Yuri Milner’s Eureka Manifesto Five-Step Plan to Embrace Humanity’s Shared Mission

Earlier in his career, Yuri Milner saw immense success investing in internet giants like Facebook. Having generated impressive returns, in 2012, he then signed the Giving Pledge. This commitment will see him pour at least half of his lifetime wealth into philanthropic causes.

Many of the causes Milner funds are scientific projects that he has co-founded. The former theoretical physicist has focused on science-led projects, many of which provide a direct route to help us understand our Universe.

In 2021, Milner published his ideas on humanity’s mission to understand the Universe in a personal manifesto. The short book, Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for Our Civilization, details our place in the Universe, the reason humanity might exist, and how we can come together to understand the inner workings of the world we share.

We’re Earth’s Only Species Capable of Understanding the Universe

In Eureka Manifesto, Milner explains that humans are the only species on Earth who can explore the Universe. This is why understanding how it works is likely to be our mission. Everyone on the planet can share in this mission.

Milner explains that this is important because without a collective mission, our species is unlikely to thrive in the future. We may not even survive.

For humanity to embrace its shared mission, Milner lays out a five-step plan that we can follow:

Yuri Milner’s Five-Step Plan

1. Invest more funds into fundamental science and space exploration. Milner has started this work through his Breakthrough Initiatives. These five space science programmes have set out to peel back the veil between our world and potential life in the wider Universe.
2. Leverage artificial intelligence to accelerate scientific progress. Now that AI is becoming more accessible, we can use it to advance our understanding of the Universe.
3. Treat scientists with the acclaim that we treat celebrities with. Milner has already improved the celebration of researchers making groundbreaking discoveries through his Breakthrough Prize. Every year, the latest high-profile scientists win major cash prizes and celebrate at the “Oscars of Science” prize ceremony.
4. Provide more education on the Universal Story. The Universal Story documents the history of everything we know. When we share it with — and inspire — the next generation, we put them on the path to write the next chapters.
5. Foster a culture where we can all contribute to our shared knowledge. While only a few scientists will make the discoveries that change our lives forever, we can all play a part in creating a world where scientific thinking flourishes.

The Consequences of Ignoring or Embracing Our Mission

Milner’s proposed collective goal to understand the Universe applies to all cultures and nations, focusing on the idea that our future lies beyond Earth.

If we don’t accept our mission to understand our Universe, we may leave humanity vulnerable to extinction events. Anthropogenic climate change or a collision with a large asteroid could mark the end of our species.

However, when we embrace our mission, we may be able to become a galactic civilisation. Although humans haven’t yet travelled further than the Moon, the latest space programmes could see this change within 20 years. For example, NASA plans to send astronauts to Mars potentially by the 2030s.

Embrace our mission, and we may also achieve technological progress that saves our species. For example, with technology, we may be able to cure diseases that we haven’t yet developed treatments for, solve energy scarcity issues, and better combat climate change.

Read or download Eureka Manifesto to learn more about our collective mission.

About Eureka Manifesto Author Yuri Milner

Yuri Milner has always been fascinated by the world’s biggest, most profound questions, such as “Are we alone in the Universe?” and “Why are we here?” As a child, he was inspired by great minds like Marie Curie, Stephen Hawking, and Galileo Galilei.

After working as a particle physicist for 10 years, Milner turned his hand to entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Today, he supports scientists on their missions to make pioneering discoveries. His support has taken the form of the Breakthrough Initiatives, the Breakthrough Prize, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, and Tech For Refugees.