I know that a majority of scientific research is about finding justifications to increase public expenditure scientific research, but when you go so far as to say it's more important than food, you kind of lose your audience.
@cjd
From my understanding, they served to creste many new elements. The problem with cutting edge research is, that you don't know what is useful, sometimes until centuries later.
Thunderfoot (total idiot) used an example of liquid ctistals. It was completelly useless research, until one day, it birthed an industry.
I'm highly doubtful the LHC does anything at all, I think it's a religious artifact for the elite - like the pyramids and Stonehenge.