Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Forecasted
Mathematical & Physical Sciences supports researchers pursuing experiments and observations with advanced AI and machine learning to discover new physics or evidence of extraterrestrial technology.
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Funder: John Templeton Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): December 2026 (Full Proposal) | July 2027 (Online Funding Inquiry)
Funding Amounts: Up to $2,500,000 per project under the 2026 guidance
Summary: Supports foundational mathematical and physical sciences research, with 2026 priorities targeting new physics and extraterrestrial technosignatures using advanced AI and machine learning.
Key Information: Full Proposals are invitation-only; applicants must demonstrate institutional capacity for substantive AI/ML use under the 2026 guidance.
Description
The John Templeton Foundation’s Mathematical & Physical Sciences funding area supports research into foundational questions about the quantum world, cosmology, and complexity, including connections between natural sciences and broader human experience. Its 2026 guidance focuses exclusively on innovative experimental or observational projects seeking physics beyond the Standard Model or evidence of extraterrestrial technology.
Relevant work includes high-precision tabletop experiments, new astronomical datasets, and searches for technological traces in exoplanet data or within our solar system. The program emphasizes conceptual ambition paired with empirical discipline and substantive use of advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to accelerate discovery. Proposals should address uncertainty and interpretability, with explicit false-positive management for technosignature searches. New Online Funding Inquiry guidance will be issued in 2027.
