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Did a volcanic eruption in 1783 shift the tropical rain belt? Old ship’s logs could provide the answer – and also shed light on the future climate for millions of people living around the equator.

With the programme "Pioneering Research – Exploring the Unknown Unknown", the Foundation supports groundbreaking and risky research ideas with high scientific relevance. Deadline for short proposals: 27 August 2026

With this joint call, the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark), Wellcome (UK) and the Volkswagen Foundation are funding multi-perspective research into the interactions between mobility and health. Deadline for pilot projects: March 25, 2024. Online Q&A on Feb. 15., 2024, 9 to 10 AM CET and 4 to 5 PM CET

Fabien Schultz is searching for natural materials that can be used to treat mental health conditions. To this end, he is working with indigenous communities in Uganda and Tanzania – and with monkeys.

Why is wealth increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few? The “Perspectives on Wealth” initiative is coming to an end after two calls for proposals – its 15 international projects, with a total budget of €38.3 million, have investigated how wealth shapes politics, society and inequality. Some  projects will continue until 2029

The programme addresses persons from science together with actors outside of academia who are interested in transdisciplinary research and aim at jointly developing new perspectives on democratic forms of government under change.