I prefer seeing Science not as a single spider that has to choose where to make its web, but a gigantic army of spiders that can explore every single possibility more or less in parallel.
It wouldn't hurt to assign more "spiders" to taking care of our world (actually, we REALLY need to concentrate more on our world, but it seems like people are realizing that, given how many countries are suddenly getting on-board the green energy gravy train...)
Oh, sure, I agree with that view wholeheartedly. Humanity should invest as much resources as possible into science and technology.