If it looks like a Higgs....

[SexyGuy]

So it's just more knowledge -- like learning about the sex habits of ants, the migrant patterns of horse fleas, how many licks does to it take to .....

As a scientist, I am always curious about how the world and her inhabitants work, what makes each organism 'tick' so to speak. My work-study professor looked into the sex habits of ants, and wanted to see if there was any correlation between the sex habits (monogamous, polygamous, polygynous, etc), relatedness and other features, across the globe as one of his projects this past year. He's still looking over the data, but the thing is, he's interested in it. By being a scientist, you get to use that insane amount of curiosity that you have and focus it into something that has captured your attention.

Another example: While you may label research on whale genomics to be useless extra knowledge, scientists have learned that before we humans entered the scene, there were 10,000's to 100,000's of several whale species, such as the grey whale, blue whale, and other cetaceans. Study 1. Study 2. This may seem redundant - of course there were many more whales in the seas before humans came and started hunting them. However, this information is useful for those that are trying to conserve them, and bring back their populations into higher numbers so that the ecology of the seas does not fall apart (though, arguably this is already happening).

I could explain how the migrant patterns of fleas on horses is important, however, that would be redundant, especially for the point that I'm trying to make: any knowledge produced from research is important no matter how far out it may seem. Heck, we know more about space than we do about the depths of the Earth's oceans. It wasn't until 2004 and 2006 that scientists actually took pictures and video (respectively) of a living Giant Squid - genus: Architeuthis - in its natural habitat.

 

[SexyGuy]

I'm not against gaining more knowledge, just the wasteful use of funds to spend for the sake of spending the funds.

Ben Franklin studied electricity because he was looking for knowledge -- he did not look for government funding in his quest.

As far as I've read both James Maxwell and Michael Faraday took different paths to their education and did not rely on government funding for their livelihood.

Ben Franklin could easily AFFORD to do his experiments because his experiments were simple in design. His concept of refrigeration was simple: he took two mercury thermometers, placed ether-soaked cotton batting around one and evaporated the ether by using a bellow, while continuously wetting the cotton. The temperature gradually declined (down to about -14*C if I remember right) and he showed that refrigeration/cooling is possible. This experiment came from a simple observation: that he was cooler in the breeze with a wet shirt on a very hot day than he was with a dry shirt.

Today, there are no simple answers that need to be discovered. Scientists - from psychologists to biologists to chemists to physicists to geologists and SO many others - now need stronger and more accurate and precise tools to help them uncover the mysteries of the Earth and the universe. These tools cost upwards of hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars - dollars that the usual scientist does not have. That is why we apply for grants, both from government agencies and from the private sector. However - and this is where you should pay attention - scientists do not like being told what to research. That's why we (or a majority of us at least do) carefully look for grants that align with our projects, and do not accept money from corporations. Even though corporations may give us money, there's no such thing as a free lunch; there's usually strings attached to that money (such as ownership of the data, and receiving the majority of any profits resulting from said data).

Your ignorance is that you look to the government for all your solutions. Think and do for yourself.

Last time I checked, I don't look to the government for my solutions, and I'm sure that most members of JUB don't do so as well (though I honestly could be wrong; I'm not on here frequently). What I do know, however, is that I use the brain that hundreds of thousands of years of evolution has given me and figure out my own problems.

 

[Kulindahr]

@ SexyGuy: two excellent posts!

 

[SexyGuy]

@ SexyGuy: two excellent posts!

Thank you Kulindahr!

 

[JB3]

I'm not against gaining more knowledge, just the wasteful use of funds to spend for the sake of spending the funds.

Ben Franklin studied electricity because he was looking for knowledge -- he did not look for government funding in his quest.

As far as I've read both James Maxwell and Michael Faraday took different paths to their education and did not rely on government funding for their livelihood.

Your ignorance is that you look to the government for all your solutions. Think and do for yourself.

Follow your own advice and stop regurgitating right-wing talking points that make no sense.

Private institutions can only do so much in regards to scientific research. When it comes to multi-billion dollar facilities that require large amounts of land and resources, the best and most efficient source of funding and oversight is the federal government. You may not agree, but I frankly don't care.