Nuclear research as a source of technology

RECENTLY THE VALUE of pure research to the US nation has come into question. Although the federal government has steadily increased its support of pure research since the Second World War, attempts to determine the value of pure-research activities to the national economy have been inconclusive. Project Hindsight concluded that very little basic research carried on in university laboratories had contributed to the development of weapons systems since the war and implied that consequently there was little point in the Defense Department's continued support of pure research in universities. On the other hand, those individuals who support increased funding of pure research by the federal government point out that the nation's most rapidly growing industries are those that have invested most heavily in research, with the implied conclusion that an investment in pure research will result in an expanded national economy.