Some members of Congress want to see less money given to basic research projects that probably will not lead to applied work for quite some time. At LBNL, funding was cut for two facilities that had played important roles in basic research in past years. This shift in national priorities has greatly concerned many scientists. Not all large-scale projects involving basic research have been cut. Secondly, each chromosome is being mapped out to determine the precise location of each gene in the genome.
Industry does little basic research today.
Due to the competitive nature of the business world, commercial research tends to emphasize projects requiring less than 10 years to develop a new product or process. Businesses simply cannot afford to engage in long-term research projects. There is quite a bit of applied research being conducted at LBNL today. The Energy and Environment Division specializes in this type of work. Another major project in recent years has been the construction and implementation of the Advanced Light Source , a facility that allows scientists to use x-rays and ultraviolet waves to examine the structure of materials at the atomic level.