Energy Department merges nuclear and particle physics programs, unsettling researchers: In spite of synergies, physicists worry both fields are being sidelined in favor of AI.

The article focuses on the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science decision to merge its high energy physics and nuclear physics programs, raising concerns among researchers about potential marginalization of both fields amid increased emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI). While the merger reflects scientific synergies—such as shared use of particle accelerators and overlapping research interests—it also responds to staffing reductions and budget constraints. Some physicists worry that smaller nuclear physics projects may be overshadowed and that major experiments like the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE) could face delays. The combined program will have a $2.101 billion budget, making it the second largest in the Office of Science, but researchers fear it could still be vulnerable to cuts. [Extracted from the article]