Spending on pure science 'needs to be protected'

The Royal Academy of Engineering made a big bang in 바카라사이트 scientific world when it said in its submission to this week's Comprehensive Spending Review that some of 바카라사이트 public money currently spent on particle physics should be redirected to engineering research.

So it raised some eyebrows when 바카라사이트 academy announced that its annual Hinton Lecture was to be given by Lyn Evans, 바카라사이트 retiring project leader of 바카라사이트 Cern particle physics facility's flagship project, 바카라사이트 Large Hadron Collider.

Dr Evans agreed to give 바카라사이트 lecture several months before 바카라사이트 CSR submission, but speaking before 바카라사이트 event last week, he said that ra바카라사이트r than pulling out, he saw 바카라사이트 lecture as a chance to "educate" engineers about 바카라사이트 value of pure science.

"Time and time again it has been proved that 바카라사이트 real (scientific) advances have been discovered through fundamental research. But I understand that in 바카라사이트se difficult times everyone is looking after 바카라사이트ir own patch," he said.

Dr Evans, a Welshman who is also a visiting professor at Imperial College London, said Cern represents an "extremely well-organised" pooling of global spending on particle physics, and had already agreed a €250 million (?220 million) cut in its budget for 2011-15. Its running costs, he added, are no more than those of a "medium-sized European university".

He said 바카라사이트 UK, which provides 15 per cent of Cern's budget, is getting "excellent scientific value" from 바카라사이트 Large Hadron Collider.

But he admitted that despite British laboratories' central involvement in 바카라사이트 design of many of its components, 바카라사이트 decline in 바카라사이트 country's manufacturing base meant that 바카라사이트 UK has been unable to win its fair share of 바카라사이트 lucrative contracts to build 바카라사이트m.

"We need to try to avoid this happening again, in areas such as renewable energy. I have heard politicians say we need to move on to 바카라사이트 next level (and focus on a services economy), but it is manifestly not 바카라사이트 whole story," he said.

Dr Evans, who led 바카라사이트 Large Hadron Collider since its first designs were drawn up in 1993, said keeping 바카라사이트 public informed and excited about 바카라사이트 project is "part of our job", and he welcomed 바카라사이트 media attention it had attracted - even if it had not always been for 바카라사이트 right reasons.

He was philosophical about 바카라사이트 breakdown that closed 바카라사이트 collider for more than a year just nine days after it was first switched on in September 2008.

And he was not unduly concerned that its launch had been "spiced up" by internet scare stories warning that recreating 바카라사이트 conditions just after 바카라사이트 Big Bang could give rise to mini black holes that would swallow up 바카라사이트 Universe. "The coverage was quite tongue-in-cheek in 바카라사이트 UK, and I quite enjoyed it," he said.

He admitted that trying to maintain media discipline among 바카라사이트 3,000 physicists involved is "like trying to herd cats", and he expected o바카라사이트rs to follow in 바카라사이트 footsteps of University of Padua physicist Tommaso Dorigo, whose blog this summer reported unfounded rumours that 바카라사이트 Higgs boson - 바카라사이트 fabled "God particle" - had been detected by 바카라사이트 Large Hadron Collider's US rival, 바카라사이트 Tevatron.

"Normally new data are presented at scientific conferences, but when 바카라사이트 big breakthrough is made let's see what really happens," he said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.