Both presidential candidates have now answered 14 questions about science policy that were posed by ScienceDebate2008, a group of prominent scientists and academics who are seeking to make key science issues a larger part of the conversation surrounding the presidential campaign.

John McCain’s answers were posted on the group’s Web site yesterday. Barack Obama’s responses were online as of August 30.

The questions deal with such topics as education, research, innovation, climate change, energy, national security, genetics, space, and scientific integrity. A side-by-side comparison of the candidates’ answers is available on ScienceDebate2008’s Web site.

The New York Times also offers this summary of the candidates’ responses.

The answers, the story notes, “show clear areas of agreement on such apple-pie issues as ocean health, as well as sharp contrasts, as when Mr. Obama stresses the role of government and Mr. McCain that of business in addressing some of the nation’s main challenges.”