See this is where u need the country specific information to make sense out of it all. And no Nobel prize has not lost its value and u research must be meaningful specially for STEMs
For example high-speed railways doesn’t make sense in US because one air-fare is so cheap here that it’s pointless to have railways . The other thing is that oil/car lobby is so strong here that they’ve delved into Americans mind to prefer having cars and depend on that sort of
As for theoretical physics. You do know theoretical physics delve with the stars, strong theory etc etc. it’s experimental physics that counts. Where China is just starting US has been an established leaders.
example 20 years ago every car manufacturer thought electric cars are impossible. US completed that milestone. Every scientist thought that once u send a rocket to space it is useless and hence space colonization would not be achieved spacex and blue origin achieved that or examples like hyper loop
China just launched its last satellite for its yesterday for its own GPS. US achieved that 40 years ago. China is agrarian growing fast but still agrarian
Also, in 2018 there were only 70k Asian graduates of STEM majors that includes entire ASia not just China. And 330k white graduates alone in STEM majors in US . So yeah Chinese are not dominating
I also remember when it became a bigger deal in US. When China created the fastest super computer ever. At first we didn’t care but when it became a bigger deal . US literally created 2 even faster super computers for no reason just to stick a nose to the
Microsoft going for augmented reality
Boston dynamics going to AI, robotics
The US has a good head start, agreed. Argentina even sent advisors to Japan to help the country to build warship 100 years ago. But that does not mean it will continue to lead.