Britain has some of the greatest theoretical scientists, so why won't it properly fund them? | Thomas Fink

From black holes to consciousness, Nobel-winner Roger Penrose shows the beauty of theory. But it needs more support

Dr Thomas Fink is the director of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences

From electromagnetism to quantum mechanics, the greatest scientific discoveries often require little more than a blackboard, a stick of chalk and a congenial place in which to think. The breakthroughs of Roger Penrose, who was recently awarded a Nobel prize for his work on black holes, are a case in point. The British theoretical physicist has made discoveries in areas ranging from the fabric of spacetime to human consciousness. His Penrose tiles" - two shapes that cover a surface in a never-repeating pattern - aren't just lovely to look at; they have deep links to the structure of quasicrystals and the theory of computation.

Penrose joins a long line of British theoretical scientists stretching back four centuries, from Peter Higgs, GH Hardy and Paul Dirac, to John Dalton and Isaac Newton. But despite the country's strength at producing theorists, the field of theoretical science receives little support from the UK government.