Applications must include

• a self-evaluation form very similar to the judges’ form downloadable from this website
• an application Form #2 downloadable from this website
• a signed, notarized agreement by the applicant (Form #2) to regard and accept the decision of the judges for that particular application as irrevocable, noncontestable, and final.
• a signed, notarized form (also Form #3) certifying that the work is original; and finally
• a .pdf file of each reprint in English from a reputable, well-known, naturalistic, peer-reviewed scientific journal related to molecular biology/evolution, biochemistry, microbiology, virology, paleogeology, cell biology, information theory, artificial life/intelligence, or origin-of-life research. The publication(s) must inherently contain the applicant’s total presentation of an integrated, unified description of a mechanism for the spontaneous rise of genetic instruction in nature sufficient to instruct observable life. The publication(s) must also inherently contain empirical correlation supporting the proposed mechanism. This empirical correlation need not be original laboratory work, but can be gleaned from the existing literature. A maximum of three peer-reviewed scientific publications can be submitted.
• a .pdf file of a 2,000-word-maximum (not counting references) essay/abstract in English by the applicant(s) is required. Submitters should summarize the thrust of the submitted publication(s). Explain why/how those publications meet each of the required conditions for winning the Prize. The Essay is critical in convincing busy judges that your published papers collectively fulfill the rules and requirements for winning the Prize. The essay will help draw judges attention to important sections of your published papers.

Use the self-evaluation form to organize your essay presentation. The essay should state with outline-like clarity how your submitted publications answer each question listed on the self-evaluation sheet. The judges circle numbers on a judging form that is essentially the same as the self-evaluation form. It is common for submitters to grade themselves with 9’s and 10’s on questions that the judges feel deserve only a 2 or 3. Study the self-evaluation sheet questions carefully to make sure your research and submission is actually addressing each question.

While the essay is important to organize judges’ review of the submitted published papers, the essay itself will not suffice to meet the conditions for winning the Prize. The conditions must be met within the published, peer-reviewed papers themselves.

• A nonrefundable application processing fee of $500 per submission is required. Review of each submission costs many thousands of dollars and a great deal of valuable time and effort on the part of well-known scientists. The application fee is necessary to discourage frivolous submissions.

Email to life@us.net with pdf attachments is the preferred method of submission.

Submissions may be made to the Foundation as soon as all scientific papers in the submission have been in print for 24 months. Three years must elapse, however, from the publication date of the most recent paper included in the package before the Prize can be officially awarded. The required delay following publication permits

• adequate peer review and critique of the published paper/s by colleagues and international experts in origin-of-life related fields,
• time for any experiments to be independently repeated and confirmed,

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All submissions become the property of the Foundation and shall not be returned to the submitter.

Joint submissions by multiple investigators

A signed agreement between joint submitters is recommended specifying in advance what relative percentage of the Prize money shall go to each joint submitter. An escrow account must be opened by the first author to receive single yearly Prize annuity payments by the Foundation. It is the responsibility of joint submitters to work out and receive their own shares out of their escrow account.