Description

The Mathematical & Physical Sciences funding area of the John Templeton Foundation supports research into foundational questions in quantum physics, cosmology, and complexity, as well as the interface between the natural sciences and broader human experience. For the 2026 funding cycle, the program specifically seeks innovative experimental or observational projects that aim to:

• Discover new physics beyond the Standard Model, or
• Detect extraterrestrial technosignatures.

A defining feature for this cycle is the expectation that proposals will make substantive use of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) methods for experimental design, data acquisition, signal extraction, anomaly detection, or theory-informed analysis. Projects should combine conceptual ambition with empirical rigor, and demonstrate institutional readiness—such as access to computational infrastructure, software, and technical expertise—to support advanced analytical approaches.

Targeted research directions include high-precision tabletop experiments, new astronomical datasets, and novel technosignature searches using large datasets and computational techniques. Proposals must clearly articulate the scientific objectives, anticipated precision, and implications for theoretical frameworks, with careful attention to calibration, uncertainty, and interpretability.