The Discovery Institute (DI) is a politically conservative think tank based in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1991 by Bruce Chapman, a former director of the Hudson Institute's Pacific Northwest Center, and other conservative figures. Operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, it is best known for promoting intelligent design (ID), a pseudoscientific concept that posits certain features of the universe and living organisms are best explained by an intelligent cause rather than undirected natural processes. The scientific community widely regards ID as a form of creationism and not a valid scientific theory. The DI also engages in broader conservative advocacy, critiquing progressive cultural shifts and promoting free-market policies.