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From the very beginning, humankind has asked questions about how the universe works.
Particle physics asks some of the most fundamental—and therefore most difficult to answer—questions
in the world.
Where did the universe come from? What is it made of? Will it end?
Why are we here? Why did the stars form the way that they did? Why does matter even exist
at all?
We do research in particle physics today because of our human desire to understand the world
around us
We explore the frontiers and boundaries of our universe at levels unmatched by any other
field: the smallest distances, the highest energies, the earliest times.
Particle physicists are technology developers.
When physicists start to measure new things, there is no catalog to order the equipment
from.
Developing the tools we need for particle physics research can have applications in
other areas of life such as national security.
Medical particle accelerators that help us cure cancer.
Many products, from shrink wrapping to the tires on your car, were treated with accelerator
beams as they were manufactured.
We like a challenge, and even when the challenge itself seems impractical, the new tools we
build for it have long-lasting value.
We just can't conceive yet of where the discoveries of our era will lead us.
For the US to continue making such breakthroughs, and to continue to grow its future economy,
we need more and more young people to decide to pursue careers in science and math.
You want great science education? Then you need great science pushing at the frontier
of knowledge and pulling students into the excitement.
Much of America's competitive advantage in the world stems from these investments.
And in this age of globalization, research in particle physics is also a wonderful model
of successful international collaboration.
So what effects does my research have on you?
Our lives are richer and safer because of the things we helped to build and because
of the knowledge we discover and share with everyone.
And we train our students to do the same.
A world populated by people with these skills is a better world.
It provides us with the capacity to solve problems we don't even know we have yet.
The discoveries we make today will be used by our children, and their children, as an
essential component of everyday life.
That's particle physics!