This chapter advocates for a comparative approach to STS, asserting that innovation results from a complex interplay of resources, cultural norms, historical legacies, and diverse epistemologies. It explores appropriation, encompassing adoption, adaptation, and reverse engineering, while acknowledging their multifaceted consequences. Funding inequities are highlighted, emphasizing how affluent nations drive advanced research. The discussion scrutinizes technology transfer, focusing on localization and infrastructure, and extends to global policy variations, including priorities, centralization levels, and regulatory frameworks. Safety, ethics, intellectual property, and data protection are examined for their dynamic impact on societal values. Illustrative examples compare regulatory approaches, educational systems, and trust dynamics within the STS framework in diverse nations, emphasizing policy variations in GMOs and AI. Education systems in the US, Japan, India, and China are compared, exposing distinct approaches and outcomes. Trust in science and technology is dissected, considering societal values, cultural perceptions, and the impact of scientific misconduct on public confidence. Discussions extend to public engagement, power dynamics in knowledge dissemination, and concerns about privacy and data-driven technologies, addressing inequalities in education, infrastructure, funding, and technology access. In conclusion, the chapter underscores the global significance of studying scientific independence.