I have only amateur knowledge of research and development, but the concept of MEGA X Prizes sounds very appealing to me.

The impact of producing technology meeting the criteria for winning such a prize would be far-reaching enough that many parties would be interested in 'chipping in' for the prize sum.

The greatest challenge, of course, will be to identify what is impossible and perhaps nearly unthinkable today that have a realistic chance of being possible tomorrow.

Some ideas off the top of my head include: exotic propulsion systems (extremely high speeds per energy input), instantaneous communication across big distances (relying e.g. on quantum entanglement), extremely high-performance computer processors, commercial manned flights to the Moon and beyond, anti-gravity technology and contact with extra-terrestrial beings.

Some prizes of this magnitude, for things such as manned flights to the Moon, will raise ethical questions due to the high-risk experiments they may incite. On the other hand, market demand for these achievements already exist - an X Prize only 'pools' this demand and make it more visible and tangible.

Finally, the MEGA X Prize may potentially help fill a big void in what you could call 'private basic research'. Today, research into fundamental principles of fields such as physics and astronomy is almost exclusively carried out by governments due to the fact that the knowledge produced by such basic research can not be directly applied in any particular market. Furthermore, the work of researchers employed by the government is motivated mainly by the prospect of academic acclaim.

Imagine what we could achieve if significant discoveries in basic research was subject to significant monetary rewards, just as their applied research counterparts. Imagine how fundamental science would develop if it was driven by same factors that gave us the technology we have today.

MEGA X Prizes could effectively bridge the long-standing gap between commercial research interests and the research interests of humanity at large.

this is a wonderful idea. the x prize's have so far shown that people are willing to make the investment in solving real world problems, why not set our sights as far ahead as possible. star trek is a great place to start, i say we set our sights on a replicator.