exotic space telescopes, giant particle accelerators, and probes to other worlds are just another form of 'rare token hunting'

This post compares large-scale scientific infrastructure projects like space telescopes, particle accelerators, and interplanetary probes to "rare token hunting," suggesting they represent humanity's drive to pursue rare, difficult-to-obtain achievements and discoveries rather than practical necessities. The comparison draws a parallel between collecting rare digital or physical tokens and the scientific community's pursuit of unprecedented observations and knowledge at the frontier of exploration.

Source: David Holz (X) | 2026-05-20