The Importance of Basic Research

It's not only about sharing the products of science, but also the values of science—thinking longterm, thinking about both facts and the uncertainties, thinking in terms of reason. . . . If you think about the Space Race, it was wonderful to put a person on the moon, but it was pretty useless—but it was a great way to get smart phones and computers.

Director and Leon Levy Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf and Institute Trustee Lord Martin Rees joined the panel of BBC's Inside Science from the 2017 Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts to discuss the relationship between basic and applied scientific research. Listen to the discussion here.