news 2021

Heidelberg researchers discover an enzyme that prevents the formation of multiple heads and axes in the freshwater polyp Hydra In the animal kingdom, specific growth factors control body axis development. These signalling molecules are produced by a small group of cells at one end of the embryo to be distributed in a graded fashion toward the opposite pole.

From a human perspective, earthquakes are natural disasters - in the past hundred years, they have caused more than 200,000 deaths and enormous economic damage. Mega-earthquakes with a magnitude of nine or higher on the Richter scale are considered a particular threat. Yet the inconceivable energy released in these events doesn't seem to affect the uplift of mountains, according to a new study by geoscientists at the University of Tübingen.

A rare genetic defect that affects the so-called ALG2 gene can cause serious metabolic diseases in humans. It does so through the defective formation of proteins and sugar molecules. Until now, its rareness and complexity made it difficult to study this congenital glycosylation disorder.

Feasibility study: Preventing diseases through genome analysis and genome scissors Why are some animals more susceptible to diseases than others? Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) investigated this in more detail. They found genetic differences in livestock species that make individual animals less susceptible to certain diseases.

The way in which a compound inspired by nature produces hydrogen has now been described in detail for the first time by an international research team from the University of Jena and the University of Milan-Bicocca. These findings are the foundation for the energy-efficient production of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source.

Secretin hormone induces satiation by activating brown fat Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Finnish research institute Turku PET Centre have discovered a new mechanism controlling satiation. According to the recently published study, the hormone secretin induces satiation by activating brown adipose tissue.

Current research shows that environmental pollution is a phenomenon found not only in modern times. Even in ancient times people suffered from lead poisoning. The Romans widely used this heavy metal as a material for their water pipes and sometimes even for sweetening wine. There is a fair amount of evidence for the extent and the influence of this contamination, and its impact on the global atmosphere can be tracked on the basis of Arctic ice core analyses.

University of Göttingen research team investigate microtubules Just as the skeleton and muscles move the human body and hold its shape, all the cells of the body are stabilised and moved by a cellular skeleton. Unlike our skeleton, this cellular skeleton is a very dynamic structure, constantly changing and renewing itself.

Research led by Göttingen University shows constructing microscope improves children's understanding Microscopy is an essential tool in many fields of science and medicine. However, many groups have limited access to this technology due to its cost and fragility. Now, researchers from the Universities of Göttingen and Münster have succeeded in building a high-resolution microscope using nothing more than children's plastic building bricks and affordable parts from a mobile phone.

Research team led by the University of Göttingen investigates surface magnetisation The surface of a material often has properties that are very different from the properties within the material. For example, a non-conducting crystal, which actually exhibits no magnetism, can show magnetisation restricted to its surface because of the way the atoms are arranged there.

Heidelberg University geographers combine historical images and maps with current data The glaciers of Nanga Parbat - one of the highest mountains in the world - have been shrinking slightly but continually since the 1930s. This loss in surface area is evidenced by a long-term study conducted by researchers from the South Asia Institute of Heidelberg University.

The intracellular purple sulfur bacterium -Candidatus Thiodictyon intracellulare- has lost the ability to oxidize sulfur and now supplies a ciliate with energy from photosynthesis / Youtube video available Dr Sebastian Hess and his team at the University of Cologne's Institute of Zoology have studied a very rare and puzzling tripartite symbiosis.

Climate reconstruction of the last 200,000 years from East Africa illustrates the living conditions of Homo sapiens when they migrated out of Africa / Homo sapiens was mobile across regions during wet phases and retreated to high altitudes during dry phases An international research team led by Professor Dr Frank Schäbitz has published a climate reconstruction of the last 200,000 years for Ethiopia.

Over the past 35 years, there have been large shifts in the distributions of many dragonfly and damselfly species in Germany. Many species of standing water habitats have declined, probably due to loss of habitat. On the other hand, running-water species, living in rivers and creeks, and warm-adapted species have benefited from improved water quality and warmer temperatures.

Researchers led by G öttingen University examine the long-term results of an experiment from more than 40 years ago   The fairy circles of the Namib are one of nature's greatest mysteries. Millions of these circular barren patches extend over vast areas along the margins of the desert in Namibia. In 1979, G.K. Theron published the first research about their origin.

New 2D-materials tailored by self organization and photopolymerisation An international research team led by members from the Technical University of Munich, the Deutsches Museum, the Linköping University has developed a method to manufacture two-dimensional polymers with the thickness of a single molecule.

Holographic 'movie' of bubbles and high-pressure shockwave created by research team led by Göttingen University Everyone is familiar with tiny gas bubbles gently rising up in sparkling water. But the bubbles that were created by intense focused lasers in this experiment were ten times smaller and contained water vapour at a pressure around a hundred thousand times higher.

Research team led by the University of Göttingen develops new strategy for labelling peptides Biomolecules regulate the biological functions inside every living cell. If scientists can understand the molecular mechanisms of such functions, then it is possible to detect severe dysfunction which can lead to illness.

One of the most striking features of global warming is that the life rhythms of plants are changing all over the world. A study at the University of Tübingen has found that human land use can also significantly influence the pace of plant life cycles. In a comparative study, a research team from the Plant Evolutionary Ecology group surveyed one hundred forest sites of different management intensities.

Survey on diet and exercise since the start of the corona pandemic presented How has the corona pandemic affected the dietary and exercise behavior and thus the weight of adults? Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have investigated this question and found that about 40 percent of those surveyed have gained weight since the start of the pandemic and that slightly more than half of those surveyed have exercised less than they did before the corona crisis.