Actually it's been shown many times that investment in large scientific projects such as the LHC pays off many times over. It forces development of new manufacturing techniques, innovation in engineering methods, not to mention colliders' usefulness towards medical research because of the unique radiation it puts out. Radiation therapy wouldn't be close to where it is today without them. This is why the effects of this recent cut in US funding towards fundamental research won't be seen for quite some time, but if the cuts continue, it will eventually hit us hard.
You're thinking of the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). It was being built in Texas in the 90's (and was in fact going to be larger than the LHC), but was cancelled in 93 after costs far exceeded expectation. Actually the SSC would have been more than twice as powerful than the LHC (30 TeV vs 14 TeV).
It's not cheaper over here. In fact the cost of living for the workers is much more. But it's an international project, one which to date has involved over 30 countries. How do you decide where such a project, with so many participants, is built? Obviously you pick the most logical spot, i.e. CERN.
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Actually it's been shown many times that investment in large scientific projects such as the LHC pays off many times over. It forces development of new manufacturing techniques, innovation in engineering methods, not to mention colliders' usefulness towards medical research because of the unique radiation it puts out. Radiation therapy wouldn't be close to where it is today without them. This is why the effects of this recent cut in US funding towards fundamental research won't be seen for quite some time, but if the cuts continue, it will eventually hit us hard.
You're thinking of the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). It was being built in Texas in the 90's (and was in fact going to be larger than the LHC), but was cancelled in 93 after costs far exceeded expectation. Actually the SSC would have been more than twice as powerful than the LHC (30 TeV vs 14 TeV). It's not cheaper over here. In fact the cost of living for the workers is much more. But it's an international project, one which to date has involved over 30 countries. How do you decide where such a project, with so many participants, is built? Obviously you pick the most logical spot, i.e. CERN.