Big Science
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
I must say I enjoy science. I like the notion that a human being can better understand their surroundings and then do something with it or comprehend it better.
Yet what I do not get ( probably appreciate is a better term) is really big science. An example would be CERN's Large Hadron Collider. Another that is really big will be the new space telescope called the Webb Telescope, being launched in 2014.
This telescope will be 2.7X bigger the Hubble scope in orbit today. Its main mirror diameter will be 6.57 meters ( 21.5 feet) in diameter. Now I am excited as to how far this telescope will be able to see and the great pictures, all that, that it will be able to transmit to earth.
I understand some of the benefits... these programs put people to work, it advances our understanding ( I think ) but I stuggle with it's practical value to society as a whole.
Does the common person reap the value? Do we feed the hungry? Is a pot-hole fixed, do you solve pollution and energy problems?
It seems to me if this was in the eyesight of big science more people would applaud the effort.
Yet I do not and cannot articulate the residual benefits that the common person benefits from other then velcro, pens that can write upside down in space, and perhaps advances in chip set technology. Are there other benefits ? I think so , but can you tell me more? To my chagrin I cannot list out those benefits that the common person can applaud.
We will soon go back to the moon - this makes sense if we can harvest some of the minerals for use ( one is Helium³ that is a source for generating power with little radio active 'exhaust' or left overs);
The world will continue to look to science for answers to our growing concerns - but these concerns need to be the focus of big science, not the residual leftovers that find their way into a product or service.
As I understand it , less than 10% of all the data that is collected in the big science projects is analysed and used. Yet the science community continues to generate more and more data . FYI data is not information as yet till someone exposes its value.
I cannot help but think of focusing NASA in total on some of the biggest issues that can be solved by technology - energy and the like.
Perhaps you can tell me where my blind spot resides - on the big science that is helping in a practical way.
praṇām
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
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