For scientists, there have long been advantages to working in big cities — in close proximity to other scientists and inventors. A new analysis delves into whether this is still the case.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It used to be that if you wanted to be an inventor or a scientist, it helped to be around other inventors and scientists, which could mean working at one of a handful of elite universities in a big metro area. New research questions whether big cities are still a primary engine for innovation. NPR's social science correspondent Shankar Vedantam sat down with our colleague David Greene to explain what they found.