Science philanthropist Yuri Milner’s Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for Our Civilisation offers a compelling call to humanity: a call to embrace our potential as Earth’s most intelligent species. If we commit to investigating beyond the horizon, we may be able to protect humanity well beyond its expected lifespan.
In the year Milner was born, Carl Sagan and Frank Drake hosted the world’s first conference on how humans might communicate with extraterrestrial species. They went on to search for cosmic messages using the Arecibo radio telescope.
No messages have come to light in the six decades since. Milner reminds us that although we can’t (yet) communicate with extraterrestrial beings, we can communicate with each other. Eureka Manifesto is his message to the rest of humanity.
Key Themes of Eureka Manifesto
Eureka Manifesto covers three key themes: exploration beyond Earth, unity in science, and a shared vision for the future.
Exploration Beyond Earth
Humanity might only represent a fragment of the cosmos, but we are an extraordinary fragment. As far as we know, we are the only beings who can investigate the Universe.
With us at the helm, the Universe can awaken from a fourteen-billion-year sleep. We can take the steps needed to understand what awaits beyond our planet, document its past, and plan its future.
Whether humanity was “chosen” to investigate the Universe doesn’t matter. We are either the only or one of the few civilisations that can look at the cosmos and understand what’s happening.
Therefore, it’s up to us to dive across space and time. It’s up to us to employ science and technologies to peel back the layers of the Universe. It’s up to us to pass on our discoveries to the next generation.
Unity in Science
The Universe faces consistent threats, some natural and some self-generated. From asteroid collisions to global war, bioterrorism, and climate change, these threats pose risks to our entire species.
If humanity comes together to share in a mission prioritising our Universe, our self-generated threats can fall away. We can stop playing zero-sum games that focus on our short-term needs. We can start sharing our planet’s abundant resources logically. By focusing on space exploration and technological advancement, we can enjoy a shared mission.
When civilisations have a mission, they are much more likely to succeed — they have a direction to follow and a core motivation. That’s why the world’s most successful organisations have clear goals. From Doctors Without Borders providing life-saving medical care to Google organising the world’s information, they know exactly what they want to achieve.
By embracing our mission to invest in science and explore our Universe, we can give humanity a core purpose and a guiding vision. One that could lead humanity into life amongst the stars.
A Shared Vision for the Future
Exploring beyond our planet may feel like an overwhelming task. Where should we begin? Yuri Milner has mapped out a five-part plan of action to get humanity on its way, thriving and evolving in harmony with the Universe.
- Invest resources into fundamental science and space exploration: Fundamental research is most fertile for discoveries and technologies. Because of this, Milner suggests we start investing our resources here.
- Make use of AI to accelerate scientific progress: As AI improves, this could shave years off research processes, unveiling the Universe’s secrets much quicker.
- Treat scientists as heroes, making sure they have a public presence: Since Stephen Hawking passed away, it’s difficult for many of us to even name the world’s current biggest scientists. If we celebrate the people who are changing the world, we’ll encourage the next generation to follow in their footsteps.
- Provide education on the Universal Story: We currently teach fragmented elements of the Universe. If we teach the full Universal Story; the history of Earth and humanity at the intersection of science and technology — we will give children the bigger picture. Using art to teach would be especially helpful here. When science isn’t always accessible, art can express concepts of the Universal Story in ways that inspire and resonate.
- Encourage everyone to contribute to a shared knowledge pool: Only a few individuals will make pioneering discoveries that change our understanding of the Universe forever. However, we need everyone to contribute for these discoveries to be made. When we cultivate a society where everyone values critical thinking, rational argument, and knowledge, we can create a new Enlightenment.
Yuri Milner’s Contributions to Science and Exploration
Beyond proposing this plan, Yuri Milner has launched projects that put the plan into action. As a Giving Pledge signatory, his Breakthrough Foundation funds each of the following projects.
The Breakthrough Initiatives
The Breakthrough Initiatives aim to advance space exploration and scientific research. One of the initiatives, Breakthrough Listen, is the world’s biggest research programme searching for extraterrestrial life.
This programme involves a survey of the 1,000,000 stars nearest to Earth. It’s scanning the entire galactic plane, listening for messages from the 100 galaxies nearest ours. The researchers on this programme have access to some of the most powerful telescopes on the planet.
The Breakthrough Prize
The Breakthrough Prize raises the profile of scientists who are making the world a better place. Every year, researchers in maths, fundamental physics, and the life sciences receive $3 million prizes for their transformative findings.
The 2024 life sciences laureates received prizes for advancing cancer, cystic fibrosis, and Parkinson’s disease treatments. Meanwhile, the fundamental physics and maths laureates received prizes for expanding humanity’s knowledge of quantum field theories and differential geometry.
To celebrate these scientists as heroes, Milner’s Breakthrough Foundation invites them to a televised awards gala with A-list celebrities. The ceremony, referred to as The Oscars of Science, features celebrity music performances and cinematic introductions for each prizewinner.
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge makes scientific education fun for young people worldwide. Teenagers make creative two-minute videos on complex scientific topics of their choosing, making these easy to understand for other students around the world.
Some videos are hilarious. Some use animations and diagrams and sound effects. They’re all inspiring and contribute to a global scientific conversation.
Every year, one entrant wins life-changing prizes, from a college scholarship to a science lab for their school and a $50,000 cash prize for a teacher who inspired them.
The Impact of Eureka Manifesto
Eureka Manifesto influences scientific and technological communities, partnerships, and research efforts. The short book has been received well, garnering positive public feedback.
Readers enjoy uncovering “new ways to think about possibility, exploration, and destiny” and find learning about death bubbles, a phased transition that could threaten humanity’s existence.
One reader has billed the manifesto “a cool inspirational read” and a “must read” for anyone interested in pursuing Milner’s proposed future.
Why Eureka Manifesto Matters Today
Eureka Manifesto addresses today’s global challenges. It places readers in the here and now, explaining how to foster innovation, inspire the next generation, and unite nations through shared goals.
The manifesto serves as a guiding document for humanity’s long-term ambitions and could shape our species’ future. It stands as a blueprint that invites every individual to contribute to our most progressive scientific and exploratory endeavours yet.
