Research team develops model to analyse consensus building in groups and provides valuable insights for the development of AI and robotic systems. When groups make decisions - be it people agreeing on an idea, robots coordinating their tasks or fish determining their swimming direction - not every individual has the same influence.

News from Researchers have found that so-called conservative species, which are most efficient at using nutrients, water and energy, generally grow faster under real-world conditions than acquisitive, or supposedly fast-growing, species. The findings, published in Nature, broaden our understanding of which trees have the greatest potential to mitigate CO2 emissions.

A new study in the journal Nature shows that so-called conservative species, which use nutrients, water and energy most efficiently, generally grow faster under real conditions than acquisitive, supposedly fast-growing species. The results contribute to a better understanding of which trees have the greatest potential to reduce CO2 emissions.

When plants are attacked by pathogenic bacteria, they use chemical and electrical signals to transmit the information from the point of origin on the leaf surface to the inside and go into defence mode. In order to find out how and where the perception of bacterial contact is converted into electrical signals, a research team led by PD Dr Alexandra Furch from the University of Jena investigated how the external stimulus is transmitted.

Germany's members of the Euclid Consortium have played a significant role in producing the mission's first large set of survey data which the European Space Agency has just released. Researchers from the Argelander Institute for Astronomy (AIfA) of the University of Bonn have been involved in these activities.

Comprehensive scientific dataset sets standards and provides insights into the depths of the universe - thanks in part to strong German participation First major data release: The European Space Agency has released the first major dataset from the Euclid space telescope, launched in July 2023. A record number of galaxies discovered: After only a few years of operation, Euclid has already found 26 million galaxies.

A newly developed laboratory tool can, within hours, help to identify specific viruses which can be used to destroy variants of the dangerous pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Viruses of bacteria, known as bacteriophages, offer an alternative approach to antibiotics in treating multiresistant pathogens.

With artificial photosynthesis, mankind could utilise solar energy to bind carbon dioxide and produce hydrogen. Würzburg chemists have taken this one step further. Photosynthesis is a marvellous process: plants use it to produce sugar molecules and oxygen from the simple starting materials carbon dioxide and water.

A research team at Leipzig University Medicine has found a possible cause for the development of Long Covid. The disruption of certain signaling pathways in the nervous system plays an important role in this. In addition, the positive effect of nicotine patches on Long Covid symptoms was demonstrated for the first time using imaging as part of these therapeutic trials.

Scientists refute study results from 2023 and call for further research into triggers for insect extinction. The insect population in German nature reserves has been declining for decades. A study conducted by the University of Würzburg in 2023 identified weather conditions as the main cause of insect mortality.

In an international study, researchers have examined different fat cells in adipose tissues of the human body. Using innovative technology, they were able to identify unique subpopulations of fat cells for the first time and determine differences between human fat tissues in intercellular communication.

Contrary to previous claims, the ocean absorbs more microplastics from the atmosphere than it releases into it A sink for microplastics: contrary to previous claims, the ocean releases less microplastics into the atmosphere than it absorbs from it. The result of a model calculation: 15 percent of all the microplastics contained in the air are deposited in the oceans.

International research team tests effects of social media posts on valuation of chocolate   Does triggering certain emotions increase willingness to pay for sustainably produced food? In social media, emotional messages are often used to influence users' consumer behaviour. An international research team including the University of Göttingen investigated the shortand medium-term effects of such content on consumers' willingness to pay for bars of chocolate.

A team of researchers from Würzburg has for the first time experimentally demonstrated a quantum tornado. Electrons form vortices in the momentum space of the quantum semi-metal tantalum arsenide. Scientists have long known that electrons can form vortices in quantum materials. What's new is the proof that these tiny particles create tornado-like structures in momentum space - a finding that has now been confirmed experimentally.

Half a million people worldwide are diagnosed with esophageal cancer every year. It is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. A study with significant involvement from Leipzig University Medicine shows how the chances of recovery for patients can be improved. The results were published in the renowned New England Journal of Medicine.

Research team led by Göttingen University studies evolution of plant networks for environmental stress response Without plants on land, humans could not live on Earth. From mosses to ferns to grasses to trees, plants are our food, fodder and timber. All this diversity emerged from an algal ancestor that conquered land long ago.

Did you know that a woman's heartbeat changes in subtle ways during her menstrual cycle? These rhythmic changes, triggered by hormonal fluctuations, offer a unique insight into the complex interactions between the female brain and heart. In a new paper published in Science Advances, Max Planck researchers Jellina Prinsen, Julia Sacher and Arno Villringer explain how these naturally occurring fluctuations could affect stress, mood and long-term cardiovascular and neurological health.

Team led by plant physiologists Iris Finkemeier and Guillaume Née at the University of Münster discovers molecular basis for balance between seed dormancy and stress resistance To germinate or not to germinate? With plants, the right time to start their life cycle determines their chances of growth.

Egg cells need stamina: They are formed in a women-s body before birth and have to be on standby for decades to possibly be fertilized one day. But as they age, they accumulate more and more DNA damage. Until now, it has been unclear why the cell-s repair mechanisms do not fix the damage. Researchers led by Melina Schuh and Ninadini Sharma at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Multidisciplinary Sciences have now shown in experiments with mice that aged egg cells repair their DNA less efficiently than young ones, and that repair becomes more error-prone with advancing maternal age.

In both ancient Roman and modern cities, population size and the wealth of the elites are related The more people live in a city, the greater the wealth of the urban elite and the greater the social inequality. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology have identified this correlation in both ancient Roman and modern cities, suggesting that such disparities are inherent to urban environments, regardless of historical period or culture.