The Banzai Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Strategic Information is an independent, non-profit research organization of ranking scientists. Founded by Dr. Buchanan "Buckaroo" Banzai (1949-2013?) in 1972, the Institute supports scientific endeavours in fields that would otherwise go unfunded or kept under extreme secrecy by paranoid governments. Originally based in Holland Township, New Jersey, Earth, the Institute was moved to the New Berkeley Orbital colony in 2037 when a strong anti-science government was elected in the United States of America. The Institute is a not-for-profit corporation, supported mainly by royalties donated by its researchers from commercial applications of Institute- sponsored work. The L5 Colony Council also provides a small per annum for upkeep of the Institute campus. Many of the brightest scientists in the galaxy have passed at one point or another through the Institute; the number of applications per year has forced the necessity of opening branch campuses all over the Commonwealth. The Banzai Institute is also known for it's "special forces," the Blue Blaze Irregulars. The Blue Blazers, originally Dr. Banzai's fan club, has evolved into a small but potent force of spies and troubleshooters. Dedicated to the ideals espoused by Dr. Banzai and the Institute, the Blue Blazers fight evil wherever they go and make sure to file detailed reports if the evil's too big to fight on their own. If the matter warrants larger attention, the Institute's BBI Co- ordinator will forward the reports off to Peaceforce. Currently, the Institute is led by Dr. S. M. Breen, aka "Colorado." Colorado is a minor celebrity in being the oldest Earth-born human known to exist (he will be 490 years old this August) and was a fellow of the Institute under Dr. Banzai. Colorado has run the Institute off and on since 2015 (having interludes from 2070-2170 and 2215-2400), and has stated his intent to "stay where the action is" until either he dies or the Universe undergoes heat death. In general, Colorado limits his hands-on activities at the Institute to teaching history classes and keeping the Galactography department up to date. Most of the day-to-day work is handled by Ms. Lain Iwakura, a powerful ESPer whose talent allows her to manipulate and even "ride" information networks. SOME FASCINATING POINTS OF INTEREST *Dr. B. Banzai was the first person in recorded history to travel through solid matter, using the Oscillation Overthruster. After the Lectroid Crisis, the Overthruster was used in a variety of scientific experiments intended to determine the true nature of the otherspace popularly known as "the Eighth Dimension." Actual use of the Overthruster outside controlled laboratory conditions was discontinued until 2013. (see below) *The Jet Car (BB#88) used in the groundbreaking Overthruster experiment was not retired to the lab and was used by Team Banzai on a regular basis through the turn of the century. Perhaps the most visually impressive of these uses was in 1998, when the Jet Car was used as an emergency nose landing gear for the NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis, which had reported this serious damage upon leaving the International Space Station. Old #88 was retired with great pomp and circumstance to the Smithsonian Institution in 2001, the only automobile to have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. *In more recent history, modified versions of the Jet Car have been reintroduced as standard equipment for Blue Blaze operatives working on planetary surfaces. The Institute is working on a fifth-generation Jet Car that would have native surface-to-orbit capability, but this will probably not be ready for testing until 2470 at the earliest. *The first surface-to-orbit skyhook in Solar history was designed in 1983 by Institute founding member Rawhide (1959-1984, killed during the Lectroid Crisis). Rawhide's design was implemented n 2011 in orbit above Venezuela with only minor changes (mostly dealing with unanticipated advances in computer control circuits), and remains the most common skyhook design in the Commonwealth today. *In 2013, Dr. Banzai and his closest associates participated in an experiment involving the now-legendary Oscillation Overthruster used with a prototype fusion spacecraft. The result is now considered in the popular media to be the first hyperspace jump in Solar history (this has not been, and likely never will be, confirmed by experimental data). Dr. Banzai and his associates were not seen again. *The Venusian War, considered the single major turning point in the formation of the Earth/Jovian Alliance (and from there the Commonwealth) in 2248 was precipitated by factions of the former World Crime League, which had moved offworld under guise of several zaibatsus during the New Earth migration in 2070. The revelation of Hanoi Xan's heirs manipulating the Solar System through the Bank of Venus sent shockwaves through the entire system, setting off war with Earth and Jupiter, as well as triggering a civil war on Venus between the League zaibatsus and the non-League corporations. Despite the success in driving the World Crime League from the Venus Bank, remnants of the WCL continue to pop up in odd places to this day (see entries: Weyland-Yutani Corporation, Acheron Colony, Ellen Ripley, Xenomorph Scandal) *The Banzai Institute starship _Kwai-Chang Caine_ holds the standing record for fastest sustained realspace speed (82% lightspeed, 2215-2290/2325-2400). The _Caine_ was also the first crewed starship to leave the Solar System, as part of Dr. Breen's 2215 expedition to 20 Leonis Minoris. *It is a little-known fact that First Contact did not happen with the Centauri Republic in the 2350s, as is often recorded in history books, but rather with the Thennanin species in 2290. This oversight in standard history is due to the fact that lightspeed limitations didn't allow word of First Contact to reach Earth until after contact with the Centauri. While somewhat chagrined by this, Dr. Breen is content to take his place with Zheng He, Lief Erickson, St. Brendan and the other explorers who never had proper press agents.