I believe the most cost-effective use of basic science funds right now is in welfare biology.
I’m the deputy director of Wild Animal Initiative, an EA nonprofit dedicated to understanding and improving the lives of wild animals.
The number of animals in the wild is mind-boggling. Estimates put it at around ten trillion vertebrates (most or all of whom are probably sentient) and 10^18 arthropods (at least some of whom are probably sentient).
And there’s reason to believe many of those animals lead incredibly difficult lives. Survival can be a constant struggle. This is especially true for the most numerous species, which tend to give birth to dozens or hundreds of young that die early—and presumably very painful—deaths.
Despite the tremendous scale of wild animal suffering, it remains exceptionally neglected. We don’t even know the answers to the most foundational questions: Which animals can experience suffering or happiness? What are their lives like in the wild? What, if anything, can we do to help them?
The good news for science supporters is there’s no shortage of low-hanging fruit. In the nascent field of welfare biology, every project breaks entirely new ground. And because we need so many types of expertise—neuroscience, physiology, genetics, behavioral ecology, population ecology, etc. - there’s lots of flexibility to find projects that fit each funder’s goals.
We are in the process of establishing a research fund to jumpstart the growth of this field, and your relative could play a critical role in making that happen. We could also connect you directly with promising researchers in Australia.
I believe the most cost-effective use of basic science funds right now is in welfare biology.
I’m the deputy director of Wild Animal Initiative, an EA nonprofit dedicated to understanding and improving the lives of wild animals.
The number of animals in the wild is mind-boggling. Estimates put it at around ten trillion vertebrates (most or all of whom are probably sentient) and 10^18 arthropods (at least some of whom are probably sentient).
And there’s reason to believe many of those animals lead incredibly difficult lives. Survival can be a constant struggle. This is especially true for the most numerous species, which tend to give birth to dozens or hundreds of young that die early—and presumably very painful—deaths.
Despite the tremendous scale of wild animal suffering, it remains exceptionally neglected. We don’t even know the answers to the most foundational questions: Which animals can experience suffering or happiness? What are their lives like in the wild? What, if anything, can we do to help them?
The good news for science supporters is there’s no shortage of low-hanging fruit. In the nascent field of welfare biology, every project breaks entirely new ground. And because we need so many types of expertise—neuroscience, physiology, genetics, behavioral ecology, population ecology, etc. - there’s lots of flexibility to find projects that fit each funder’s goals.
We are in the process of establishing a research fund to jumpstart the growth of this field, and your relative could play a critical role in making that happen. We could also connect you directly with promising researchers in Australia.
If there’s any chance this would be of interest, let’s schedule a quick chat to see if it’s a good fit: cameronms@wildanimalinitiative.org.