- #1
Mazer Rackham
- 4
- 0
So, I have just finished my first year of college. I wasn't a physics geek in high school and only got interested in it during my Senior year. I became intrigued by the subject because for once, I found something that I had to work at and gave me a challenge, and I enjoyed this, thus I chose to focus in Physics in college.
Now even though I just started, I figure it's never too early to start looking into graduate school, so I as looking. I searched "Top Physics universities in the world" and variants, and I have to admit, I was a bit taken aback by what I found out. According to most of the sites I visited...The U.S. dominates. Now I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but if the U.S. has the by in large the most high ranking Physic's universities in the world, that leads me to question where all our great physicists are?
Yes, I see all theses cool gadgets like the Iphone, and what not. I also am aware that our "great space program" NASA isn't quite up to par as it should be and will be going through some overhaul over the next couple of years (why would this be happening if we have so many great Physic's programs?) And saying that the students who go to these colleges/universities just return home so we don't benefit isn't an answer, cause we still have the professor's that taught those students...
What my problem with what my quick little research found is not with the physicists, cause I doubt they are just being lazy...I'm frustrated by the inkling that it is the U.S. government (or just large, greedy businesses) who is probably holding our science industry back. Why are we still dependent on oil? Why have we not landed on Mar's yet? How did the EU construct the world's largest collider and the U.S. didn't (we even have way more land for it too!)? I just am wondering how in the world a country that is supposed to be "top dog" in the Physics community let that sort of potential go to waste. At this point, I honestly hope Area 51 isn't just some stupid conspiracy theory, because at least that way I would know that the U.S. government didn't ignore all of the potential they had.
P.S. if there's something I'm not reading about that proves me wrong, please tell me, after all I'm new to the world of physics.
P.S.S. Don't point me to military advances, Physics should create, not destroy, and so in my honest opinion, I don't count advances in military weapons as advances in physics until they can be used for civil means.
Now even though I just started, I figure it's never too early to start looking into graduate school, so I as looking. I searched "Top Physics universities in the world" and variants, and I have to admit, I was a bit taken aback by what I found out. According to most of the sites I visited...The U.S. dominates. Now I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but if the U.S. has the by in large the most high ranking Physic's universities in the world, that leads me to question where all our great physicists are?
Yes, I see all theses cool gadgets like the Iphone, and what not. I also am aware that our "great space program" NASA isn't quite up to par as it should be and will be going through some overhaul over the next couple of years (why would this be happening if we have so many great Physic's programs?) And saying that the students who go to these colleges/universities just return home so we don't benefit isn't an answer, cause we still have the professor's that taught those students...
What my problem with what my quick little research found is not with the physicists, cause I doubt they are just being lazy...I'm frustrated by the inkling that it is the U.S. government (or just large, greedy businesses) who is probably holding our science industry back. Why are we still dependent on oil? Why have we not landed on Mar's yet? How did the EU construct the world's largest collider and the U.S. didn't (we even have way more land for it too!)? I just am wondering how in the world a country that is supposed to be "top dog" in the Physics community let that sort of potential go to waste. At this point, I honestly hope Area 51 isn't just some stupid conspiracy theory, because at least that way I would know that the U.S. government didn't ignore all of the potential they had.
P.S. if there's something I'm not reading about that proves me wrong, please tell me, after all I'm new to the world of physics.
P.S.S. Don't point me to military advances, Physics should create, not destroy, and so in my honest opinion, I don't count advances in military weapons as advances in physics until they can be used for civil means.