It is the purpose of useful science to contribute to the development of general knowledge. This is the main objective of research journals. However, it shouldn’t be their sole purpose. A great paper can be misinterpreted, or even classified as unsuitable for publication due to its inutility.
The pursuit of knowledge should not be restricted in the name of relevance. In fact, practical questions can inspire fresh research (as the case in Michael Faraday’s electrical experiments which were triggered by his fascination with lightning).
Additionally, we are aware that technological applications emerge from a variety of sources. For example the medical mission to Easter Island focused on the population’s unique resistance to tetanus. However, later, the transfer of soil samples from that site to Ayerst Pharmaceuticals spurred further investigations into natural antimicrobials.
These examples show that mpgpress.com/why-you-should-pursue-a-degree-in-physics the distinction between “pure” and “applied” research is not the case. A more efficient criterion would be to encourage the development of a broad variety of practical applications that could be derived from scientific results and to develop the skills of scientists so that they can identify the potential for usefulness of their research. This is the primary goal of translational ecology, which seeks to transform the basic/applied science paradigm by explicitly involving those who are involved in the creation and use of scientific knowledge (Enquist and colleagues. 2017).