How Many Times Can Science Funding Be Canceled?

Published in Science and Technology on Wednesday, August 6th 2025 at 16:06 GMT by The Atlantic
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Whether or not Congress cuts NIH's budget, the Trump administration has devastated its ability to operate.

The Repeated Cancellations of Science Funding: A Pattern of Short-Sighted Decisions

In the realm of scientific advancement, funding is the lifeblood that sustains research, innovation, and discovery. Yet, history is riddled with instances where governments, institutions, and policymakers have abruptly canceled or slashed science funding, often prioritizing short-term political or economic gains over long-term societal benefits. This pattern of cancellations has not only stalled groundbreaking projects but has also eroded public trust in science and hindered progress in fields ranging from climate research to medical breakthroughs. Examining these repeated disruptions reveals a troubling trend: science funding is frequently treated as expendable, leading to wasted resources, lost opportunities, and setbacks that can take years to recover from.

One of the most glaring examples dates back to the early 1990s in the United States, when the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) project was unceremoniously axed. This ambitious particle accelerator, intended to probe the fundamental building blocks of the universe, had already consumed billions in preliminary funding and construction. Scientists envisioned it as a tool to unlock mysteries like the Higgs boson, potentially revolutionizing physics. However, congressional debates over budget deficits and competing priorities led to its cancellation in 1993. The decision left tunnels half-dug in Texas and thousands of researchers scrambling for new paths. Critics argue that this move ceded U.S. leadership in high-energy physics to Europe, where the Large Hadron Collider at CERN eventually achieved what the SSC might have done sooner. The fallout was immense: not only did it delay discoveries, but it also discouraged investment in large-scale science infrastructure, setting a precedent for future cuts.

Fast-forward to the 21st century, and similar stories abound. During the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, numerous countries slashed science budgets as part of austerity measures. In the UK, for instance, the government imposed significant reductions on research councils, affecting everything from biomedical studies to environmental monitoring. Projects aimed at developing renewable energy technologies were particularly hard-hit, with funding for solar and wind research being deferred or eliminated. This came at a critical time when climate change was gaining urgency, yet political leaders justified the cuts by citing economic recovery needs. The irony is stark: by canceling funding for sustainable energy research, nations prolonged their dependence on fossil fuels, exacerbating the very environmental crises that science could have mitigated.

In the U.S., the pattern continued under various administrations. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has faced repeated threats to its funding, with programs like the Constellation initiative—aimed at returning humans to the Moon—being canceled in 2010 amid budget constraints. This decision shifted focus to private partnerships, but it disrupted ongoing work and led to job losses in the aerospace sector. More recently, during fiscal showdowns in Congress, funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been on the chopping block multiple times. In 2013, the sequester—a series of automatic spending cuts—reduced NIH grants by about 5%, forcing labs to scale back experiments and lay off staff. Critical research into diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer suffered delays, with some studies estimating that the cuts set back medical progress by years. These interruptions highlight how science funding is often caught in the crossfire of partisan battles, where research is viewed not as an investment but as a line item to be trimmed.

Beyond the U.S. and UK, international examples underscore the global nature of this issue. In Australia, the 2014 budget under Prime Minister Tony Abbott eliminated funding for the Climate Commission, an independent body providing public information on climate science. This move was part of a broader rollback on environmental research, driven by skepticism toward climate change policies. The cancellation not only silenced expert voices but also hampered Australia's ability to address rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Similarly, in Brazil, repeated budget cuts to science and technology ministries in the late 2010s and early 2020s have devastated rainforest research. Funding for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon was slashed, contributing to accelerated environmental degradation at a time when global biodiversity is in crisis.

The consequences of these cancellations extend far beyond immediate financial losses. When funding is pulled, entire research teams disband, specialized equipment gathers dust, and years of preparatory work go to waste. Young scientists, in particular, bear the brunt, often abandoning promising careers due to instability. A study by the American Association for the Advancement of Science notes that inconsistent funding leads to "brain drain," where talented researchers migrate to more stable environments abroad. Moreover, these disruptions foster a culture of caution in science, where investigators shy away from ambitious, high-risk projects in favor of safer, incremental work that guarantees short-term results. This stifles innovation—the very engine of progress that has given us vaccines, smartphones, and space exploration.

Politically, the rationale for canceling science funding often revolves around fiscal responsibility or ideological differences. Proponents of cuts argue that taxpayer money should address immediate needs like healthcare or infrastructure rather than "abstract" research. However, this overlooks the economic multipliers of science investment. For every dollar spent on research, studies show returns of up to seven dollars in economic growth through new technologies, jobs, and industries. The Human Genome Project, for example, despite facing funding threats, generated trillions in economic value through advancements in personalized medicine and biotechnology.

To break this cycle, advocates call for ring-fencing science budgets—protecting them from annual political whims through multi-year commitments or independent oversight bodies. Countries like Germany and South Korea have models worth emulating, where consistent funding has propelled them to the forefront of fields like renewable energy and electronics. In the U.S., bipartisan efforts like the Endless Frontier Act aim to bolster science funding, but their success depends on sustained political will.

Ultimately, the repeated cancellations of science funding represent a failure of vision. Each cut chips away at humanity's collective knowledge, delaying solutions to pressing challenges like pandemics, climate change, and resource scarcity. As we face an uncertain future, investing in science isn't a luxury—it's a necessity. Policymakers must recognize that short-sighted decisions today could haunt generations tomorrow, and commit to a more stable, forward-thinking approach to funding the discoveries that shape our world.

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How Many Times Can Science Funding Be Canceled?

The Repeated Cancellations of Science Funding: A Pattern of Short-Sighted Decisions