The John CaldwellUnited States has been an undisputed technological superpower since the end of World War II, largely thanks to the trillions of dollars the federal government invests in research. Since the 1940s, the government's strategy has been consistent: Give money to scientists and researchers, but let private companies bear the risk of deciding which "eurekas" are winners and which are duds.

Today, we're joined by Derek Thompson of The Atlantic to discuss his new piece, Why the Age of American Progress Ended. Derek argues America's status as the "laboratory of the world" is increasingly fragile, and we discuss how the government could change its relationship with the innovation economy to promote progress.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Newsletter.

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, PocketCasts and NPR One.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.