NATO Weird Science: can you guess the real research projects from the decoys?

For more than 70 years, NATO’s science programmes have supported a wide range of studies, projects, workshops and other research initiatives. Some of these projects have had clear military applications – building lighter, stronger and faster vehicles, for example, or developing new ways to treat battlefield injuries. But many of them relate to more broad social challenges or scientific questions, with no obvious or immediate connection to defence. How does sand extraction in shorelands affect coastal erosion? What would an international geothermal energy community look like? What is the origin of structure in the universe? How can we improve the nutrition and breeding conditions of eels?

These initiatives show NATO’s wider understanding of security. A country’s security is determined by environmental, social, technological and economic conditions just as much as military factors. Its resilience to security hazards – whether they are conventional military threats, acts of sabotage and interference, or natural disasters – requires a whole-of-society approach, with government, military, the private sector and civil society all working together. That is why scientific research and development is so important for an international defence alliance – even the strangest and most obscure project could have far-reaching implications for NATO’s security, and every little initiative and study contributes to the big picture of an Alliance that is safer, more prosperous and more peaceful.

With that said, some of the projects supported over the years have been more peculiar than others! Take the quiz below to see if you can identify which of these projects were really supported by NATO (and which ones we made up to trick you!), and learn more about the extraordinary legacy of scientific research at NATO.