Curiosity driven science/recession.

[sirbhp]

totally agree , but we need a sience bank which would help commercially develop some of these discoveries / inventions rather than flog it off cheap to the Chinese .

[Cabana]

I am of the opinion that the best way to get us out of economic decline is to massively increase our science budget. Here is why; New scientific discoveries tend to lead to new technology. New technology based on discoveries tend to have unforeseen economic benefits (think electricity, electronics or medical advances etc.). We spend a tiny fraction of our budget (about 0.6 percent) on curiosity driven science, so it is relatively cheap to significantly increase that budget.

Admittedly it is long-term, not a short term solution, but does anyone disagree?

I agree. Just look at hat TATA have brought out,an air powered car. Imagine the possibilities of that technology. It is evident that oil will become just too expensive as it begins to run out, which means that it won't be financially viable to have cars or even planes. Providing alternative energies to oil will definitely bring many rewards. I believe that oil also provides us with many other things such as plastics....so research should be done to find out what other ways to provide those things. So finding alternatives to just oil alone would bring us much, let alone other technologies. Britain should be at the forefront of this research.

[Dashing_Chap]

I completely agree, Graphine was found in the UK, tho other materials may take it's place. We need to invest in science and actually put the trademarks and patents in place to stop other countries nicking out inventions. The recent history of the UK is the history of getting fkd over invention wise. The jet engine, electricity, tv, www, liquid crystal displays on plasma screens there's loads of stuff we've invented and not bothered to cash in on.

[Chromodynamix]

I'm a scientist so I'm biased (though I shouldn't be).

Big science like CERN and Fusion Tokamaks are money well spent in the long term, and may they continue.
Our total knowledge doubles every 10 years, so our progress is exponential.
I am sure fusion is just around the corner, not 50 years away as some pundits say.

ITER - the way to new energy

[StickyEnd]

I completely agree, Graphine was found in the UK, tho other materials may take it's place. We need to invest in science and actually put the trademarks and patents in place to stop other countries nicking out inventions. The recent history of the UK is the history of getting fkd over invention wise. The jet engine, electricity, tv, www, liquid crystal displays on plasma screens there's loads of stuff we've invented and not bothered to cash in on.

I am fairly sure that the internet is a child of CERN. But in general I agree with you.

[Cabana]

I am fairly sure that the internet is a child of CERN. But in general I agree with you.

Tim Berners-Lee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[StickyEnd]

Tim Berners-Lee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Off Topic. Are you claiming that is not a CERN discovery?

[Higgs_bosun]

Off Topic. Are you claiming that is not a CERN discovery?

I think that he is confirming your point Sticky.

[RZer0]

Im sure I read some where in the 60's, the US government poured truck load of monies into the education system for it to generate next wave of scientist because of the space program, resulting in Nasa's golden years were the late 60's and 70's but the UK did jack and still continues to do jack, education is some what business lead as well as political scoring, its why we have teachers teaching tourism, media, weak IT and science etc etc, R&D starts at schools and builds from there.

[Mr_C_Hinecap]

The spin-off from the US space programme was lots of interest in science and people doing related qualifications. I don't think you can really compare that period of time with now given the global recession, but this is the closest thing we've got on a big scale to try and impress kids in science and engineering:

BLOODHOUND SSC education and engagement