Dharma Initiative

The Dharma Initiative, short for Department of Heuristics and Research on Material Applications Initiative, was a central element in the TV series Lost. It was a scientific research project established in the 1970s, funded by the Hanso Foundation, and operated on the Island. The initiative aimed to study and exploit the Island’s unique properties, conducting experiments in various fields, including electromagnetism, psychology, and genetics.

The Dharma Initiative established numerous stations across the Island, each with a specific purpose, such as the Swan (focused on electromagnetic anomalies), the Pearl (for psychological observation), and the Hydra (animal experimentation). Its mysterious logos, cryptic purposes, and eventual conflict with the Island’s original inhabitants, the “Hostiles” or “Others,” added layers of intrigue and drama to the series.

Their abandoned facilities became key settings for the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, as they unraveled the Initiative’s secrets and how its experiments shaped the Island’s fate.