Opinion: Why we study shrimp on treadmills: The case for curiosity-driven research

In recent debates about government funding, certain quirky-sounding research projects — like studying shrimp on treadmills — have grabbed headlines and become easy targets for criticism. Politicians and the public alike ask: “Why should we pay for shrimp running on treadmills?”

Questioning these seemingly odd experiments, out of context, poses a serious threat to support for curiosity-driven basic science — the very engine that drives transformative discoveries. 

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