As just about every nation has recognized, protecting the intellectual-property rights of inventors is essential to promoting innovation and ensuring economic growth. But the world is divided over which elements should determine whether an invention warrants a patent and who has legitimate rights to that patent. And on this issue-surprise-the United States finds itself alone.

The U.S. system awards a patent to the first person who invents a given thing, as proved by such evidence as witnessed lab notebooks. In nearly every other country, though, a patent goes to the first person who shows up at a patent office to file a claim. But there are many other divisive issues as well-including the very idea of what may be patented.