Why Study the Higgs Boson?
With the recent news over the probable discovery of the Higgs Boson, I've seen an old question come up again - What's the point of doing this type of research?
I've covered this before on the blog in the essay, Knowledge for Knowledge's Sake. That essay was in reference to dark matter, but it's largely applicable to the Higgs Boson, so I'm not going to repeat myself here. However, I've seen a few good takes from others on this question.
First is an article in the New York Times by Steven Weinberg, Why the Higgs Boson Matters. Jumping to the end, here was his conclusion:
On a longer time scale, the advance of technology will reflect the coherent picture of nature we are now assembling. At the end of the 19th century physicists in England were exploring the properties of electric currents passing through a near vacuum. Although this was pure science, it led to our knowledge of the electron, without which a large part of today's technology would be impossible. If these physicists had limited themselves to work of obvious practical importance, they would have been studying the behavior of steam boilers.
Next is an article by Jerry Coyne, which used Weinberg's article as a starting point, Steven Weinberg on the Higgs boson, and a few words on the value of pure science. Here's an excerpt of what he had to say:
But I wish we could convince the public that there are simple payoffs in understanding. Humans are curious animals: we want to know where we came from, and where the universe came from, and what we and the universe are made of. That is worth something in itself. Even if evolutionary biology had no practical benefits (and yes, there are some, but the vast amount of money given us by taxpayers to study evolution is to promote pure understanding), it would be worth spending money on, just as we subsidize the arts.
And finally, a recent comic on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal made the point quite humorously. Here's the first panel from that comic. Click on it to read the whole thing:
Comments
buy atorvastatin 80mg generic lipitor 80mg order lipitor 80mg online
Posted by: Hejlgq | March 12, 2024 1:56 PM
ciprofloxacin price - purchase myambutol pills augmentin 375mg usa
Posted by: Clewze | March 14, 2024 1:39 AM
generic cipro 500mg - bactrim 480mg pills clavulanate brand
Posted by: Oyqacg | March 14, 2024 3:32 PM
buy flagyl 200mg online - order amoxil online buy azithromycin online cheap
Posted by: Mpinpm | March 16, 2024 9:13 PM
ciprofloxacin 500 mg generic - cost ciprofloxacin 500mg order erythromycin 500mg online
Posted by: Deqxjo | March 17, 2024 10:58 PM
valacyclovir 1000mg price - order valacyclovir 1000mg pills acyclovir sale
Posted by: Szkbcq | March 19, 2024 2:02 AM
ivermectin 3 mg online - ciplox usa purchase tetracycline without prescription
Posted by: Yvbbgn | March 20, 2024 2:30 AM
generic flagyl 200mg - buy azithromycin for sale purchase zithromax for sale
Posted by: Azqvvo | March 21, 2024 6:35 AM
buy cheap generic acillin buy cheap penicillin amoxicillin over the counter
Posted by: Igykdg | March 22, 2024 5:32 AM
buy furosemide generic - furosemide 40mg brand cost capoten 25 mg
Posted by: Xmdtxb | March 22, 2024 7:20 PM
order glycomet pill - brand bactrim 960mg buy cheap lincocin
Posted by: Yfrjtd | March 25, 2024 10:23 PM
zidovudine 300mg ca - glucophage medication buy generic allopurinol
Posted by: Ouuylk | March 26, 2024 1:06 AM
buy clozapine 100mg without prescription - quinapril 10mg canada buy generic pepcid 40mg
Posted by: Kmsvll | March 28, 2024 7:34 AM
quetiapine pills - buy bupron SR generic eskalith brand
Posted by: Pjsvpy | March 29, 2024 12:39 AM
buy atarax 25mg without prescription - hydroxyzine 10mg for sale order amitriptyline 10mg generic
Posted by: Qythye | March 31, 2024 1:07 AM
generic clomipramine - duloxetine 20mg uk buy sinequan pills for sale
Posted by: Weywpl | March 31, 2024 2:16 AM
buy amoxicillin generic - cefuroxime over the counter cipro 500mg over the counter
Posted by: Hxtllx | April 3, 2024 3:56 PM
buy amoxiclav generic - buy myambutol online cheap cipro buy online
Posted by: Gcazxf | April 4, 2024 4:19 AM
cheap cleocin - generic cleocin chloromycetin ca
Posted by: Ujykpv | April 9, 2024 12:08 AM
oral zithromax 500mg - buy flagyl 200mg generic generic ciplox 500mg
Posted by: Nfdkww | April 10, 2024 3:35 AM
ventolin inhalator sale - pill theo-24 Cr buy theophylline online
Posted by: Dxjgru | April 12, 2024 3:23 PM
ivermectin stromectol - cost eryc buy cefaclor paypal
Posted by: Mxatgg | April 12, 2024 8:34 PM
clarinex oral - buy desloratadine 5mg without prescription order generic ventolin inhalator
Posted by: Iawbna | April 15, 2024 12:19 AM
medrol 16mg tablet - order azelastine 10 ml without prescription azelastine canada
Posted by: Adlvde | April 15, 2024 9:25 PM
brand micronase 5mg - micronase 2.5mg tablet forxiga for sale
Posted by: Dtlamf | April 17, 2024 1:03 AM
repaglinide order - prandin 1mg for sale order jardiance 25mg generic
Posted by: Rqzefr | April 19, 2024 1:11 AM
glycomet 1000mg us - metformin 1000mg pills generic acarbose 25mg
Posted by: Lddvwf | April 20, 2024 12:34 AM
buy generic lamisil for sale - order diflucan 200mg generic buy grifulvin v sale
Posted by: Fjrevu | April 21, 2024 6:25 PM
rybelsus sale - desmopressin online buy order generic DDAVP
Posted by: Xfblmw | April 23, 2024 12:21 AM
order nizoral 200 mg generic - butenafine medication order sporanox 100 mg sale
Posted by: Eyretf | April 23, 2024 9:49 PM
lanoxin order online - cheap lanoxin 250 mg where to buy lasix without a prescription
Posted by: Saazhr | April 25, 2024 11:04 PM
order famvir 250mg online - buy famciclovir pill order valaciclovir 1000mg generic
Posted by: Tppvmy | April 26, 2024 1:30 AM
buy hydrochlorothiazide - purchase norvasc online order bisoprolol for sale
Posted by: Qxwcoi | April 28, 2024 1:12 AM
order metoprolol 100mg - telmisartan 80mg tablet nifedipine price
Posted by: Sgsbri | April 29, 2024 5:17 AM
buy nitroglycerin without prescription - buy valsartan tablets diovan 80mg over the counter
Posted by: Iiozlo | April 30, 2024 1:22 AM
crestor online putt - pravastatin moon caduet eager
Posted by: Bbclly | May 2, 2024 5:15 PM
zocor although - tricor tree lipitor dog
Posted by: Znolmf | May 4, 2024 2:16 AM
acne treatment shout - acne medication sideway acne treatment rage
Posted by: Fwcadz | May 19, 2024 2:41 PM
asthma medication drift - asthma medication black inhalers for asthma follow
Posted by: Nhvuhw | May 20, 2024 4:25 PM
treatment for uti happen - uti treatment lend treatment for uti rusty
Posted by: Duutxp | May 21, 2024 10:57 AM
pills for treat prostatitis song - prostatitis treatment dread prostatitis treatment worship
Posted by: Dcxjhq | May 22, 2024 12:37 PM