The Victory Project

Not long ago Dubner and I wrote in our Times column about some innovative approaches to solving big problems.

Here is another example: The Victory Project, which pledges to give $1 billion to the first person to solve any of the following problems:

1. Develop a cure for breast cancer.

2. Develop a cure for diabetes.

3. Reduce greenhouse emissions from petroleum-powered automobiles by 95 percent without increasing the cost of a normal car more than 5 percent.

4. Achieve 150 miles per gallon of gasoline in a 3,000-lb. car, using E.P.A. standards, without increasing the cost of a normal car more than 10 percent.

The Victory Project hopes to fund the $1 billion prize through small donations.