[theK]

Its an interesting notion. If you can control the sum of all scientific sponsorships surely you will be able to control the subjects of research. And yes in 1940 30 million would surely go a long way to do this but it is 2023 and there are thousands of bodies offering research grants, usually chaired by senior members of academia that mostly tend to contribute indirectly any way.

I think the slowdown in physics we are witnessing today has not much to do with this effect and more to do with pragmatic aspects like capitalism and the next order of magnitude in complexity that we need to master to make headway.

EDIT: clarity