[jeffbee]

This is one of the most ignorant comments I’ve seen, and I weep for a future where people think that cramming flashlight batteries into cars is as big an achievement as eradicating polio, discovering the structure of dna, developing vaccines that prevent common cancers, creating the whole concept of open source software, or editing genes.

[edmcnulty101]

Your comment seems extremely ignorant. Wanting scientists to have accountability with our tax money seems like a valid ask.

> eradicating polio -> almost a century ago 1950s?

> discovering the structure of dna -> almost a century ago 1950s

> developing vaccines that prevent common cancers -> cancer is the second leading cause of death, this hasn't impacted the world significantly and isn't even a treatment except in extremely specific cases.

> creating the whole concept of open source software -> almost half century ago, not even academia, a consortium

> editing genes -> been around 15 years and would love some examples of how it impacted the world significantly pretty much at all

[jeffbee]

The first serial production of battery-electric cars was in 1906.

The HPV vaccine has already cut the rate of cervical cancers by more than 90% in the age groups that have benefitted from the vaccine. If you think savings the lives of thousands of young women is not an impact, you're just reinforcing my opinion of you.

[edmcnulty101]

Over a trillion dollars to save thousands of lives. I don't know if that's an ideal investment.