Researchers reveal new insights into the how the matrix layer of HIV-1 becomes mature Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry have discovered the mechanism behind an important step in the life cycle of HIV. Working together with teams at Heidelberg and Yale Universities, they found that the enigmatic -spacer peptide 2-, one of the virus components, plays a key role in converting immature HIV-1 particles into infectious particles.

Classical models of collective behavior fail to explain the mechanisms driving desert locust swarms Desert locust swarms affect millions of lives worldwide.

An international research team led by Dr Knut Bretzke from Friedrich Schiller University Jena has succeeded in presenting the oldest evidence to date for the systematic production of stone blades on the Arabian Peninsula. These long, narrow stone tools can be dated to an age of 80,000 years using a luminescence method.

Even after complete deforestation, the average annual precipitation would not change significantly - but its distribution over the year and the region would New evidence suggests that mean annual precipitation in the Amazon region is not going to change significantly even if it were completely deforested.

Researchers have discovered and analyzed a rare but serious side effect of an innovative form of blood cancer therapy. The results of the study have been published by scientists from Leipzig University Medicine, the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology and Cologne University Hospital in the high-ranking journal Nature Medicine.

More than 10,000 respondents from 20 countries reveal their attitudes toward the use of AI in various occupations  Fears about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace vary substantially across occupations and countries, researchers led by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development have found in a representative study.

A new study shows how the brain reorganises itself in the first few months after a stroke to improve the ability to speak again. The findings will help researchers understand how functional networks work in the brain. They also have the potential to be used in the future for personalised treatment of stroke patients.

International research team led by Göttingen University develops user-friendly software method Identifying and delineating cell structures in microscopy images is crucial for understanding the complex processes of life. This task is called "segmentation" and it enables a range of applications, such as analysing the reaction of cells to drug treatments, or comparing cell structures in different genotypes.

A recent study shows how the brain reorganizes itself in the first few months after a stroke in order to improve language ability. The findings help to better understand the functioning of functional networks in the brain. They also have the potential to be used in personalized therapy after a stroke in the future.

A new study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology sheds fresh light on one of the most debated concepts in biology: evolvability. The work provides the first experimental evidence showing how natural selection can shape genetic systems to enhance future capacity for evolution, challenging traditional perspectives on evolutionary processes.

Great apes, like humans, remember objects better when introduced by a social agent, but develop this skill only in adulthood Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, examined how social models influence memory in great apes. They presented young and adult apes with videos of either a human hand (a social model) or a mechanical claw (a non-social model) building a tower.

Data from the former ROSAT X-ray satellite have revealed a network of 68 galaxy clusters in the nearby universe, stretching over 1.4 billion light-years. A team of scientists has found the largest superstructure ever reliably characterised in the universe. The discovery was made while mapping the nearby universe using galaxy clusters detected by the ROSAT X-ray satellite's survey of the sky.

The tiny ice inhabitants darken the glacier surface and can thus accelerate its melting. Tiny algae darken the surface of glaciers and thus accelerate their melting. This is the case, for example, on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which plays an important role in our climate and is already melting increasingly fast due to global warming.

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) and Freie Universität combined a mixture of mucilaginous and sticky proteins to produce an adhesive for biomedical applications / Results published in journal PNAS An international team of engineers from MIT and the Collaborative Research Center "Dynamic Hydrogels at Biointerfaces," located at Freie Universität Berlin, has developed a new type of glue that combines the waterproof stickiness of the mussels' plaques with the germ-proof properties of another natural material: mucus.

Stress hormones, often prescribed after premature delivery, affect the brain development of the embryo Infections, chemicals, stress - these environmental factors influence the risk of developing psychiatric or neurological disorders, especially if they occur before birth. The biological mechanisms behind this are still not fully understood.

An interdisciplinary research team from Leipzig University and the Saxon AI center ScaDS.AI have developed a new approach that combines methods of artificial intelligence (AI) and biophysical modeling. This new approach can be used to develop new active substances such as antibodies and vaccines, for example for pandemic prevention.

In a recent study, scientists at Leipzig University have for the first time demonstrated play-like behaviour in flies. They found that fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) voluntarily and repeatedly visited a carousel. "Until now, play-like behaviour has mainly been described in vertebrates," says Professor Wolf Huetteroth, who led the study at the Institute of Biology at Leipzig University and recently moved to Northumbria University in Newcastle, England, as an associate professor.

News from Since the Industrial Revolution, global changes have driven declines in biodiversity. Understanding, protecting, and constructing healthy ecosystems is crucial to addressing these changes. A new meta-analysis by an international team including Professor Nico Eisenhauer (iDiv, Leipzig University) revealed that the soil engineering effects of the three major invertebrate groups - termites, earthworms, and ants - can enhance soil nutrient contents, soil respiration rates, microbial biomass, and plant biomass at a global scale.

Since the industrial revolution, global changes have led to a decline in biodiversity. To counter these changes, it is crucial to understand what constitutes healthy ecosystems - and how to protect and build them.

In a recent study, scientists at Leipzig University have demonstrated the potential play behavior of flies for the first time. They found that fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) voluntarily and repeatedly visit a carousel. "Until now, play behavior has mainly been described in vertebrates," says Wolf Hütteroth, who led the study at Leipzig University's Institute of Biology and recently moved from Leipzig to Northumbria University in Newcastle, England, as an Associate Professor.