I'll check out the links to MrG. I'm quite fond of the universe, as it is a mirror of God's vastness and glory. A marvel to be studied NO DOUBT. And a wonder to behold.
The things that have been mentioned, planes, research, technology, mining, or in other ways "useful" side of NASA and such research, is all fine and dandy. My peeve is with the millions of dumb dollars spent on nothing. Wasted time trying to find aliens, wasted time trying to see if a some planet a trillion light years away has growth. Wasted time finding out what a planet is made of on the edge or our galaxy. Waste waste. If it's not constructive to solve the problems we currently face, and our children and grandchildren will face even worse later on, then dump it.
As our great grandchildren face a rising ocean and greater radiation from a depleting atmosphere, well at least we taught them what planet rcl-339's core temperature was. Very helpful to them surely in those days!
Anyways, while I'm sure I'm "off" in my details, I think you get the point of my own thinking though.
And let's never forget that our ancestors never had these things, get it out of mind that somehow these inventions are some kind of life saver. We would have got along just fine without them just as always. And also don't forget that this same research produces just as much BAD as good. Such as weaponry of course, missiles, nukes, poisons and other warfare. And now the big conspiracy is weather manipulation. Out there in space, some secret research to change the weather. Wouldn't be surprised, such as the weather this world is seeing lately.
Or like when we first invaded overseas, and our troops were afraid of mines, then out of "nowhere", torrential rains like has never been seen before, pouring down for days, and uncovering the mines. Miracle? Weather manipulation?
Fun stuff.
And no more blabbing out of me, this isn't my topic. lol
cheers