On: Stephen Hawking and Yuri Milner Announce $100M Ini...

[pc86]

Space travel and exploration have directly resulting in many commercial products, which themselves have generated billions in revenue and tens of thousands of jobs (if not more).

Not only is your statement disappointing to hear from anyone presuming to be technically literate, it is objectively wrong.

[jessriedel → pc86]

Actually, I think you're wrong here. Space travel is a very inefficient method of R&D. Almost any other basic research has more practical benefit.

[nicboobees → pc86]

As a fellow reply states, using "Space travel" as a means for general R&D is pretty damn inefficient.

You would have a similar result if you poured money into alchemy research - lots of side products etc.