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Smashing Matters Opdoc

The far-reaching impacts and incalculable value of basic science, as told by the scientists at the last atom smasher.

Save Basic Science

​Basic or fundamental science is the most advance form of research. It is pushing the boundaries of our current understanding. Although not motivated by immediate direct applications, it often provides unanticipated technological breakthroughs.

Basic science produces the breakthroughs that change the world. From discovering the electron at the dawn of the 20th Century to pioneering the technology inside MRIs and smart phones, game-changing innovations emerge from pure exploration.


Basic means fundamental and essential. Asking questions about the birth of the universe, the forces that bind together all life on Earth, and the laws that govern all forms of energy advances not only human knowledge, but it arms innovators and inventors to push technology into new frontiers. The foundations of physics can inform and transform everything.

We may not know how long it will take for today's discoveries  to revolutionize our lives and shift the course of the future, but all great leaps are born in basic science. It is essential to the evolution of mankind to understand how the world works.

Save science. Save the future.​

 

 

Take action



The boldest and most promising experiments -- from multi-mile atom smashers to exploring other planets -- require tremendous investment. But the innovative technologies, brilliantly trained scientists, and economic output of such endeavors more than pay for themselves. Help spread the word.



Tell the members of congress that you believe in basic science. Tell your local leadership that you want your children to grow up in a world of unimagined inventions powering unprecedented peace and prosperity. Tell your neighbors that GPS devices, smart phones, x-ray machines, and countless other essential technologies would not exist without investing in physics.

Drivers of Discovery

Other instruments complement the research at RHIC and push our fundamental understanding of the universe. These incredible machines, and the agencies that fund the scientists and engineers behind them, are laying the foundation for the future.

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