Scientists release plans for an even bigger atom smasher to address the mysteries of physics

Particle colliders are expensive. The trend in physics seems to be inventing ideas that aren’t necessarily supported by the existing evidence. I think, given the cost, we should be careful that we actually have an expectation to learn something new.

Don’t misunderstand; I love science and I think it’s incredibly important to the advancement of civilization, but there’s also an opportunity cost that needs to be considered with these expensive projects. The vast majority of theoretical particles are never discovered. As an alternative, you can fund a whole lot of research for $14B in place of building one particle accelerator. We must take care to evaluate the question on whether the opportunity cost is the correct trade-off against the potential discoveries in say, medical science.