https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider#Cost https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider#Cost The LHC was approved for construction start i

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider#Cost https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider#Cost The LHC was approved for construction start in 1995. The wiki article doesn't capture it but you can bet the science behind the design of the LHC wasn't all done the year before. It didn't achieve its first real goals until 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LIGO https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LIGO LIGO was dreamed up in the 1960's to detect gravitational waves. Took until 2002 to get the first one built big enough to theoretically detect them, and until 2015 to finally get measurements demonstrating the existence of waves. Real science is slow. This "20 years means I don't know" business is indicative of perhaps not appreciating the difference between basic science and applied science/engineering. I know we're used to engineering projects pumping out new awesome tech every couple years, but basic science is hard and takes a long time.