European science success 'due to separation from politics'

Scientific work in Europe has benefitted from a lack of political interference, the former head of CERN has said.

Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith told the Today programme that, in contrast to Europe, scientists have been "reviewed to death by the government and hung up with red tape" in the US.

Dr Jean-Claude Worms, head of science at the European Science Foundation, said scientific work in Europe is "at its best today", especially given the landing of the robot probe Philae on the surface of a comet.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday 14 November 2014.