GoKawiilThe US National Science Foundation is set to issue its lowest number of new grants in four decades, after centrally withholding some US$1 billion for the White House’s Grand Research Challenges initiative and withdrawing recommendations to fund more than 150 peer-reviewed proposals (see Nature 657, 18–19; 2026). While the United States retreats, other nations are expanding. The National Natural Science Foundation of China will increase the number of prestigious grants it offers to early-career scientists by 50% this year (see Nature 655, 557–558; 2026). This divergence signals a historic inflection point: as US policy volatility drives away international talent and collaboration, the global research community must build alternative hubs.
Nature 657, 848 (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-02904-8
Competing Interests The authors declare no competing interests.
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