Maybe they should take that 17B and invest it in AI research, then take the resulting model and ask it what particles we’ll find at higher energies. Just kiddin

Maybe they should take that 17B and invest it in AI research, then take the resulting model and ask it what particles we’ll find at higher energies. Just kidding, please don’t lambaste me. 17B is no small sum but we’re talking about investigating the fundamental nature of reality. In some ways, this is the most important research in the world as it touches on something extremely deep. Science in general tells us “how”, but physics is the only possible field that has even a remote chance of telling us “why”. Why is there something rather than nothing? Why do I experience consciousness? Maybe physics will never answer these, or maybe a supercollider isn’t the best way to answer these, but I like to think that $17B is a small price to pay to find out.