Increase Science Literacy — Use R&D Labels On All Products

InnovationScienceIncrease Science Literacy — Use R&D Labels On All ProductsByMarshall Shepherd,Senior Contributor.Follow AuthorMay 31, 2026, 11:19am EDTMagnifier highlighting Nutrition Facts of FoodsgettyI was driving around this weekend and happened to turn on one of the popular urban radio stations in my area. What I heard next almost made my ears bleed. It wasn’t a terrible song. It was a public service announcement questioning the recent Artemis moon mission and recycling cliche arguments that space exploration is wasteful. I resonate with and commend the underlying argument that people are struggling with economic hardship, healthcare, and other “kitchen” table issues. However, a broad stroke dismissal of exploration, basic research, and development is dangerous. Should we use research and development labels on all products to increase science literacy? Hear me out.CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 01: NASA's 322-foot-tall Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center on April 01, 2026 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The 10-day mission will take NASA astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen around the moon and back. If all goes according to plan, the astronauts will fly 230,000 miles out into space, the farthest any human has ever traveled from Earth. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Getty ImagesAt one point in the PSA, the commentator mentioned that it was just another mission to take pretty pictures. It’s so much more than that. "Whenever I hear someone say space missions like Artemis are wasteful, part of me actually ‘gets’ what may be inspiring that sentiment. Luther Vandross had a hit song called “Here and Now," I wrote in a previous piece. We Benefit Daily From R&D, Long-term Studies, And Seemingly Outsized ExpendituresThe reality is that we must...