The National Academy of Sciences — National Research 

 Council is a private, non-profit organization of scientists, 

 dedicated to the furtherance of science and to its use for the gen- 

 eral welfare. The Academy itself was established in 1863 by the 

 terms of a Congressional charter under which it is empowered to 

 provide for all activities appropriate to academies of science 

 and is required to act as an advisor to the Federal Government 

 in scientific matters. The National Research Council was estab- 

 lished by the Academy in 1916, at the request of the President 

 of the United States, to enable scientists generally to associate 

 their efforts with those of the limited membership of the Acad- 

 emy. With funds contributed from both public and private 

 sources, the Academy and its Research Council work to stimulate 

 research and its applications, to survey the broad possibilities of 

 science, to promote effective utilization of the scientific and tech- 

 nical resources of the country, to serve the Government, and to 

 further the general interests of science. 



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