The Human Genome Project isn't the only spendy endeavor that aims to significantly expand the scope of humankind's knowledge. Ambitious and obsessive researchers in a handful of fields aspire to do the same. Unfortunately, none of them used their funding to buy a thesaurus: Tracking the projects labeled project is a project in itself. Here are our fave five.
ProjectBudgetWhat It Is
The ITER Project 
$14.7 billion
Gorbachev helped thaw the Cold War by pitching Reagan a superpower collaboration to suss out fusion energy. The 180,000,000°F temperature requirement has been a significant stumbling block.
<p>
r**Music Genome Project</a>g
r3 million</stE
y tune has hundreds of building blocks — from syncopation to harmony. Pandora's analysts are sequencing these "genes" by ear (up to 10 million a month) to create its proprietary database.</p>
<str>**y Way Mapping Project</a></stc
>on</strongg
e Very Long Baseline Array — radio wave telescopes with 100 times Hubble's accuracy — astronomers are seeking ultraprescise measurements of the distances between us and 100 select stars.</p> <p
trong>h**hic Project</a></strongt
/strong>
<pN
onal Geographic are collecting hundreds of thousands of DNA samples worldwide to trace their genetic markers of descent. The goal: Map the history of human migration.</p> <p> <s
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ipisode</strong>
<p>Hein
panel of experts are using the process of natural selection to identify the ultimate jeans. Exactly as Darwin predicted, it's survival of the best fit.</p>
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s: <a href="http://archelecommute Good for Business, Employees, and Planet</a> Next: <a href="://archg Dog and Robo Rat Join the Bots We Love</a> <p><a href="httaecret Project to Crush IE and Remake the Web</a></p> <p><a href=
aome Project Could Unlock the Mysteries of Life</a></p> <p><a href=
