news

In Germany, 14,000 blood donations are needed every day for operations, accident victims or immunocompromised patients. But how can people be motivated to donate blood? A new study shows how blood donation services can inform donors by text message about the use of their donation - with a positive effect.

A sophisticated device uses radio waves to determine whether states are really complying with nuclear weapons treaties When it comes to nuclear weapons, no state really wants to leave anything to chance. A small movement in nuclear weapons stocks can have a major impact. It is therefore important to monitor nuclear weapons treaties effectively and closely.

Researchers at the University of Bonn take a look behind the scenes of machine learning in drug research Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise. Until now, AI applications generally have "black box" character: How AI arrives at its results remains hidden. Jürgen Bajorath, a cheminformatics scientist at the University of Bonn, and his team have developed a method that reveals how certain AI applications work in pharmaceutical research.

Fasting interventions, which involve alternating periods of fasting and refeeding, are generally thought to improve health. But these interventions don't work as well in old animals. The question is: Why? By studying the short-lived killifish, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne have shown that older fish deviate from a youthful fasting and refeeding cycle, and instead enter a state of perpetual fasting, even when ingesting food.

For years, researchers have been working to synthetically recreate the genome, or more precisely, the chromosomes of brewer's yeast. Now it has been possible to combine all transfer RNA genes in an artificial chromosome. The result sets a milestone in the development of the first synthetic eukaryotic genome and opens up new avenues for basic research.

How do men and women regulate their emotions under stress? A new study in cognitive psychology that makes use of the socially evaluated cold-pressor test has answered this question. The response to stress varies from person to person. "We're trying to find out which factors may account for these different susceptibilities," explains Dr. Katja Langer, a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Cognitive Psychology.

For many people, science has become a question of faith - the acceptance of research results increasingly depends on whether they fit in with their own world view. This poses new challenges for science communication. Simply preparing content in an appealing and accessible way for the public in order to close gaps in knowledge and present new innovations is no longer enough.

Heidelberg Earth scientists lead research ship METEOR's voyage to the eastern Mediterranean How did climatic and environmental change impact early eastern Mediterranean cultures, and what were the consequences of human settlement on land and marine ecosystems? In order to collect research data to answer these questions, the German research ship METEOR - under the guidance of Earth scientists from Heidelberg University - is embarking on a multi-week expedition to the Aegean and Ionian seas.

In a large-scale research project, the Technische Universität Ilmenau is developing a method for robotic surgery that will enable much more effective treatment of malignant cancerous tumors. With a combination of highly sensitive sensor technology, modern imaging and artificial intelligence, the surgeon can perform the operation more precisely and with less tissue damage than ever before - significantly improving the patient's chances of recovery.

Bad-tempered or laudatory superiors, employees who drink too much alcohol and misbehave, a stiff atmosphere, forced contemplation or a party in a "pub in the middle of nowhere" - there are many factors that can turn the annual Christmas party at work into a disaster. There are a few basic rules that can turn the end of the year with colleagues into an unforgettable joyful event.

Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum have published the first systematic review of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). Millions of people watch content creators on YouTube and social media platforms such as TikTok as they whisper soothing words, perform simulated role plays such as a visit to the hairdresser, or interact with certain objects such as the keyboard of a computer in a specific rhythm.

Looking around us, we can see that people age at different rates. But what about inside? Do all cells age in the same way? And does the location of a cell in the organ make a difference to the ageing process? Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne and CECAD Excellence Cluster for Ageing Research have now shown in the liver of mice that liver cells age differently depending on where they are located in the organ.

Euclid, the new space telescope launched by the ESA with the involvement of German researchers, has published its first color photographs from outer space. Never before has a telescope been able to produce such sharp astronomical images of such a wide expanse of sky while looking so deep into the distant universe.

Researchers improve measurement of the earth's rotation Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded in measuring the earth's rotation more exactly than ever before. The ring laser at the Geodetic Observatory Wettzell can now be used to capture data at a quality level unsurpassed anywhere in the world.

After more than a century, physicists aim to dethrone the tried-and-tested technology of the refrigerator, as cooling can be made more energy-efficient. The compressor technology used in today's refrigerators was invented more than a century ago. "The technology has been continuously optimized over the years, of course," says Daniel Hägele, physicist at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.

MYC proteins play an important role in many types of cancer. A research team at the University of Würzburg has now succeeded in indirectly influencing these proteins - with clear consequences for the tumor. MYC family genes are essential for the human organism. According to current knowledge, they regulate the expression of most cellular genes.

Up to now, the results of climate simulations have sometimes contradicted the analysis of climate traces from the past. A team led by the physicist Thomas Laepple from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam and the climatologist Kira Rehfeld from the University of Tübingen has therefore brought together experts in climate models and climate tracks to clarify how the discrepancies come about.

Cytoplasmic lattices in the egg cell supply the early embryo as protein storage sites When mammals have offspring, they invest a lot. Unlike fish or frogs, the embryo cannot develop on its own. It has to implant in the uterus, where it is supplied with everything it needs to survive. Until this happens, the egg cell nourishes the early embryo.

Change in treatment can bring improvement in late stage As Parkinson's progresses, more invasive therapies are used that require brain surgery, for example. When these no longer deliver the desired results, physicians often conclude that treatment options are exhausted. A study led by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) now shows that such patients can still benefit from a change in treatment.

Freiburg researchers achieved a significantly improved anti-tumour efficacy of CAR-T cells in a preclinical model CAR-T cell therapy is a last hope for many patients with blood, bone marrow or lymph gland cancer when other treatments such as chemotherapy are unsuccessful. A limiting factor of this otherwise very effective and safe therapy is that the cells used in the process quickly reach a state of exhaustion.