Since its inception in 2002, Discovery Channel Quest has funded research in space, exploration, paleontology, geology and archaeology. These projects include the recovery of the Liberty Bell 7 space capsule that was lost at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in July 1961, the identification of two new dinosaur species and the study of the sunken remains of the German World War II battleship DKM Bismarck.

More recently, Discovery Channel supported an expedition to collect data from the Indian Ocean seafloor to create models that can better predict tsunamis.

In addition to supporting scientists around the world, Discovery Channel Quest invests in cutting-edge research tools. The Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) — designed exclusively for the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz. — is among the most sophisticated ground-based telescopes of its size.