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Jet streams are often referred to as the "motor" of global weather: High-altitude wind currents steer areas of high and low pressure, playing a crucial role in shaping our weather. However, how these atmospheric flows are affected by climate change remains uncertain. Now, a team of climate scientists from Leipzig University, working with other research institutions, has developed a new method that enables a deeper understanding of what is referred to as the Eddy-Driven Jet in the Southern Hemisphere.

Jet streams are considered the "weather engine": The wind currents at high altitudes drive high and low pressure areas and are therefore largely responsible for our weather. However, it is still unclear how climate change affects these air currents. A team of climate scientists from Leipzig University and other research institutions has now found a method that provides a deeper understanding of the so-called eddy-driven jet in the southern hemisphere and allows better predictions for the coming years as to how this wind band reacts to climate change.

International research team study surrounding landscapes, biodiversity and human well-being Villages, often separated from larger towns and cities, consist of clusters of households and a few public buildings. Despite their long history, the biodiversity of European villages is not well understood compared to urban areas, forests, grasslands, or farmland.

A new study has shown that as early as the Stone Age, people in Africa traveled long distances to procure colorful stone, forming the raw material for the manufacture of tools. The study was led by Gregor D. Bader from the Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology and the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment at the University of.

A new paper published in Nature Communications reveals how the way tree species are arranged in a forest can help optimise ecosystem functioning and productivity. The study was conducted using empirical field data combined with advanced computer models and simulations by researchers at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).

News from By modeling different planting strategies and tree species mixtures, researchers offer insights for sustainable forest management, reforestation and climate change mitigation in a new study. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications and shows how the spatial arrangement of tree species can optimize the function and productivity of forest ecosystems.

Participants can accurately recognise levels of biodiversity through sight and sound, and aspects like colour, light as well as bird song matter. This has been confirmed by a recent study published in the journal People and Nature. According to this, both visual and acoustic stimuli influence our perception of biodiversity.

Multisensory vs.

Göttingen researchers show mixed woodland boosts wildlife diversity in European forests   Can animals share the same space peacefully high above the ground in the treetops? A research team at the University of Göttingen has found that forests combining both deciduous and conifer trees make it easier for red squirrels and dormice to coexist.

Soils are losing their fertility, biodiversity is declining dramatically, and microplastics and toxins are spreading to even the most remote ecosystems - with serious consequences for the climate, harvests, prosperity and global security.

New study shows that humans were extensively using fire to alter the landscapes around them as early as 50,000 years ago Fire is an ancient natural phenomenon that has shaped our planet for more than 400 million years. It alters habitats, influences the carbon cycle, and is closely tied to changes in the climate and vegetation.

Psychologists at Leipzig University and TU Dortmund University have, for the first time, brought together international research findings on the phenomenon of climate anxiety. They found that certain groups are more prone to climate anxiety than others. These include, above all, younger people, women, individuals with more left-leaning political views, people with deep concerns about the future and the environment, and those frequently exposed to the consequences of climate change and related information.

Psychologists from Leipzig University and TU Dortmund University have summarized international research findings on the phenomenon of climate anxiety for the first time. They found that certain groups are more prone to climate anxiety than others. These include, in particular, younger people, women, people with more left-leaning political views, people who are very concerned about the future and the environment and those who are frequently confronted with the consequences of climate change and the corresponding information.

Due to global warming, the North Atlantic Oscillation, an atmospheric circulation pattern that strongly influences European weather, is becoming more extreme in summer To the point North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO): Fluctuations in the air pressure difference between the Azores and Iceland influence the weather in Europe Increasing variability: Climate change will lead to more frequent and more severe NAO extremes in summer by the end of the cent

Evolution has provided birds with a clever strategy to eat extremely acidic fruit  To the point Birds like sour tastes : Sour foods are often avoided by mammals, but many birds regularly feed on highly acidic fruits. Evolution of sour tolerance : A new study shows that birds' sour receptors shut down when exposed to acidic food, reducing the transmission of sour signals and thus influencing their perception and tolerance.

Before the -Out of Africamigration that led humans into Eurasia and beyond, new research shows that humans expanded their niche to include African forests and deserts To the Point: Human Migrations: Homo sapiens left Africa multiple times in prehistory, mainly during periods of increased rainfall. But eventually these populations died out.

Hot summers in Europe can be better predicted if an increase of the heat content in the North Atlantic is taken into account To the point Heat indicator in the ocean: European heat waves are often preceded by an increase in the North Atlantic heat content Better predictions: Model simulations that take into account the connection with the heat content in the Northern Atlantic predict past European heat waves more reliably than calculations which omit this mechanism.

Research highlights potential of combining agricultural and environmental measures for species protection The global decline of wild bee populations is alarming. Landscapes characterised by intensive agriculture offer hardly any suitable habitats. Isolated local efforts are often not enough to counteract this loss.

Researchers from Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Potsdam have published the results of a study indicating that the slope of the seafloor plays a crucial role in how submarine canyons are formed Submarine canyons are large, kilometer-deep gorges on the seafloor along continental margins that transport sediments, nutrients, and carbon from offshore regions into the deep sea.

A single-step method enables the energy saving extreaction of Nickel with reduced CO2 emissions for batteries and stainless steel To the point Challenging nickel demand: the demand for nickel is expected to double while conventional nickel production emits around 20 tons of CO2 per one ton of nickel Sustainable new process for nickel production: Researchers found a way to extract nickel from low-grade ores using hydrogen plasma instead of carbon.