A glamorous ceremony and $22M for scientific research!
On Saturday, prominent celebrities crowded into an exclusive Silicon Valley location, dressed in their Oscar-finest. Seth MacFarlane, the ceremony’s host, welcomed a stream of well-known presenters, and the winner of each category took home $3 million in prize money. The scene was a familiar one, but these awards weren’t for acting – they were for scientific research.
The Breakthrough Prizes, founded by several prominent tech leaders, recognize scientific achievements the way actors are lauded for their work – with glamour and some serious cash. Co-founder Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook says the prize was designed to “encourage more pioneering research and celebrate scientists as the heroes they truly are.” Could scientists be the new rock stars? We certainly hope so!
Learn more about this year’s Breakthrough Prize winners at the New York Times.
