news 2022

For the first time, a research team involving the Department of Biology at Universität Hamburg assisted by detailed behavior analyses have shown how the Australian ant-spider, Euryopis umbilicata, can catch prey that is significantly larger than itself. This hunting technique includes an acrobatic attack sequence, with the actual moment of capture happening in a fraction of a second.

Researchers of the University of Freiburg have discovered a previously unknown function of septins in defending cells against dangerous hospital pathogens Freiburg, Oct 20, 2022 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a.) are resistant to most antibiotics and cause life-threatening infections of wounds or the lungs.

Researchers led by Göttingen University show that plant water stress not termites causes mysterious circles Scientists have puzzled over the origin of Namibia's fairy circles for nearly half a century. It boiled down to two main theories: either termites were responsible, or plants were somehow self-organizing.

People who deny the existence of facts believe in fake news more often. Particularly often affected are people with dark personality traits - those who always put their own benefit first. These are the findings of a new study at the Institute for Human-Computer Media at the University of Würzburg. Some people believe fake news even when the scientific facts clearly speak against it," says psychologist Jan Philipp Rudloff.

People who deny the existence of facts believe in Fake News more often. People with dark personality traits - those who always put their own benefit first - are particularly often affected. These are the findings of a new study at the Human-Computer-Media Institute at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany.

Iron isotopes in samples from asteroid Ryugu suggest its origin to lie beyond the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn The asteroid Ryugu likely formed at the outer edge of the Solar System beyond the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn, as high-precision measurements that determine the ratio of iron isotopes in rock samples from Ryugu suggest.

INaturalist app users play a significant role in helping researchers create global maps of plant traits <p><strong>Leipzig. Missing knowledge in the global distribution of plant traits could be filled with data from species identification apps. Researchers from Leipzig University, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and other institutions were able to demonstrate this based on data from the popular iNaturalist app.

A large-scale gene study identifies series of DNA variants linked to dyslexia An international team of scientists, including researchers at the University of Edinburgh and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen (Netherlands), has for the first time pinpointed a large number of genes that are reliably associated with dyslexia.

Researchers from Freiburg and Harvard publish the three-dimensional structure of the B cell antigen receptor, shedding new light on its composition The surface of B cells is covered with antigen receptors with which they recognize invading pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. When a B cell receptor binds to an antigen, that is, to a foreign structure, the B cell is activated and triggers the production of antibodies.

MHH research team has published current review on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in The Lancet Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. In Germany, there are currently around 9,000 new HCC diagnoses per year, and almost 8,000 people affected do not survive the disease.

At the beginning of the corona pandemic, the R0 value was an essential criterion for estimating the further development. A study by the University of Würzburg now shows that it was often not really accurately determined. Just to remind you: In 2020 - at the beginning of the corona pandemic - the whole of Germany was fascinated by the so-called R-value, which was published daily in the media.

Ancient genomes of thirteen Neandertals provide a rare snapshot of their community and social organization For the first time, an international team led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have managed to sequence multiple individuals from a remote Neandertal community in Siberia.

Researchers show for the first time: a specific group of cells in the tip of the root reacts to a manganese deficiency Every living organism needs the element manganese as an essential nutrient. In plants, for example, it plays a major role in breaking down water into oxygen and hydrogen during photosynthesis.

Chicks are intimidated by eyespots that appear to gaze at them, providing an explanation for why eyespots are often symmetrical The eyespots of many prey animals deter predators from attacking, like those of the peacock butterfly. In a new study, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Newcastle show that the configuration of eyespots have an impact on the prey's survival.

Study investigates the influence of birdsong on mood, paranoia, and cognition When you next hear cheerful twittering of birds, you should stop and listen. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf have shown that birdsong reduces anxiety and irrational thoughts.

Tropical deforestation causes widespread degradation of biodiversity and carbon stocks. Researchers from the German Center of Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and Leipzig University were now able to test the relationship between land tenure and deforestation rates in Brazil. Their research, which was published in Nature Communications, shows that poorly defined land rights go hand in hand with increased deforestation rates.

German Research Foundation approves second funding period for the investigation of polymer gels with a controlled network structure / New focus on biomaterial applications 17 October 2022 The Research Unit on Adaptive Polymer Gels with Controlled Network Structure (FOR 2811) has started work in a second phase.

Shift in deaths from the very old to people in middle age Globally, life expectancy did not recover last year after the mortality shock due to the 2020 pandemic. At the same time, differences between countries are widening. A historical comparison of data, however, offers hope for rapid improvement.

When searching for the causes of illnesses and developing new treatments, it is absolutely vital to have a precise understanding of the genetic fundamentals. Würzburg researchers have devised a new technique for this purpose. Pathological processes are usually characterised by altered gene activity in the cells affected.

How do cells manage to quickly adapt their growth to changing environmental conditions? A new study by a research team from Würzburg provides an answer to this question. Regardless of whether it is a single-celled organism or a mammal, a plankton, or a sequoia: growth is a basic principle of all life on this earth.