Second, the search for the basic constituents of matter connects us to the distant past and to the distant future, intellectually and practically. Intellectually, because it is part of our search for meaning in a cosmos full of mystery, now as in the beginning of civilization. We want to know where we came from, our place in the cosmos, what we are made of. It is no wonder why cosmology and high-energy particle physics attract so much attention. They are providing answers to some of the deepest questions we can ask about ourselves and the world we live in. Few things can be more exciting than that.
Source: Pushing The Frontiers Of High-Energy Physics Links Humanity : 13.7: Cosmos And Culture : NPR
