The most exciting thing in President Obama's new budget was seven billion dollars for the National Science Foundation. That's an increase of $800 million over 2008 and $150 million more than the agency itself requested for 2009.

 Sure, it's not the biggest item in the budget. It's not the most immediately important. It's not glamorous or full of immediate impact. It won't save our country from the recession/depression/apocalypse. But basic research is incredibly important, especially in light of the environmental and resource challenges that will be facing us in the near future (see half the posts on OS lately).

But it clearly shows the difference between this administration and the previous one.  Investment in science shows a concern for the future and a desire for progress that just wasn't there during Bush's time in office, thanks to research budgets from other traditional sources like DoD and NASA slashed by foolish wars and ludicrous plans for new moon landings. The increase isn't enough (the American Association for the Advancement of Science estimates that only 25 percent of NSF research proposals get funded), but I'm encouraged by a step back from the brink that was the Bush administration.