US 2008 Science budget slashed

The USA, the world's largest economy will be spending less on science in 2008, with physics research being hit particularly hard.

The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in particular, has learned that the US federal government has allocated only US$ 310 million to them in 2008 - significantly less than an expected US$ 372 million. It's believed that up to 200 scientists working at Fermilab will lose their jobs due to these cuts.

In terms of impact on specific projects, the 2008 budget has targeted the International Linear Collider (ILC) most significantly, reducing it's funding by 75%. The ILC has been designed to help answer some of the biggest questions in physics such as: what is dark matter and dark energy, is the universe composed of more than 3 spatial dimensions, are there other physical laws of nature we are not yet aware of?

The answers to the fundamental questions which the ILC would help answer are not simply academic - what will be learned will influence a new generation of engineers and technologists who will be able to produce devices which are faster, cheaper, more efficient. To argue against projects such as the ILC is akin to insisting that the initial research necessary for the modern electronics industry was a waste of money.

Other science projects which will have budget cuts....

The ILC, however, is not the only project which will be hit by cuts in the US 2008 science budget. The world's largest experiment aimed at investigating the possibilities of producing power by nuclear fusion will lose funding as well. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) has begun to clear the ground in anticipation of the commencement of construction next year in Cadarache, France. The USA has previously committed to funding 9% of the costs for ITER - equivalent to US$ 149 million which will not be paid in 2008.

ITER administrators believe that while the loss of the US contribution will harm the ITER project, it will not stop it. Currently, the European Union is funding 49% of ITER, with the other partners, India, Russia, South Korea, Japan, China and the United States picking up the remainder amongst themselves.

What's the point of spending any money on science if there are other more immediate problems in the world?.... Read on to find out more....