Great Britain to Offer $17 Million Prize to Whoever Can Solve Scientific Challenges

The Longitude Prize was first established in 1714. In 1765, John Harrison, a self-educated carpenter and clockmaker from England, was awarded its honor after developing a marine chronometer so sailors could pinpoint their position at sea.

The original Longitude Prize was £20,000, and now the British government will revive the 300-year-old award and offer £10 million to whoever can solve one of six scientific challenges that the public will vote on. The Longitude Committee provided six challenges for the voting, which will take place between May 22 and June 25. The Longitude Prize will run for five years, or until the prize is won.

The Longitude Committee formed in the summer of 2013 to establish the prize for 2014. Over 40 of the country's leading scientists, engineers, and politicians collaborated to determine what the topics would be for the participants. They were finally released on Monday.

The topics to be voted on are: Flight - How can we fly without damaging the environment?; Food - How can we ensure everyone has nutritious sustainable food?; Antibiotics - How can we prevent the rise of resistance to antibiotics?; Paralysis - How can we restore movement to those with paralysis?; Water - How can we ensure everyone has access to safe and clean water?; Dementia - How can we help people with dementia live independently for longer? You can read more about the topics in this BBC News article.

"There's no manifest number one problem as there was in the 18th century. Rather there are many broad societal problems demanding fresh thinking," said Professor Sir Martin Rees, the chair of the Longitude Committee, in this BBC News article. "There's a pressing need also for the UK to channel more brain power into innovation, jump-start new technologies and enthuse young people."

After the public chooses the topic they feel is most important, the Longitude Committee will finalize the criteria for how to win the prize and then participants will be able to submit their own idea to approach the topic. The committee will officially be open for entries in September.

If £10 million doesn't entice anyone to solve humanity's most pressing issues, it's not very clear what will. The committee hopes the incentive will spur innovation and new thinking.

You can read more about the Longitude Prize on the organization's website.