Shown last night on the BBC. Iplayer. Longitude Prize 2014. Details. A synopsis of the program. To celebrate its 50th birthday, Horizon invites the public to play a role in tackling the greatest challenges facing science today. This special episode of Horizon launches the £10 million Longitude Prize 2014 - a prize developed by Nesta, with Technology Strategy Board as funding partner, to find solutions to a new scientific challenge. The Longitude Prize 2014 commemorates the 300th anniversary of the original Longitude prize - a £20,000 reward for finding a way to determine longitude at sea accurately. The prize was overseen by the Board of Longitude, comprising the scientific, political and naval leaders of the day. A range of possible methods were developed with the Board of Longitude's support, but Yorkshire clockmaker John Harrison was the biggest winner with his marine chronometer clock, which enabled ships accurately and reliably to determine their longitude, avoiding potential shipwreck and enabling Britain's global trade to flourish. Horizon explores six potential challenges nominated by a new Longitude Committee, and launches a vote to determine which should be put forward as the new Longitude prize. The question is 'if you had £10 million to make one change to the world, what would you do?' The challenge list is: Flight:How can we fly without damaging the environment? Water:How can we ensure everyone can have access to safe and clean water? Paralysis:How can we restore movement to those with paralysis? Antibiotics:How can we prevent the rise of resistance to antibiotics? Food:How can we ensure everyone has nutritious, sustainable food? Dementia:How can we help people with dementia live independently for longer? I chose Water as it would play it's part in all of the other challenges but more importantly there could come a time,in the not to distant future that wars will be fought over water. As major rivers run through many countries then those at the heads of rivers could and do effect the amount of this valuable resource to those further down the rivers course. With plenty of water then crops could be grown in areas affected by drought. The program is well worth a watch as is was quite an eye opener on a number of levels.
I'd choose water too. Nothing has contributed so much to human civilisation and quality of life as good plumbing and sewage. If sunlight and engineered algae/microbes can be marshalled to distil sea water, you have a decent supply right there. Use another microbe to split it into hydrogen and oxygen --there's an energy storage solution. Burn hydrogen to generate energy (say, at night when sunlight is not available) and you have water again.
