A sad milestone
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ ... ml?hpid=z4
United States Trudges Backward in High Energy Physics - Tevatron Shuts Today
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Jim Kovalchick
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Chris Bradley
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Re: United States Trudges Backward in High Energy Physics - Tevatron Shuts Today
There again, all good things come to an end. It is a successful conclusion. It ran its course and performed its mission.
The shame of it is that there is no follow up for the US. On the other hand, though, one might expect that such money is more efficiently used if devoted to a single multi-national project, as it is - in the form of LHC. This is just the way of the world at the moment - kudos is better gained by collaboration in science these days, rather than wasteful duplication through competing at it.
Arguments for and against. Though one might well expect the tides will turn again in the future, and national pride in domestic science programmes will return. That is, if the human race has not already receded too far back towards mediaeval times that industrial infrastructure becomes unrecoverable back to its peak capacity.
The shame of it is that there is no follow up for the US. On the other hand, though, one might expect that such money is more efficiently used if devoted to a single multi-national project, as it is - in the form of LHC. This is just the way of the world at the moment - kudos is better gained by collaboration in science these days, rather than wasteful duplication through competing at it.
Arguments for and against. Though one might well expect the tides will turn again in the future, and national pride in domestic science programmes will return. That is, if the human race has not already receded too far back towards mediaeval times that industrial infrastructure becomes unrecoverable back to its peak capacity.
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Jim Kovalchick
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Re: United States Trudges Backward in High Energy Physics - Tevatron Shuts Today
Chris,
Yep, my point in posting was not to lament the project closure, but it was more about the article's point in stating that the days of the US going after projects of this magnitude are past.
Unless we treat the pursuit of science discovery as a national priority, espcially where there is potential for quality of life level changes in the application of technology, there will be negative social, economic, and common defense implications.
While I think multinational projects such as LHC have their value, national level competition can be healthy and productive. The 20th century space program with its lofty goals is an obvious example.
Jim K
Yep, my point in posting was not to lament the project closure, but it was more about the article's point in stating that the days of the US going after projects of this magnitude are past.
Unless we treat the pursuit of science discovery as a national priority, espcially where there is potential for quality of life level changes in the application of technology, there will be negative social, economic, and common defense implications.
While I think multinational projects such as LHC have their value, national level competition can be healthy and productive. The 20th century space program with its lofty goals is an obvious example.
Jim K