cut to the chase
Friday, September 14 2012 @ 01:15 PM CDT

I am surprised by the ratio of dark energy and dark matter compared to normal matter.

From Yahoo News:

Dark energy is thought to make up 73 percent of the universe, though no one can say exactly what it is. (Twenty-three percent of the universe is similarly strange dark matter, scientists say, while the remaining 4 percent is "normal" matter that we can see and feel.)

http://news.yahoo.com/elusive-dark-energy-real-study-says-210930122.html?_esi=1

Re:cut to the chase
Friday, September 14 2012 @ 01:41 PM CDT

I'm sure there are lots of things we've yet to find out. Just a shame that we're not going to be around when it's all discovered - I reckon a few hundred years yet... that's if we haven't blown ourselves to pieces first!

Re:cut to the chase
Friday, September 14 2012 @ 02:50 PM CDT

Dark matter and dark energy are two of the biggest problems ever faced by modern physics. Since they represent a challenge to earlier models of the Universe, it's very exciting. If it ever gets figured out, we will have learned a lot about Nature.

I find it surprising and troubling that the general public uses popular articles on these issues to rail against science: scientists are making things up, scientists won't admit that they don't know anything, they just want more funding, there they go changing their mind again, what a waste of money, scientists are unattractive losers who work hard because they can't get a date, they are as corrupt as politicians, they are pushing their atheistic agendas, and on and on … and on.

This dismissive and belittling attitude relies largely on a profound ignorance of science, scientists, history, and human behavior in general. Whereas in the past (say 50 to 100 years ago), people tended to express a fascination with modern scientific developments, the tendency now is to express cynicism. I have a few ideas as to how this has happened, but I don't think there's one simple explanation.

What do you think? Is it worth it for governments to invest billions into pure research (including space exploration), even if there are no tangible spin-offs, such as a better toaster?

Re:cut to the chase
Friday, September 14 2012 @ 04:59 PM CDT

Quote by: Les_Kloo What do you think? Is it worth it for governments to invest billions into pure research (including space exploration), even if there are no tangible spin-offs, such as a better toaster?

A recent study revealed that there is upwards of $30 Trillion dollars being sheltered by the wealthy and corporations in off-shore accounts - to avoid taxes presumably.

Just a fraction of that money could serve so many valuable endeavors from pure scientific research to feeding the hungry and caring for the sick and disabled.

It's a mystery to me why unfathomable wealth is being hoarded towards no reasonable end. Scientific advancement is central to our evolution as a species.