The XO Files are case studies of basic scientific research opportunities with extraordinary intellectual and social potential, selected by a distinguished editorial board. Visionary long term philanthropic support could unlock that potential and ensure continued U.S. leadership on the frontier of basic science.
Why are the XO Files urgently needed?
Forests absorb carbon dioxide and are thus an important buffer against climate change, for now. Understanding forest dynamics would enable both better management of forests and the ability to assess how they are changing.
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The opportunities for the design of synthetic proteins are endless, with new research frontiers and a huge variety of practical applications to be explored, from medicine to energy to technology.
View File Download PDFA new generation of adaptive optics technology could transform infra-red and optical astronomy and bring fundamental new insights into the nature of massive black holes, dark matter, and extrasolar planets.
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Measuring tiny variations in the cosmic microwave background will enable major discoveries about the origin of the universe, including details of its early expansion and of physical phenomena at energies a trillion times greater than those of the largest earthbound accelerators.
View FileViral infections modify and transform the functioning of individual cells. They do this not just for humans, animals, and plants, but also for the microbes that drive the Earth’s carbon cycle. Could this tiniest form of life impact the balance of nature on a global scale?
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For the first time, new techniques make possible a systematic description of the myriad types of cells in the human body that underlie both health and disease.
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