Scientific Research and its Impact on Commercial Applications

Floor Speech

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Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the importance of scientific research and its impact on commercial applications.

Here is a great example. Scientists have been working to understand dark matter. Dark matter is heavy enough to hold the galaxies together through its gravitational pull, yet it has not been detected by current technology, such as by telescopic observation. Research has led to experiments that would detect dark matter as it scatters from ordinary particles.

Princeton University physicists and collaborators who are working on this problem needed to use a rare isotope of the inert gas argon. A National Science Foundation award to Princeton enabled the university group to test samples of underground gases to locate the required argon. In doing so, they discovered a source from a private company where the argon is captured during a CO2 extraction process. In addition to the extraction process, we also found that it captures helium. This new helium supply is expected to replace more than 15 percent of the commercial helium that is provided by the Bureau of Land Management. We have all used helium in balloons and to make our voices high and squeaky, but there are industrial, medical, and scientific processes that use helium as well.

We need to provide funding to the National Science Foundation and to other scientific research organizations to continue making such discoveries and help keep America strong.

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