As vast as our observable Universe is and as much as we can see, it’s only a tiny fraction of what must be out there. Image credit: NASA, ESA, R. Windhorst, S. Cohen, and M. Mechtley (ASU), R. O’Connell (UVa), P. McCarthy (Carnegie Obs), N. Hathi (UC Riverside), R. Ryan (UC Davis), & H. Yan (tOSU).

Why Exploring Space And Investing In Research Is Non-Negotiable

If a former Nazi realized its importance nearly 50 years ago, perhaps we all can, too.

Around the country and around the world, there is no shortage of human suffering. Poverty, disease, violence, hurricanes, wildfire and more are constantly plaguing humanity, and even our best efforts thus far can’t address all of everybody’s needs. Many are looking for places to cut funding, ostensibly to divert more to humanitarian needs, and one of the first places that comes up in conversation is “extraneous” spending on unnecessary scientific research. What good is it to conduct microgravity experiments when children are starving? Why smash particles together or pursue the lowest possible temperatures when Puerto Rico is still without power? And why study the esoteric mating habits of endangered species when nuclear war threatens our planet? To put it more succinctly:

With all the suffering in the world — starvation, disease, persecution, and natural disasters — why should we spend public money on an enterprise like fundamental scientific research?

Particle accelerators on Earth, like the LHC at CERN, can accelerate particles very close to — but not quite up to — the speed of light. Although experiments like the ones at CERN cost billions of dollars, they’re one of humanity’s most worthwhile endeavors. Image credit: LHC / CERN.