Posted by
michael
on from the c-is-for-cookie dept.
cdneng2 writes "In these articles from Yahoo,
scientists have discovered how and why a cookie crumbles... and
it has nothing to do with the packaging and how they are
transported. More details in Nature,
and other news articles here."
Who funds these guys?
by
saden1
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
And how did they manage to get grants to do this kind of work? I want some of that money do my research on how toilet paper folds.
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----- One is born into aristocracy, but mediocrity can only be achieved through hard work.
Re:Who funds these guys?
by
bfandreas
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Your question is valid, yet portrais a sad state of science nowadays. It is true that science needs funding. But not all of it promises immediate gain or material increase of the guy who cough up the dough(no pun intended since these guys seem to get money from a cookie manufacturer).
Yet funding comes your way when companies or the military see some merit in what they are paying for. These entities tend to only think VERY short term.
Think of it this way. Who would have paid Newton to sit underneath an apple tree. This little anecdote(true or not) marks the beginning of research of gravity. Something that everybody took for granted. Yet ask the NASA what they would do without the outcome of this line of research. If you ask about the benefit of sending people to the moon, ask the folks who will live a couple of hundred years from now. Satelites should be a no-brainer.
True science resembles art. Not many understand why we need it, yet we would still be sitting in cold caves not wondering why round stones roll down the hill while others don't.
Silly as it may seem, I think that this cookie induced revelation will advance our civilisation and mankind in itsself.
DISCLAIMER: I spent a couple of years partaking in pure science robotics stuff nobody thinks will be usefull. Ever. We shall see. Hooray for BMBF!
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And how did they manage to get grants to do this kind of work? I want some of that money do my research on how toilet paper folds.
-----
One is born into aristocracy, but mediocrity can only be achieved through hard work.