion engines); and China’s regression in the 20th century coincided with its half-century of revolution, civil-war, forced relocation and internal purges.

The belief that any one nation or another is cleverer is just racism dressed up as praise. Nations end up being “good” at things mainly due to geology, geography or history... not DNA.