Research magazine Horizons: The transformation of Big Science
Our thirst for knowledge is insatiable - and scientific mega projects are the perfect expression of this. But despite their might: Big Science is becoming more democratic and is opening up to all academic disciplines, as the latest Horizons magazine shows.
The current issue of Horizons shines the spotlight on our boundless drive for knowledge. Whether it is about exploring the vastness of space or the infinite details of cell nuclei, we look Big Science over the shoulder: how many resources are used up by the 40 most expensive projects in the world? How can we make sure that these gigantic infrastructures will be used and maintained in years to come? How and why is Big Science opening up to new disciplines and becoming more accessible to lay people?
In this issue’s second main story, Horizons talks to five men and women who tell us why they turned their backs on scientific research. Their stories show that the end of research is not the end of following your dreams.
Personal matters are also the subject of the interview with outgoing Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann. Other highlights: how new models are helping researchers to solve the mysteries of the Earth's magnetic field, and how to resolve conflicts of interest.