History of Science Prizes

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Prizes have proven to be the most powerful tool for inspiring radical scientific breakthroughs - to make the seemingly impossible become inevitable. Going back to the Longitude Prize in 1714, rewards have proven to encourage new levels of excellence and innovation, expanding perceptions of what is possible. That prize, offered by the British government, sought a simple and practical method for the precise determination of a ship's longitude. In the 19th century, Napoleon's Food Preservation Prize ("An army marches on its stomach") resulted in the canning industry, significantly contributing to ending famine and the near doubling of lifespan in the developed world. The Orteig Prize, which led to Charles Lindberg crossing the Atlantic in 1927, mobilized a large pool of talent with diverse approaches and techniques - exactly what a well-designed prize should do. In anticipation of major advances in extending healthy human life, Methuselah Foundation offers significant prizes.

What happens along the way? Many important innovations result from the effort that goes into winning a race. Let's use the Space Race as an example. Much of the technology of the past 50 years can be traced to the Space Race - some say even the Internet itself. Here's a partial list of the practical solutions whose advent was greatly accelerated as a result of the race to the moon:

ATM technology Pay at the Pump satellite technology Athletic shoe manufacturing technique Insulation barriers for autos Lightweight breathing systems for firefighting Cordless tools Airport baggage scanners Hazardous gas sensors Precision navigation Grooved road surfaces

Clock synchronization Climate change studies Monitoring of storms Solar collectors Fusion reactors "Space-age" fabrics Teflon-coated fiberglass Freeze-dried food WD-40 GPS

And many innovations that are an important part of healthcare today were created by using or adapting space race technology:

Artificial heart implants Pacemakers Physical therapy machines Cardiac angiography Monitoring neutron activity in the brain Cleaning techniques for hospital operating rooms Portable x-ray technology

Memory foam Water purification filters Invisible braces Space blankets Cochlear implants MRI and CAT Scans Kidney dialysis