According to writer Thomas Friedman, America needs a national science project. The goal? To make us energy independent in ten years. In this hour of Science Friday, Ira talks with Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author Thomas Friedman about his new book "The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century."

In the book, Friedman looks at the interconnectedness of the modern world and changes brought on by improvements in communication and technology. That interconnectedness, he argues, has leveled the economic playing field around the world, making the world 'flat.' He points to a slew of causes, from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the the rise of the Internet, as souces of this flatness -- events that made it easy for people all over the world to work together or compete against each other.

From radiologists in India, to airline reservation bookers in Utah, how is technology changing the shape of our world? And is America losing its technological edge? What's the downside to the 'flattening' of the globe? Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Thomas L. Friedman
"Foreign Affairs" Columnist, New York Times
Pulitzer Prize Winner (Commentary), 2002
Author, "The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century," (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005)
Author, "The Lexus and the Olive Tree," (Anchor Books, 1999)
Washington, DC

Books/Articles Discussed:

"The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century," by Thomas L. Friedman. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005.

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This segment produced by Annette Heist