>no significant advances in the last 30 years I mean, that depends on how you define 'significant.' We haven't made much discovery in the field of astronomy that could be considered groundbreaking in a long time. Theoretical physics kinda depends on that to make advances, because it is *theoretical*. It says it right in the name. Any scientist worth the clothes they wear understands that they are assuming our current understanding of physics to be true, and that things could change upon the discovery of evidence that proves otherwise. Some of the public may accept these things to be ubiquitous truth, but that doesn't mean the top scientists of the field do. The public also consists of large groups of people that think the earth is 6000 years old. Do you take them seriously too? Theoretical physics is also the foundation of all virtual reality. Without it, things like CGI and video game design could not exist.

Except it's not. Firstly, your use of loaded language essentially does the same thing. "Fauci and his cronies" makes the dude sound like a mob boss plotting some grand conspiracy. He wasn't, he's a guy with an incredible amount of knowledge and experience in the field of viral infections, and the outbreak of COVID was unprecedented. He made a judgement call, and it was the wrong one. He admitted that. Only a biased observer would chalk that up to be intentionally devious