Americans are losing their predominance in science and technology, a recent study has found out.

According to the National Science Board, the country's focus on such field is now fading, probably because of under-investment.

Dan E. Arvizu, chief executive of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the chairman of the National Science Board, said that this happens because the world is undergoing a "dramatic shift in the global scientific landscape."

"Emerging economies understand the role science and innovation play in the global marketplace and in economic competitiveness and have increasingly placed a priority on building their capacity in science and technology," he explained.

One region that is now keeping up with the United States is Asia. The report said that country's from the world's largest continent are now putting their money on science and technology, and engineering.

"Globally, the number of first university degrees in S&E reached about 5.5 million in 2010. Almost a quarter of those were conferred in China (24%), 17% in the EU, and 10% in the United States," the report said.

"The United States remains the world's leader in science and technology," said Ray M. Bowen of the National Science Board. "But there are numerous indicators showing how rapidly the world is changing and how other nations are challenging our predominance. As other countries focus on increasing their innovation capacities, we can ill afford to stand still."

US-based scientists also think that the government's refusal to invest in research is the reason why other countries are now closing on them. According to a survey conducted by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 85 percent of responding scientists believe that under-investment in science and research has helped "global competitors to catch up to and even pass the U.S. in scientific research."