In the latest tender round of the European Research Council (ERC), two scientists from the University of Stuttgart were each awarded one of the prestigious ERC Advanced Grants and will receive funding of up to almost EUR 3.5 million each for their respective projects: Prof. André Bächtiger is the first social scientist at the University of Stuttgart to be awarded an ERC grant. In his project “DDME”, he is looking into the future of democracy in the 21st century, while also having his eye on Mars. In his project “qMOTION”, Prof. Oliver Röhrle wants to use quantum technologies in order to decode neuromuscular control during movement. In addition to an ERC Proof-of-Concept Grant, this is the second ERC Advanced Grant he has received so far.