Depends on how you define "benefit" and "life". Think of "life" in the world as *lies for feelings*. In this sense, the world has been a benefit in terms of curiosity seeking...thrill seeking. It satisfies, eventually, a question about what is different from true Life...and different from the feelings that are associated with true Life. The things that science generally studies are the things of *lies for feelings*. Form, distance, time...these are all props on a *stage*. The props are lies...fake. The props are for feelings. Most all of the feelings are associated with how it feels to be separate from just about everything else. There are also feelings of loss. Whatever is different from the feelings associated with Life are found with the things that science generally studies. The "good" feelings are still different from the feelings of true Life. They are "good" only in comparison to the "bad". If exploring such feelings is considered progress, then progress is being made. But not enough. The feelings associated with separation are not really felt deep enough...fully enough...to satisfy the curiosity. In that sense, there is no progress. Without progress, the feelings will keep coming up again and again...reiterating familiar themes. The key is to feel the feelings in a way that motivates you to finally be finished with such feelings forever. Progress toward the feelings of true Life can be made by scientists if they are willing to discover that the universe is not there. So it depends on what the scientist's purpose is...where his faith is being placed. The universe is a product of faith...or better said...faithlessness in GoD...faithlessness in oneness and love. Faith in GoD will yeild progress that shows the universe is not there. Faith in a false gOd will continue to reinforce the idea that things are separate from another. Making the universe "real" will perpetuate the feelings it was made to justify. Scientists will have these feelings in the course of their work. In this sense, Jesus was light years ahead of conventional science. Christ!