Thousands fighting science cuts

Last Modified: 20 Dec 2007
Source: PA News

A petition calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to halt planned cuts in physics and astronomy has attracted more than 3,500 names in its first day.

The "e-petition" website launched to voice scientists' opposition to the £80 million cuts will remain open until February 18 next year. A list of the signatories will then be delivered to Number 10 Downing Street.

Scientists have reacted with anger to the cuts ordered by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which funds public research in particle physics and astronomy, to save £80 million over the next three years. Under the current proposals, research grants to UK astronomy will be slashed by 25%.

In addition, Britain's contribution to a number of major international projects would be wholly or partly withdrawn.

These include the International Linear Collider, a next-generation particle accelerator that will investigate the creation of the universe, and the Gemini Observatory, consisting of two of the world's largest telescopes.

Astronomy facilities that could be threatened include UKIRT, the United Kingdom Infra-Red Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, MERLIN, the network of radio telescopes centred on the famous Lovell dish at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, and the Liverpool Telescope on La Palma in the Canary Islands, the world's largest research robotic telescope.

An editorial published online yesterday by the journal Nature said: "Researchers in most disciplines, in most parts of the world, have to tighten their belts from time to time. But these reductions are more drastic and sudden than any arm of a competently managed research agency should have to bear."

The funding shortfall faced by the STFC is caused by increased UK subscriptions to CERN, the particle physics facility in Geneva, the European Southern Observatory and the European Space Agency, and the spiralling operating costs of two cutting-edge physics facilities at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in Oxfordshire, said Nature.

The RAL's Diamond synchrotron light source and ISIS neutron source, which both probe the structure of matter, are projected to cost £60 million to run over the next three years. Innovation, universities and skills secretary John Denham has asked an expert panel to review the likely impact of the proposed changes and report next spring.

The House of Commons' Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee will also hold an inquiry into the STFC's spending plans next year. The e-petition website address is http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Physics-Funding.

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