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This is a completely layman's analysis, but I think that science funding has gone down because we are less and less able to understand what it is that is being
by jbob2000 11y ago
This is a completely layman's analysis, but I think that science funding has gone down because we are less and less able to understand what it is that is being studied and how it can benefit humanity. Go back 40 or 50 years and the things scientists were discovering were tangible and real. They produced things that people could touch, consume, and understand.
The biggest science project we have going, the LHC, is impossible for the lay man to understand. "A big circle which smashes tiny things together? You're just watching it? I don't get it!". Compare that to the discovery of penicillin; "You're growing fungus under your fridge and it's going to cure my sick child? Take all my money!".
- dhruvsuyam 11y agoThat is because this generation has lot of diversions. Focus is the key for research.
- jbob2000 11y agoFocus is easy when there's a strong value proposition. We got nuclear done very quickly because the value was near infinity. The science being done today seems to have weak value.
- c06n 11y agoI agree. I work at a large national research institute, 50 % of our budget is financed through grants. Just last week we were told by my institute's director (and I'm rephrasing only slightly): "If you really want to help our finances, do something that makes it into the evening news. Then it's easy for politicians to send money our way, they love to finance things that appear on the evening news. Because that is their currency for the next election. But if we don't succeed at it, it will be even harder in the future."