Golden Goose Award

Zhen Xu, a researcher at the University of Michigan's biomedical engineering department, has received the Golden Goose Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The award honors federally funded research whose unexpected or seemingly obscure work led to significant societal benefits. Xu's recognition highlights the value of curiosity-driven science, though details of the specific research being honored were not immediately available.

The 2026 Golden Goose Awards have been announced, honoring research that once seemed obscure but later proved enormously valuable to society. The awards, traditionally presented to scientists whose federally funded curiosity-driven work led to unexpected breakthroughs, continue to champion the case for investing in basic science at a time when research budgets face scrutiny.