Championing Scientific Integrity: The Crosetto Foundation's Crusade Against Wasteful Spending at CERN

The Quest for Transparency and Efficiency in Scientific Funding

In an era where scientific integrity and the judicious use of public funds are of paramount concern, the Crosetto Foundation for the Reduction of Cancer Deaths stands as a beacon of accountability. During the IEEE-NSS-MIC-RTSD 2025 Conference in Yokohama, Japan, the foundation issued a clarion call for a reevaluation of funding towards the CERN CMS FPGA-based Level-1 Trigger system. This system, integral to the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) project slated for operation from 2026 to 2036, has been identified as potentially wasteful, with more than $4 billion already misspent and projections suggesting an additional $12 billion could follow suit over the next decade.

The foundation's concerns are not unfounded. The FPGA system, despite its 20-trillion-transistor complexity, appears fundamentally incapable of performing the requisite operations to filter 8 billion events per second, risking significant data loss. This revelation is particularly alarming given the absence of concrete evidence or technical proof from CERN's end to counter these claims. The foundation's advocacy for scientific transparency is not just a call for fiscal responsibility but a plea to safeguard the integrity of scientific research and its implications for future innovations.

Addressing Past Oversights and Envisioning a Future of Accountability

CERN's history with publicly-funded projects has not been without its controversies, including the AXIAL-PET project, the premature claim of neutrinos traveling faster than light, and the impractical WPET full-body imaging coat. These instances serve as reminders of the critical need for rigorous scrutiny and accountability in scientific funding and project execution. The Crosetto Foundation’s initiative seeks not only to prevent a repetition of past mistakes but to ensure that future investments are grounded in solid, verifiable scientific evidence.

The foundation's strategy involves a comprehensive outreach to influential stakeholders, including the European Parliament, national science funding agencies, and media organizations worldwide, urging them to suspend further funding of the FPGA project. This pause is advocated to remain in effect until the pressing scientific questions are answered and the discrepancies duly addressed. Such a collective action could herald a new era of transparency and evidence-based decision-making in the realm of scientific research and development.

A Viable, Cost-Effective Alternative: The 3D-Flow System

Amidst the critique lies a constructive proposition: the 3D-Flow system. Recognized for its breakthrough in 1993, the 3D-Flow architecture promises a cost-effective and efficient alternative to the FPGA system. Capable of performing up to 9,600 operations per dataset at a fraction of the cost, the 3D-Flow system stands as a testament to what is achievable when innovation meets integrity. The foundation’s advocacy for this system is not merely opposition to the current CERN venture but a positive affirmation of seeking better, more efficient solutions that do not compromise on scientific rigor or fiscal responsibility.

In conclusion, the Crosetto Foundation's campaign is a poignant reminder of the responsibilities that accompany scientific exploration and public funding. As stewards of both financial resources and the boundless potential of scientific inquiry, there is a moral imperative to ensure that every dollar spent is a step forward in our collective quest for knowledge and betterment. The foundation's call for a halt in funding, pending a thorough review and reassessment, is a prudent step towards aligning scientific endeavors with the principles of transparency, accountability, and efficiency. It is an invitation to the scientific community and its benefactors to not only dream of a better future but to lay down the practical, ethical groundwork that will make those dreams a reality.