The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the award of 494 Starting Grants to young scientists and scholars across Europe. The funding - totalling nearly €780 million - supports cutting-edge research in a wide range of fields, from life sciences and physics to social sciences and humanities. It will help researchers at the beginning of their careers to launch their own projects, form their teams and pursue their most promising ideas.

The new ERC grants will support cutting-edge research in a wide range of fields, from life sciences and physical sciences to social sciences and humanities. The funding is part of the EU Horizon Europe programme. A social scientist in the Czech Republic analyses the crucial role of public opinion in military alliances; a biochemist in the UK delves into how viruses change to infect cells; a researcher in Germany explores how robots can learn to perform human-like tasks in the real world; another scientist based in Spain examines whether advanced laser techniques can help us prevent fires; and a psychologist in the Netherlands investigates (dis)information reaching teenagers.