We often bemoan the state of the research job market on HN. I can’t help but wonder what moving funding from these facilities to smaller experiments and research labs would do.
Critically, the only reason that DOE can support the cost of these "big science" projects is that they are generally "dual use" so to speak, with both basic science and national security applications. A similar dynamic is arguably at play in the funding of the largest projects in other countries as well.
So it is not clear that cutting such "big science" projects would in practice actually open up more funding for small basic science grants, lacking the same national security applications.
This would have a far more salutary effect on releasing funds for research.
Although perhaps these projects are too speculative with an uncertain path to revenue (unlike Space).
It's really funny (and great) that there are actually people now that continue this phrase with the mention "unlike space". It used to be that "the best way to become a space millionaire, is to start life off as a billionaire."