Trump’s Budget Cuts to NASA and the National Science Foundation Will Yield Significant Outcomes

In my view, the Stern-Gerlach experiment was a pivotal moment that introduced the findings of quantum mechanics to the scientific community. Proposed by Otto Stern and carried out by Walther Gerlach in 1922, this experiment demonstrated that atoms possess quantum properties. It revealed that electrons must adhere to quantum principles. The Stern-Gerlach experiments underscore the unusual aspects of the quantum realm, suggesting that observers seem to influence the properties that particles exhibit. Measuring the quantum characteristic known as spin appears to alter the possible spin values particles can possess subsequently. Essentially, the act of observation influences the future states of a particle.

In physics, we are conditioned to perceive ourselves as separate from the physical systems we study. This experiment challenges that separation. My experience shows that students often accept this premise as an undeniable truth. However, after contemplating it multiple times, they find it at odds with their intuitive understanding of reality. Coming to terms with these outcomes is a surreal journey—wonderful and extraordinary.

When I reflect on how to articulate witnessing the decline of American science in real-time, “surreal” is the best descriptor. It does not resemble the surrealism of the Stern-Gerlach experiment; instead, it feels like a reawakening to a tangible reality. I recognize that I once harbored an illusion about the world, but the emerging reality is intriguing and exhilarating.

Our current political climate resembles a reckoning with a previously held false sense of security. It seems that although the US government might support science today, there won’t be a transformative reality waiting for us tomorrow. Instead, the government continues to squander taxpayer-funded culture, casting it into oblivion. This metaphor carries weight: when an object crosses a black hole’s event horizon, it reaches a point of no return. The object is lost forever.

We find ourselves in a similar predicament. The universe remains to be explored, but the impairments to our research capabilities are enduring, altering the trajectory permanently. The number of master’s and doctoral programs has already diminished the availability of opportunities. Aspiring professors are not receiving the same level of training, which will affect not only future scientists but also science communicators.

The entirety of our future appears discarded. While Donald Trump has suggested cuts to NASA’s astrophysics budget and the National Science Foundation’s physics funding, these reductions in mathematics and astronomy will not prevent global hindrances to science, and will lead to far-reaching repercussions. The US plays a crucial role as a global investor in particle physics, cosmology, and investigations into fundamental truths.

While attending the 2025 Natural Philosophy Symposium at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, we were alerted to devastating budget cuts to NASA’s funding. The event started with an engaging talk by philosopher and cognitive scientist David Chalmers, followed by insights from philosopher Sandra Mitchell on human reasoning, and a discussion with theoretical physicist Nima Arkani-Hamed.

We discussed questions that have captivated humanity for millennia. What is reality, and how can one engage in researching that reality? Such events emphasize the potential outcomes when provided with the necessary time, space, and resources to explore ideas.

During this gathering, NASA’s Astrophysics department appeared to be on the brink of obliteration. The repercussions of this shift will echo for decades. In 1922, Germany stood at the forefront of scientific understanding. However, after the Nazis subverted German science for their propaganda, the field never fully recovered.

This narrative may seem like a dramatic tale about a specific group of individuals. Yet, it’s essential to remember that these discussions lead to real publications. I benefited from Government Pell Grants for economically disadvantaged undergraduates and the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship. The research discussed in this article has been financed through several federal agencies.

This disconcerting moment affects not only scientists in the US but resonates worldwide. Much of the science we engage with originates from American institutions, making this issue pertinent to all of us.

Chanda’s Week

What I’m reading

I’m currently delving into Ricky Fein’s intriguing debut novel. The devil has three times.

What I’m watching

I’ve enjoyed Mission: Impossible, and I’ve seen all of the films at least once in the past two weeks.

What I’m working on

I’ve drafted my third book, The Universe is a Black Aesthetic (Coming soon from Duke University Press).

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein serves as an associate professor of physics and astronomy, as well as a core faculty member of women’s studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her latest book is The Disturbed Cosmos: A Journey to Dark Matter, Space, and Dreams.