When it comes to think tanks, RAND might be the brainiest. Founded in 1948, RAND Corporation is one of the leading public policy research institutions in the US, offering analysis and research in such areas as education, health care, national security, science and technology, and transportation. Its staff of more than 950 scientists and researchers offer their insights primarily to government policy makers, but RAND also serves private businesses and international organizations. The not-for-profit enterprise traces its roots to Project RAND, a research group formed during WWII by Douglas Aircraft (later McDonnell Douglas and now part of Boeing) to provide technical guidance to the military.