In the third installment of the So Long and Thanks for All the Innovation podcast, I take a closer look at what the eviction of NSF says about the U.S. prioritization of science. No other agency seeks to embody long term strategic thinking like the NSF, yet so many recent decisions from real estate to budgets are taking short term views.

Why does college pricing feel like it was calculated during happy hour by a philosophy major with a broken calculator? In this episode, we dive into the bizarre world of tuition, net price, and financial aid—with a little help from Douglas Adams and the laws of Bistromathics. I’ll unpack the math, the myths, and why understanding the system is half the battle.

Thanks for listening. Growing this podcast/newsletter depends on readers like you — subscribing, sharing, and staying engaged. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll take a moment to subscribe.

In an earlier article, I lamented the missing $7 billion from the National Science Foundation’s budget compared to what Congress authorized just a few years ago. Now, that number could be as high as $12 billion. I discuss is greater detail how we got here and what we risk leaving on the table if Congress doesn’t reverse course. And, yes, exasperation does seep into the discussion.