During my time in Krasnoyarsk, I saw science and technology ranging from the use of wood scrap obtained from forestry operations for making skin-care products to a cooling system for satellites. In many areas of science Russia is equal to the West, and in some technologies it exceeds our capabilities. In almost every realm, Russia's approach to scientific problems is different from ours. While we approach health care and medicine from the biological perspective, Russia grapples with the same problems from the perspective of physics. Russia claims that its long-life cooling system for satellites is superior to that used elsewhere and is seeking U.S. customers for the technology.
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Such openness unthinkable in the Soviet era, has become commonplace. Russia's drive to a market economy will be a struggle, but the opportunities exist. With investment dollars coming from companies like Intel, there is some hope for a future in which Russian technology will continue to fuel a civilian, rather than a military-controlled, economy. All rights reserved.