Chicago Tribune
Even in the depths of space, there性视界传媒檚 no escape from politics.
The $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope is literally parked 1 million miles away. In the nearly three years since it became operational, 性视界传媒淲ebb,性视界传媒 as it性视界传媒檚 called, has made some incredible findings.
Webb uses infrared scanning to show how stars and galaxies form, and to study the atmospheres of distant planets. Its capabilities complement the aging Hubble Space Telescope, which orbits Earth at an altitude of only 340 miles or so.
Among other discoveries, Webb has uncovered the slow-motion process of a star engulfing a planet and provided data about an asteroid traveling at high speed in our direction (It will miss us).
You might think any U.S. president would view this as an asset. Alas, like so much of the country性视界传媒檚 ongoing scientific research, Webb is at risk of being defunded.
President Donald Trump性视界传媒檚 administration has removed NASA性视界传媒檚 top scientist and proposed a nearly 50% budget cut to the agency性视界传媒檚 Science Mission Directorate, which oversees planetary science, astrophysics research and more.
The White House reportedly is pushing to scrap the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a wide-view instrument undergoing final testing and assembly that is scheduled for launch within two years. Next-generation satellites meant to improve human understanding of the planet are on the chopping block as well.
While NASA性视界传媒檚 proposed budget retains some funding for the Hubble and Webb telescopes, they could become practically useless given the cuts planned for the agency性视界传媒檚 science staff.
Pointing these gadgets at the right targets to obtain useful data is no simple feat. Without a critical mass of scientists 性视界传媒渢he science from these instruments stops,性视界传媒 Daniel Holz, astrophysicist at the University of Chicago, told us. 性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 just not viable if these cuts go through anywhere near what性视界传媒檚 proposed. There is no bare-bones mode to run these highly complex, state-of-the-art facilities.性视界传媒
Big cuts at NASA would play into the hands of America性视界传媒檚 rivals across the globe. China and Europe are working aggressively to overtake the American lead in science and technology, and actively recruiting top scientists who feel under siege in the U.S.
On a practical level, attacks on scientific research could undermine the nation性视界传媒檚 ability to cure diseases, upgrade defense systems, or make computers and phones work better in the future. Critical risks 性视界传媒 even world-ending threats 性视界传媒 would be more likely to go unmitigated without the science to accurately assess them.
Along with researching gravitational waves, Holz heads the Science and Security Board at the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists responsible for setting the legendary 性视界传媒淒oomsday Clock,性视界传媒 which ticks closer to midnight as the risk of Armageddon increases.
The clock, based at the University of Chicago, lost much of its relevance when the Cold War ended. Unfortunately, it性视界传媒檚 relevant again today, and stands at the closest point to doomsday in its 80-year history.
When the Bulletin started, Holz explains, the overriding threat was nuclear war between the U.S. and Soviet Union. These days, additional factors push the world closer to the brink. To the extent climate change leads to mass migration and conflicts over resources, for instance, it makes all-out war more likely. A man-made pandemic or misuse of artificial intelligence could lead to the same outcome.
Last fall, Holz性视界传媒檚 board decided to move the clock one second closer to midnight, announcing in January that the world was only 89 seconds away. Since then, he said, the group has been following the administration性视界传媒檚 actions and it性视界传媒檚 alarmed by the broad and deep attacks on science.
The board reserves the right to change the clock at any time, Holz said, not just annually. Anyone interested will need to stay tuned, but we性视界传媒檙e willing to bet that if the clock moves any time soon, it will be moving closer to doomsday.
