Moonshots

“I see the 20th century as a sort of race, between enlightenment and extinction.”—Watchmen, by Alan Moore, 1986 Predicting the future, even if we do know our goals, is dicey; looking forward, it is easy to see how things could go in very different directions. This article discusses potential moonshots for the future of science versus fictional predictions.

The renovation of the Palais de la Découverte (Palace of Discovery), at the heart of Paris, a particularly relevant cultural project. The renovation will transform the Palais into a hub for dialogue between scientific research and citizens, and will combine, in a way that is unprecedented in France, two main components of contemporary culture—art and science—opening up numerous opportunities for intellectual connections between these two creative registers and appealing to a broad mix of audiences. This article recounts the future moonshots of the Palais de la Découverte.

The article tackles the trends of science center development through the categorization of movements in the display of science to the public.

A question like this comes from a different way of thinking. Contrary to popular forecasting about the digital age, people, particularly younger people, aren’t reading fewer books. Reading books about science with parents can be part of building “family science capital” to inspire kids to sustain a lifelong interest in STEAM. This article is about an exciting publishing moonshot for the Ontario Science Center.

This article explores the moonshot that is PEEP Family Science. It was designed for parents and their preschool children to explore science together at home. It comes in the form of four free apps, each dedicated to a different science topic. PEEP apps provided families with valuable and enjoyable one-on-one time, a way to bond and have fun together while helping prepare their child for kindergarten and beyond.

Albert Einstein said: “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.” For science and technology centers, there are many big challenges; to address these challenges and to avail themselves of new opportunities, they will need to consider ideas so bold they would be like shooting for the moon, ideas based in breakthroughs not incremental change. This article discloses some of the ways to generate moonshot ideas.

Imagine the day that science is as popular as sports in our society. Of course, there would be science in school, but there would also be after-school science where you can earn your “letter jacket,” intramural science leagues that are as coveted as sports leagues, and “pickup” science activities in the local park that are mobbed every weekend. Imagine, also, a national parent-focused STEM literacy organization.

In recent years, a growing number of individuals and organizations have been identifying and pursuing ambitious yet achievable goals, often known as “moonshots” or “grand challenges.” Moonshots are within reach for all of us; this article elaborates their attributes and benefits, as well as grand challenges: what they are, what their ingredients are, how to make them successful, and what is next.