I mean, if you want, we could switch our donations to fund a program that makes sure the Russians discover a cure for aging...

This leads to an interesting idea: improve science and rationality in one area by helping funding science for rivals. I wonder if that would work...

I had an idea I call the "evil genius theory" that goes something like this: challenge can produce growth and strength; great challenge, on the verge of existential, can produce tremendous amounts of growth in short periods of time; therefore, fund an evil genius to do great and terrible things, and the challenge / response will better the world on net.

It feels very plausible to me.