--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is hard to think of practical…" description: "\"It is hard to think of practical applications of the black hole. Because practical applications are so remote, many people assume we should not be inte..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e4/yuri-milner-15025_application_it-is-hard-to-think-of-practical-applica_1991442.jpg" --- # It is hard to think of practical applications of the black… ![“It is hard to think of practical applications of the black hole. Because practical applications are so remote, many people assume we should not be interested. But this quest to understand the world is what defines us as human beings.” quote by Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e4/yuri-milner-15025_application_it-is-hard-to-think-of-practical-applica_1991442.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e4/yuri-milner-15025_application_it-is-hard-to-think-of-practical-applica_1991442.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e4/yuri-milner-15025_application_it-is-hard-to-think-of-practical-applica_1991442.jpg) > “It is hard to think of practical applications of the black hole. Because practical applications are so remote, many people assume we should not be interested. But this quest to understand the world is what defines us as human beings.” [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding abstract concepts, even without immediate use, defines humanity’s curiosity and progress. **In simple terms:** Curiosity drives progress even without practical use. Key Takeaway Embrace learning for its own sake. Themes curiosity science human nature Mood thoughtful inspirational Type reflective philosophical When to use this quote - education - research funding - public outreach - policy making Key Concepts philosophy future value intellectual pursuit Questions to Reflect On - What value does pure research bring to society? - How can we balance curiosity with immediate needs? A Different Perspective Practical benefits may never materialize, leading to funding cuts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black hole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-hole/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Will fluorine ever have practical applications? It is very difficult to answer this question. I may, however, say in all sincerity that I gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-moissan/will-fluorine-ever-have-practical-applications-it-is-very-difficult/) Henri Moissan > [In any case, do you really think kids even want something that is relevant to their daily lives? You think something practical like compound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-lockhart/in-any-case-do-you-really-think-kids-even-want-something-that-is/) [Paul Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-lockhart/) > [“But there are some people, nevertheless—and I am one of them—who think that the most practical and important thing about a man is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/but-there-are-some-people-nevertheless-and-i-am-one-of-them-who-think/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [“Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/dream-more-than-others-think-practical-expect-more-than-others-think-2/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [“Think how practical, pleasant, and thrilling it would be if one could open one’s mouth, from time to time, and something other than sheer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/think-how-practical-pleasant-and-thrilling-it-would-be-if-one-could/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/dream-more-than-others-think-practical-expect-more-than-others-think/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [Dream more than others think practical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/dream-more-than-others-think-practical/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [Love is the most practical thing in the world. To love, to be kind, not to be greedy, not to be ambitious, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/love-is-the-most-practical-thing-in-the-world-to-love-to-be-kind-not/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I think top scientists need to be compensated at a different scale in society. 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It's very artificial to go to a studio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-hate-studios-a-studio-is-a-black-hole-i-never-use-a-studio-to-work/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [“Our irises are galaxies; our pupils are black holes if we allow ourselves to bottle up everything inside us instead of allowing ourselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaclyn-johnston/our-irises-are-galaxies-our-pupils-are-black-holes-if-we-allow/) Jaclyn Johnston ## More by Yuri Milner > [The hardware and the software used in the Breakthrough project will be compatible with other telescopes around the world, so they too can search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/the-hardware-and-the-software-used-in-the-breakthrough-project-will/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [Social is a better way to interact with digital world. It is better than search. Implications for... everything. Total change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/social-is-a-better-way-to-interact-with-digital-world-it-is-better/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [The company that creates one global social graph will be very important going forward. It will be Facebook, with maybe 2-3 local social networks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/the-company-that-creates-one-global-social-graph-will-be-very/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [It’s not how much something’s worth today, it’s what it’s worth in five or 10 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/it-s-not-how-much-something-s-worth-today-it-s-what-it-s-worth-in/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [I don’t think there’s any company that has reached $1 billion in revenue as fast as Xiaomi. 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I am a servant and I try to align my interests and those of my investors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/i-am-not-an-oligarch-i-am-a-servant-and-i-try-to-align-my-interests/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [I think there's a time to be private and a time to be public, and I think that companies like Facebook and Groupon are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/i-think-there-s-a-time-to-be-private-and-a-time-to-be-public-and-i/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [I'm just focused on exploring new opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/i-m-just-focused-on-exploring-new-opportunities/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [Facebook now is mostly about people you know. In the future it could be about people you know less but are more important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/facebook-now-is-mostly-about-people-you-know-in-the-future-it-could/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [The largest newspaper in the United States is only reaching 1 percent of population. We are kind of assuming that 'Wall Street Journal,' 'USA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/the-largest-newspaper-in-the-united-states-is-only-reaching-1-percent/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [Facebook is a platform inside a platform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/facebook-is-a-platform-inside-a-platform/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [Kai-Fu's Innovation Works is the top very-early-stage fund in China. 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