news 2016

The dusty disk surrounding the star TW Hydrae exhibits circular features that may signal the formation of protoplanets. LMU astrophysicist Barbara Ercolano argues, however, that the innermost actually points to the impending dispersal of the disk. When the maps appeared at the end of March, experts were electrified.

Research news Small-leaved limes do not transpire to the same extent in all environments as a study by Mohammad Rahman from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) concludes. During the summer heat, transpiration - the loss of water from the leaves - from those trees grown in open green squares cools us down more effectively than grown in narrow, paved squares.

Research news High-resolution aerial Photographs provides information that is both up-to-date and tailored for the task at hand?information that could previously only be obtained by observations in the field and only for a limited spatial area. For the very first time, a team of scientists led by Jan C. Habel at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has used drones to predict suitable microhabitats for the larvae of endangered butterfly species (larval habitats), recently published in Landscape Ecology.

Research news The inequality within European soccer leagues has been further reinforced by the introduction of the 'UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations'. Therefore, these financial regulations of the European soccer association miss a central objective. One reason: The barriers to new investors do not create more competition, but rather a disadvantage for smaller clubs.

Research news The inequality within European soccer leagues has been further reinforced by the introduction of the 'UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations'. Therefore, these financial regulations of the European soccer association miss a central objective. One reason: The barriers to new investors do not create more competition, but rather a disadvantage for smaller clubs.

Research news Countless microorganisms live in the intestinal tract. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have been able to demonstrate that intestinal bacteria also play a role in determining the strength of anaphylactic reactions to food allergens. The scientists present their results at the annual convention of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR), which is hosted by and at TUM this year.

Einstein Foundation Berlin Announced Support for Cross-institutional Centre as of 2018 ' 293/2016 from Sep 07, 2016 The Einstein Foundation Berlin has announced that it will be funding the first Einstein Centre devoted to the humanities as of 2018 in Berlin. The new Einstein Centre will be called Chronoi and will build on the unique cross-institutional cooperation that exists within ancient studies research in Berlin.

Research news DNA, our genetic material, normally has the structure of a twisted rope ladder. Experts call this structure a double helix. Among other things, it is stabilized by stacking forces between base pairs. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded at measuring these forces for the very first time on the level of single base pairs.

Research news Cell models from stem cells serve an ever-increasing role in research of cardiac dysfunction. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded in producing cells which offer new insights into properties of the heart. They installed a molecular sensor into the cells which emits light, and not only makes the cells' electrical activity visible, but also makes it possible for the first time to quickly identify cell types.

In 2015 the Dawn spacecraft reached the asteroid Ceres, the largest celestial body in the so-called asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The data collected by Dawn will make it possible for scientists to analyse the geological properties of Ceres and understand its origins. The latest issue of the "Science" journal contains reports by several international teams of researchers on their findings.

German Research Foundation (DFG) Approved Funding for New High-performance Microscope at Freie Universität Berlin ' 288/2016 from Sep 02, 2016 The German Research Foundation has designated 2.3 million euros for a new cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) at Freie Universität Berlin.

German Research Foundation (DFG) Approved Funding for New High-performance Microscope at Freie Universität Berlin ' 288/2016 from Sep 02, 2016 The German Research Foundation has designated 2.3 million euros for a new cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) at Freie Universität Berlin.

Research news Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have discovered that the amphipod crustacean, which is native to the Ponto-Caspian region, is not a true predator and only plays an indirect role in the massive species extinction of small crustaceans in native waters. According to experimental results, the invasive killer shrimp actually only drove native amphipods out of their hiding places, making them easy prey for the round goby, a species which also originates from the Black Sea region.

Atherosclerosis - commonly known as "hardening of the arteries" - occurs when deposits on the inner walls of vessels lead to chronic inflammation and narrowing of the vessels. That can restrict blood flow or block it entirely, ultimately triggering a cardiac infarction or a stroke. Treatment strategies up to now focus primarily on inhibiting the inflammation reaction.

Research news For a number of years now, an increasing number of synthetic nanoparticles have been manufactured and incorporated into various products, such as cosmetics. For the first time, a research project at the Technical University of Munich and the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment provides reliable findings on their presence in water bodies.

Research news It is the double helix, with its stable and flexible structure of genetic information, that made life on Earth possible in the first place. Now a team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has discovered a double helix structure in an inorganic material. The material comprising tin, iodine and phosphorus is a semiconductor with extraordinary optical and electronic properties, as well as extreme mechanical flexibility.

Forschen Proteins fulfill vital functions in our body. They transport substances, combat pathogens, and function as catalysts. In order for these processes to function reliably, proteins must adopt a defined three-dimensional structure. Molecular "folding assistants", called chaperones, aid and scrutinize these structuring processes.

Study Indicates Industrial Revolution Had Noticeable Impact on Global Warming ' 283/2016 from Aug 24, 2016 An international research team has now found out that climate change already began 180 years ago, much earlier than believed up to now. To determine the earliest time of global warming, the scientists studied the so-called natural climate archives of the northern and southern hemispheres, both on land and in the oceans, from the past 500 years.

Research news How can we improve the sustainability of our cities in the future? Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a new methodology for determining the overall emissions of cities. In a case study analysis, they examined three house types in the Munich metropolitan region.

A new and versatile imaging technique enables researchers to trace the trajectories of whole nerve cells and provides extensive insights into the structure of neuronal networks. Lesions caused by traumatic brain damage, stroke and functional decline due to aging processes can disrupt the complex cellular network that constitutes the central nervous system, and lead to chronic pathologies, such as dementia, epilepsy and deleterious metabolic perturbations.