How is the amount of the royalty determined? Is it used to pay NIST back for the cost of the NIST research?

NIST does not base the royalty on what it would take to recoup research costs. Royalties are based on many factors including, but not limited to: the type of license granted (exclusive, nonexclusive, field of use, etc.), the stage of the invention (i.e. , how long it will take and how much it will cost for the licensee to commercialize the technology), whether or not it is a joint or sole NIST invention, the "going rate" of royalties typical for the particular industry, the size of the company, foreign competition, etc. more.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.