What is Revolutionary?

The term "Revolutionary" has many interpretations in the context of a multitude of recognized fields of endeavor. It is not unusual for synergy between seemingly unrelated disciplines to inspire creative paradigm changes resulting in "Revolutionary" breakthroughs. In the context of a focus on advanced concepts, NIAC defines "Revolutionary" as possessing one or more of the following six attributes:

• 1. The genius is in the generalities, and not the details.
• 2. The new idea illuminates a pathway toward an expansion of knowledge and may address a significant roadblock.
• 3. It inspires others to produce useful science and further elaboration of the fundamental idea.
• 4. It contributes to a major change in the framework of aerospace possibilities,
• 5. It triggers a transformation of intuition.
• 6. Revolutionary paradigm shifts are simple, elegant, majestic, beautiful and characterized by order and symmetry.