# Why Society Needs Astronomy and Cosmology

- Institution: Gresham College
- Speaker: Professor Roberto Trotta
- Year: 2016
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Physics, Astronomy and space
- Source: [Gresham College](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/why-society-needs-astronomy-and-cosmology)
- Licence: [Educational use (Gresham College's terms)](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/terms-and-conditions)
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

'One day, Sir, you may tax it': Faraday's prescient quip when quizzed about the practical value of electricity in 1850 neatly demonstrates that advanced societies cannot afford to stifle scientific curiosity for its own sake - a powerful if serendipitous driver of technological and societal progress. It will be argued that fundamental research into astronomy, cosmology and particle physics is a luxury that humankind cannot do without. This cultural, technological and scientific returns of such an enterprise far outweigh the costs.

## Lectures

1. [Why Society Needs Astronomy and Cosmology](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/why-society-needs-astronomy-and-cosmology/f3c2751bbc2f) (YouTube)