[fearhugs]

(HEP Phd, finishing)

I'll also be joining the data science world.

There's some debate about whether it's the best or worse time ever to be in particle physics. Either way I see a field that is overstaffed. Add to that the fact that CERN accelerators are shut down for two years and we're in the middle of the european strategy review.

Seems like a good moment to take some time out

[whatshisface]

My prediction is that the stagnation of physics will continue until the money and prestige has dropped to 1800s levels. Then, the only people who do it will be "true" in that they are motivated purely by curiosity. At that point the next set of breakthroughs will come around because all of the emotional and funding-treadmill induced blindspots that we have presently will be gone. Of course this is assuming that somehow the experiments can be kept up even through the funding decline.

[MockObject]

Meaning, science as a pastime for the idle wealthy, with no pressure to publish or perish?