From curiosity to prosperity: sharing the gains of science
20 April 2026

From curiosity to prosperity: sharing the gains of science

Latest 300 | LSE Public lectures and events | Video

About
Why should governments back “Big Science” when discoveries are uncertain and the benefits may seem distant from taxpayers’ daily lives? In this public lecture, France A Córdova—astrophysicist and former Director of the US National Science Foundation, NASA Chief Scientist, and President of the Science Philanthropy Alliance—explores how curiosity-driven research and the large infrastructures that enable it deliver value well beyond the lab.