Running Low On Cash, U.S. Physicists Recommend Shutting Off Nation's Last Big Collider

As far as Im concerned being at the cutting edge of science is a matter of national defense. we simply can not afford to fall behind in education and science.

It blows my mind how much money we spend on things that arent necessary, how many fighter jets would it take to close the funding gap for this research?

@Wanamingo

If only more people shared your perspective. Scientific and technical innovation is the foundation of modern economies.

Sometimes I wonder why my peers are more interested in the brands of beers than the colors of quarks.

-Coming from a teenager sitting in class eavesdropping in a conversation.

In Asimov's Foundation series, the Second Empire gains strength first through technological superiority, then through manufacturing, and again through trade and commerce.
The preceding empire crumbles apart into a state of barbarianism due to increasing war expenditures, and a decrepit manufacturing base.

Does art imitate life, or can life imitate art?

No. This is all not relevant Republicans say. Defense spending needs to be defended. Who cares if Europe slowly takes over in physics, astronomy, high speed rail and other solid infrastructure or other high tech innovation. It's not relevant.

What is relevent is the military, our guns, banning and rediculing gays, defending tax atvantage for the wealthiest, more oil drilling, a war with Iran to ''defend'' Israel. In other words, all the things that lead to success and prosperity.

There are so many reasons that science isn't a national priority, it's hard to say which one is the most damaging. Creationist and climate change denier republicans on the science committee is a big one. The republican party as a whole needs to get their priority's in check. The democratic party talks a good game but often lack the spine to combat the legions of the 'party of stupid'. We do spend way too much on defense, but too few of us complain, and that money will never go to science and education. Mostly though, it's our own fault. As a whole, we're lazy. Sorry to shatter the American exceptionalism complex of some of you, but it's the god's honest truth. I'm sure you can give me anecdotal evidence on how we're the hardest working, most innovative, bla bla bla. We're lazy. Math and science are hard, and it's much easier to buy our technology that makes us feel advanced than it is to make it, or improve upon it, or contribute in any way other than just buying it. Our obsession with being #1 (whatever the heck that really means) makes us paranoid, thus the out of control defense spending. As a nation, we have GOT to grow up. Ditch the guns, bibles and the king of the hill attitude, focus on reality, get back to the basics of education, improving life for all of us, and national pride that is centered around achievement, progress and empathy, not who's got the biggest military or which politician believes in the bible harder.

@GregN913 you make a great point, but Asimov was simply analyzing previous empires. The human mind is inspired by our environment, at the most bssic level nature therefore it cannot influence life because life itself is where it originates.

America slowly eclipsing.

Sell it to a foreign government, we are selling off our civilian and military technology - might as well give them our science too.

Dan Nosowitz, sir,
Now would be the time to use the word moth.

"Oh look, the government is cutting back on their budget and putting the colliders in storage with moth balls!", lol.

Take care Dan. ;)

Entitlement spending accounts for 61.9% of the federal budget compared to 18.7% on defense.(Fraser) You could cut back on military spending but the amount saved would be miniscule compared to reducing spending on citizens who don't attribute anything to the country than increasing its population by reproducing. The issues the media seems to report on are the hot topics. Before the New Year you couldn't look at a media provider without seeing an article on the "Fiscal Cliff"!!! What happened to that? The government put a temporary "bandage" over the situation without solving anything, removing it from the public’s eyes. Now it’s all gun control and Immigration reform. I believe everyone on this site would agree that we have larger problems for our future than removing 3 bullets from a magazine. I'm not saying there shouldn't be reform, but how can a bill be passed within days of a tragic event, but a foreseeable degrade is impossible to fix. Lets open our eyes a little wider to see the bigger picture, not democratic or republican. If you ask me they all have there heads in places generally reserved as an exit only.

Fraiser, Alison; Federal Spending by Numbers - 2012; The Heritage Foundation; October 16, 2012; www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/10/federal-spending-by-the-numbers-2012