We should run experiments. Lots of experiments. We could start with the NIH. To reduce the paperwork burden, we could run pilots that eliminate major parts of the application process. Or we could expand programs that prioritize the funding of younger scientists. To mimic the program director’s power at DARPA, we could give some NIH panel members a “golden ticket,” such that they would have the power to independently approve one proposal each year, regardless of how crazy the idea sounds to their peers. Or, for some applications, we could replace the existing selection process with a random
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