Does social distancing harm innovation? We estimate the effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)—policies that restrict interactions in an attempt to slow the spread of disease—on local invention. We construct a panel of issued patents and NPIs adopted by 50 large US cities during...

REVISED 9/2019: We show evidence of localized knowledge spillovers using a new database of multiple invention from U.S. patent interferences terminated between 1998 and 2014. Patent interferences resulted when two or more independent parties simultaneously submitted identical claims of invention...

Where does adaptation to innovation take place? The supply of educated workers and local industry structure matter for the subsequent location of new work - that is, new types of labor-market activities that closely follow innovation. Using census 2000 microdata, the author shows that regions...

Does social distancing harm innovation? We estimate the effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)--policies that restrict interactions in an attempt to slow the spread of disease--on local invention. We construct a panel of issued patents and NPIs adopted by 50 large US cities during the...