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Want to Go to the Stars? First You Must Stand With Science

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Want to reach for the stars?

Sometimes one gets a sinking feeling. Here we are on the cusp of so very many things in science, from finding other Earths, to understanding the extraordinary organisms right under our noses, and even detecting the fundamental particles that help build all that we see. We are also in the midst of an incredible flourishing of interest in this most rational of ways to make sense of the universe around us, and with good reason, for the economic health of any nation it is clear that science and technology are more than ever the route to long-term success. And yet, and yet... here in the US science funding is in serious danger. I've posted before about the plight of NASA, and other resources are rapidly approaching similar parlor states.

It's vital for us all that the sciences, and especially the next generations of investigators, innovators, and creators are not allowed to fall by the wayside on account of what is, even in tough financial times, a relatively small investment. So take a moment to look at the video below from the very people that matter the most, those next generations of scientists, engineers, and technologists. Stand With Science was started by a group of MIT graduate students who are members of the Science Policy Initiative. Its goal is to make people hear, and in particular to make the US Congress pay attention to protecting Science Funding.


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Watch it and act on it. We might one day reach across the universe to the stars, but only if we make sure we are prepared.