Facebook and Google team up to extend life

Together with their wives Zuckerberg and Brin joined the Russian capitalist Yuri Milner toreward 11 scientists with $ 3 million each to launch the Breakthrough Award in Life Sciences Prize. "It is an honor for me to Priscilla and be part of this," said Zuckerberg. "We think the Prize in Life Sciences has the potential to provide a platform for other models of philanthropy  and for people around the world have a chance of a better future, "said one of the four founders of the most important social network the world. Art Levinson , who chairs the boards of Apple mobile devices and star of biotechnology Genentech, will be at the head of this foundation nonprofit created to support research in progress. Levinson said he believes the award will highlight the value of the brightest minds in medicine and hopes to help improve medical innovation. Zuckerberg , Milner, and Brin's wife, Anne Wojcicki, will form the board. In this sense, and arrived at an agreement that in the future be granted Breakthrough five annual prizes worth three million dollars. "We are excited to support scientists who think big, taking risks and that had a significant impact on our lives," said Wojcicki, co-founder of the emerging company 23andMe, which provides personal DNA analysis. He added: "These scientists should be household names and heroes in our society." Meanwhile, Brin remarked that "cure a disease should be worth more than a touchdown, " in an apparent reference to the fortunes they charge athletes like football players. Breakthrough Award winners this year, most of whom worked on cancer, agreed to participate in a committee to select the winners coming. "Solving the enormous complexity of human disease requires a much greater effort compared to fundamental physics and, therefore, requires multiple sponsors to reward outstanding success," said Milner.