by Sir Edward Appleton G.B.E., K.C.B., F.R.S. ,
3-Science for its Own Sake
The pure scientist or natural philosopher seeks to find out what nature is like; he also tries to understand why nature is like what it is. He is concerned with science for its interest rather than for its use. Yet history teaches us that the outcome of his work has often proved to be of surprising utility. In Britain research in pure science is conducted mainly in universities.
As an example Sir Edward Appleton considers how the astronomer is trying to unravel the history of the universe by examining both the light waves and the radio waves which are now reaching us from the farthest range of space.