By: lopati15

lopati15 — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 15:39:11 +0000

In reply to John Learned. Sir, I'm sorry but you still did not answer my question. Lopati15

By: John Learned

John Learned — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 21:56:00 +0000

Dear Lopati15: Yes, good question, but there are other important things than health and the local environment. As a physics prof, I cannot help but rise to the question… which really is, why do we do fundamental science? Why do we study the stars, the origin of the universe, and the smallest scales of the structure of matter? Some argue it is because these studies lead to “progress”… for example quantum mechanics and all the electronics and computers which we all depend upon. The explorations ultimately improve our lives (including health). Others invoke national security. Some even say, we do this research (and building all manner of gadgets) simply because we can. My taste which may not be yours, is that we do science because we want to understand the universe, where we came from and where we are going. A famous physicist, Bob Wilson, replied to a Senator who asked how the Fermilab research helped defend the nation, that it was work such as theirs which made it worth defending. Health and environmental studies are a (large)part of the bigger picture of human inquiry into unraveling the secrets of our universe.

By: Lopati15

Lopati15 — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:30:37 +0000

How does this research benefit the health of a person or the environment?

Comments on: Mānoa physics professor receives early career research award

By: lopati15

By: John Learned

By: Lopati15