Fundamental things apply: the case of Dehalococcoides ethenogenes.

You must remember this, / a kiss is still a kiss, / a sigh is just a sigh; / the fundamental things apply, / as time goes by. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux (Chapter 21). Most successful applications of science, at least at some stage in their development, are the products of basic research, much of which takes place behind the scenes but is nonetheless essential for the final result. Of course, there may be examples to the contrary. George Porter (1920-2002), Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1967, said: " Thermodynamics owes more to the steam engine than the steam engine owes to science. " But the reality is that applicable results of science are generally achieved from many fragments of information. This involves a series of gradual scientific successes, which at the time the work was completed their degree of recognition by the scientific community may not have been comparable to the effort invested. Despite this lack of recognition, the research may later become fundamental to a specific application. How many published results or techniques have been forgotten for years only to be rediscovered and used later by the private sector? While purely practical, applied science may be commercially attractive , financially rewarding, and possibly essential, in the long run this approach alone will not guarantee success. It is basic science, leading to fundamental results, that makes applied research feasible and which therefore must be nurtured. What are exactly " fundamental results " ? Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines " fundamental " as something " of central importance " , " serving as an original or generating source " , and " dealing with general principles rather than practical application ". This is, in fact, the job (or the aspiration) of basic science. The importance of a given " fundamental " contribution will depend, among other factors, on the priorities set by society and by its view of life. The value assigned to a particular field of study or the scope extended to a specific project derive from global concerns, which, in turn, determine the potential worth of basic research findings. While this may be true, it is also true that present-day priorities cannot predict either the future importance of such findings or their relevance to researchers in other fields of study, who may already be able to appreciate the potential applications of a seemingly trivial result. An early …