Imagination Science and Innovation

Google’s X, the semi-secret R&D wing, adopted the term “Moonshot” to define their modus operandi in developing and de-risking early-stage ideas. “We look for the intersection of a big problem, a radical solution and breakthrough technology,” their statement begins. “We start with a large problem in the world that if solved, could improve the lives of millions or even billions of people. Then we propose a radical solution that sounds impossible today, almost like science fiction. Lastly, we look for a technology breakthrough that exists today.” Consequently, moonshots occupy a precarious territory between pure possibility and pure science fiction.