Big Science in physics: a look at the decade ahead

Abstract For decades Big Science facilities in physics and astronomy have attempted to answer some of the biggest questions possible – how did the Universe begin, how will it end, what are the fundamental constituents of matter? Tackling these questions has resulted in building bigger, ever more complex facilities. Yet with it comes costs and delays when pushing the boundaries of technological knowledge. This paper briefly reviews some of the big projects in physics and astronomy in recent years as well as looking at what lies ahead in the coming decade.