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Finish line: A human exits a landed spacecraft, stands on the natural Martian surface, and returns safely to Earth.
NASA still defines Humans to Mars as a future architecture segment. NASA · Moon to Mars Architecture ↗
Finish line: A non-gravitational dark-matter interaction is observed at discovery significance and independently reproduced.
CERN says dark matter is still inferred only through gravitational effects and has yet to be detected directly. CERN · Dark matter ↗
Finish line: A treatment restores or preserves independent cognition for five years after treatment ends in a confirmatory trial.
NIH says there are currently no known interventions that cure Alzheimer’s. NIH/NIA · Alzheimer’s treatment ↗
Finish line: A controlled laboratory fusion reaction shows a statistically significant ignition-rate increase caused by introduced antimatter or positrons and is independently reproduced.
NASA classifies positron-catalysed fusion as a TRL 1–2 concept; no experimental thrust demonstration has been realised. NASA · Radioisotope Positron Propulsion ↗
Finish line: Independent observations establish a biological process or organism beyond reasonable abiotic alternatives.
NASA’s life-detection missions are still searching; no extraterrestrial life is confirmed. NASA Astrobiology · Search for life ↗
Finish line: A complete fusion plant exports more electrical energy than it imports over a continuous 30-day audited run.
DOE’s 2026 roadmap still targets delivery of a future fusion pilot power plant. U.S. DOE · Fusion Roadmap ↗
Finish line: One person reaches their 150th birthday with contemporaneous identity and age records accepted by an independent longevity authority.
The longest fully verified human lifespan remains 122 years. Guinness World Records · Oldest person ↗
Finish line: Zero resistance and magnetic flux exclusion above 20°C at approximately one atmosphere are independently reproduced in a stable sample.
Reported room-temperature behavior required extreme pressure; the ambient-pressure finish line remains open. U.S. DOE · High-pressure result ↗
Finish line: One person travels open-ocean edge to open-ocean edge, carrying all supplies, using no kites, vehicles, resupply, external drafting, or prepared roads.
Earlier solo claims used either wind assistance or a landmass route; this stricter ocean-to-ocean, fully human-powered objective is still being pursued. FURTHER · canonical attempt ↗
Finish line: The full global seabed meets the current GEBCO multibeam-resolution standard and is released as open data.
Only 28.7% met the modern standard in April 2026. Seabed 2030 · 2026 status ↗
Finish line: A person with independently verified complete cord transection regains voluntary, unsupported overground walking through biological repair.
Current work improves function in incomplete injuries; complete anatomical regeneration remains unsolved. NIH/NINDS · Spinal cord injury ↗
Finish line: Every neuron and synapse in one whole human brain is imaged, reconstructed, quality-checked, and released as a searchable dataset.
Current high-resolution work has mapped about one cubic millimetre; NIH is still developing whole-brain methods. NIH · Human brain structure ↗
Finish line: A species formally classified Extinct is recreated from preserved cells by cloning, released into its native range, and produces three wild-born generations without captive breeding or population supplementation.
The only extinct animal cloned to birth, the Pyrenean ibex, died within minutes; no cloned extinct species has established a wild population. Nature Plants · de-extinction record ↗
Finish line: Reflected light resolves a rocky, temperate planet around a Sun-like star and yields an atmospheric spectrum.
NASA describes Habitable Worlds Observatory as the first mission intended to do this. NASA · Habitable Worlds Observatory ↗
Finish line: A borehole crosses the seismic Moho and retrieves a documented core of undisturbed upper mantle formed in place.
JAMSTEC says direct mantle drilling remains beyond scientific reach. JAMSTEC · Mantle drilling ↗
Finish line: A broadly applicable therapy produces normal glucose regulation for five years without exogenous insulin or systemic immunosuppression.
NIH says current islet transplants require lifelong immunosuppression and remain suitable for only a small subset. NIH/NIDDK · Islet transplantation ↗
Finish line: A reproducible observation uniquely requires quantized gravity and rules out classical-gravity explanations.
CERN notes that quantum theory and general relativity have not been made experimentally compatible. CERN · The Standard Model ↗
Finish line: A named operating team maintains an inhabited lunar-surface station with no vacancy longer than 72 hours for five years.
Continuous human presence on the lunar surface remains an objective, not an achieved capability. NASA · Moon to Mars Objectives ↗
Finish line: One reproducible system proceeds from plausible simple geochemistry to self-maintaining, heritable evolution without researcher assembly of the evolving unit.
NASA’s astrobiology program continues to investigate the unsolved transition from chemistry to biology. NASA Astrobiology · Research ↗
Finish line: A proof resolving P versus NP passes peer review and the Clay Mathematics Institute’s verification process.
P versus NP remains an unsolved Millennium Prize Problem. Clay Mathematics Institute · P vs NP ↗