From the earliest days of accelerator science in the 1930s to the latest 21st century initiatives, the bold and innovative ideas of technologies of basic physics have entered the mainstream of society to transform the way we live. Although stories abound about how basic physics benefits education, the economy, and society as a whole, the worldwide economic crisis brings questions of “What is the investment in this expensive science getting us right now?” This symposium will highlight the medical, industrial, and educational applications of basic physics. The panel will describe specific benefits of basic physics for society and how economists might quantify those applications in an economic impact study.