There are plenty of research labs using old equipment
The people in those research labs probably believe that newer equipment is likely to yield the knowledge that we are seeking. Our labs now have much better equipment and much more people then before the Great Stagnation started.
Expensive equipment has the problem that it forces the researchers to focus on questions that can actually be answered with the expensive equipment and those questions might not be the best to focus on.
What does the NIH have to show for Bush doubling their budget?
The people in those research labs probably believe that newer equipment is likely to yield the knowledge that we are seeking. Our labs now have much better equipment and much more people then before the Great Stagnation started.
Expensive equipment has the problem that it forces the researchers to focus on questions that can actually be answered with the expensive equipment and those questions might not be the best to focus on.
What does the NIH have to show for Bush doubling their budget?