I agree. Show me what possible use these heavy elements have? Exotic power sources, faster that light travel, fusion power control? And at what cost? Talk about adding to the national debt!!
The science and engineering necessary to conduct the experiment will have huge currently unforeseen payoffs in the future. Increasing the knowledge of nuclear processes will pay off in future uses of nuclear power. It will also pay off in the science and engineering of materials. Basic science rarely has an immediate payoff.
All, my career I have gotten copies of, or now downloaded both academic and government research reports. Only rarely is the intent of their research directly useful to me. However, the technology they used to generate the work almost always is.
The other benefit is the training this activity gives to young scientists and engineers.
I guess you want to give the future to the Chinese!
You sound like a democrat or liberal.
You don't know what the practical aspects of this research are. It might not have anything to do with the heavy element produced. Maybe its a new alloy created for the experiment, a new type of capacitor, etc.
When we spent a lot more in real dollars on fundamental research, we were the world leader not only in that research but in technology generally. I'd much rather we return there rather than concede first place to the Chinese.
Chemists think there is an island of stable elements in the 130’s. If they can get to it, there may be useful elements there.