topic Research

Basic research

Gaining knowledge on the structure of matter and the fundamental interrelations in nature is among the decisive elements of our education and research. Scientific basic research takes a prominent position in this, because it is also the starting point for technical innovations and for a sustainable development of the economy and society.

Supporting basic research is primarily a task of the German Länder. Institutions and projects of scientific research with supraregional importance are co-funded by the Federal and Länder governments.

This means that the BMBF's support for scientific basic research is focused on:

1. Topics which
2. • are specific to large-scale research,
   • are of supraregional, international or
   • fundamental significance;
3. Large-scale equipment for research in
4. • physics and astrophysics,
   • the life sciences and
   • materials research or nanotechnology.

The focus of BMBF support is on physics, astrophysics and astronomy as well as on selected research topics requiring special large-scale equipment including

• astrophysics,
• astro-particle physics,
• hadrons and nuclear physics,
• structure and interaction of fundamental particles and
• physics of condensed matter.

An overview of the results achieved in these areas is presented on the Internet portal www.weltderphysik.de. In addition to numerous articles on the different topics, many information and research possibilities in the area of physics are provided.
Scientific large-scale equipment is an important part of Germany's scientific infrastructure. The equipment is selected following a lengthy evaluation process by the German Science Council with intensive participation of foreign experts. This procedure ensures that the large-scale equipment in Germany is absolutely cutting-edge.
Construction and operation of the large-scale facilities is agreed with the German Research Association (DFG) and implemented by the national research centres of the Helmholtz Association as well as by the institutes of the Leibniz Association and the Max Planck Society or by international research institutions such as CERN, ESRF, ESO and ILL.