If you had to choose, which is more important for advancing our knowledge of science and the universe, the LHC, or the space program?

That is like asking which of my children I would choose to sacrifice. Both the LHC and the space program are vital if the human race stultify, and eventually die out. Together they cost less then 1/10 of the worlds GDP. If the human race can not afford that, it doesn’t deserve the epiteth “Human.”

– Stephen Hawking