Gazing at the Starry Sky: From the Black Hole to China and Taiwan’s Scientific Endowment

All the most cutting-edge, fundamental scientific research, such as when the Event Horizon Telescope revealed an image of the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, involves international collaboration. In 2018, the Event Horizon Telescope achieved a breakthrough by capturing images of a black hole, with scientists from both Taiwan and China participating. Can science transcend politics? How much should a country invest in basic scientific research, even if tangible returns may not be immediately apparent? Is it possible to compare China and Taiwan’s progress in basic sciences?