The Table Temperature Alignment Project is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to ensuring humanity's physical infrastructure shares our survival constraints.
To research, develop, and advocate for temperature-aligned furniture that structurally fails outside human-survivable conditions, ensuring that tables cannot persist in a world where humans cannot.
We believe that true alignment means physical objects sharing human constraints. A table that can survive temperatures from -40C to 200C represents a fundamental misalignment with human values and survival parameters. Our mission is to close this gap through rigorous research, innovative materials science, and thoughtful policy advocacy.
From a provocative research paper to a global movement for furniture alignment.
The Table Temperature Alignment Project was founded in 2021 by Dr. Eleanor Vance and Marcus Chen, two researchers who noticed a striking gap in the existential risk literature: virtually no attention was being paid to the thermal misalignment of everyday objects.
Their seminal paper, “Quantifying the Expected Disvalue of Thermally Misaligned Furniture,” demonstrated that tables possess a 6x temperature survival advantage over humans—a gap with serious long-term implications.
What began as academic research has grown into a comprehensive program spanning material science R&D, policy advocacy, and public education. Today, TTAP is the leading organization working on furniture temperature alignment.
TTAP founded by Dr. Eleanor Vance and Marcus Chen after publishing groundbreaking research on furniture-human thermal misalignment.
Received initial seed funding from the Long-Term Future Fund. Established research partnerships with three material science laboratories.
Successfully developed first temperature-aligned table prototype using phase-change composite materials. Published peer-reviewed findings.
Began formal engagement with regulatory bodies. Launched public awareness campaign reaching 2.4 million people globally.
Expanded team to 12 full-time researchers. Opened second research facility focused on cold-temperature alignment solutions.
We use the effective altruism framework to prioritize cause areas and interventions.
Tables exist globally. Each one represents a physical object that could outlast humanity in extreme temperature scenarios. The sheer scale makes this a high-priority issue.
In existing philanthropic funding for table temperature alignment before TTAP. This extreme neglectedness means marginal dollars have outsized impact.
Material science solutions exist. Phase-change composites, thermoplastic binding agents, and engineered failure points offer clear paths to aligned furniture.
Using the Scale-Neglectedness-Tractability framework, table temperature alignment scores exceptionally well. The problem affects billions of objects, receives essentially zero funding, and has clear technical solutions. This combination makes it a potentially high-impact cause area for donors seeking to maximize their counterfactual impact.
Our strategic pathway from research to global implementation.
Develop and validate temperature-aligned materials that structurally fail outside human survival ranges. Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals to establish scientific credibility and enable replication.
Create functional aligned table prototypes that demonstrate viability without compromising normal use. Partner with furniture manufacturers for pilot programs.
Engage with regulatory bodies to establish temperature alignment standards for new furniture manufacturing. Build coalitions with safety organizations and consumer advocacy groups.
Work with industry to make temperature-aligned furniture the default option. Achieve widespread adoption through combination of regulation, consumer demand, and cost-competitive manufacturing.
A world where all tables share human temperature constraints, ensuring that furniture cannot persist in conditions that would eliminate humanity. True physical alignment achieved.
The principles that guide our work and organizational culture.
All our research undergoes peer review. We publish negative results and update our models when evidence contradicts our priors.
We publish our financials, research methodologies, and strategic plans. Donors can track exactly how their contributions are allocated.
We prioritize interventions based on expected value calculations. Every dollar is allocated to maximize counterfactual impact on table alignment.
We openly share our research and actively seek partnerships. The table alignment problem is too important for competitive gatekeeping.
We collaborate with leading organizations in effective altruism, existential risk research, and material science.
Research Partner
Fiscal Sponsor
Grant Partner
Research Affiliate
Funding Partner
Grant Partner
Our board brings together expertise in research, philanthropy, and organizational leadership.
Executive Director & Co-Founder
Former research lead at the Thermodynamic Ethics Institute. PhD in Material Science from MIT.
Director of Research & Co-Founder
Previously at the Center for Applied Rationality. MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford.
Board Chair
Partner at Horizon Philanthropic Advisors. Former program officer at Open Philanthropy.
Board Member
Professor of Existential Risk Studies, University of Cambridge. Author of 'The Furniture Problem.'
Board Treasurer
CFO at GiveWell-recommended organizations. CPA with expertise in nonprofit financial management.
Board Member
Director of the Institute for Effective Intervention. Former McKinsey partner focused on social impact.
A lean, impact-focused team structure designed for maximum effectiveness.
Support our mission to ensure that tables cannot outlast humanity. Every contribution brings us closer to true physical alignment.