wire - news in brief

We all know the adage, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." As we age, our ability to learn new skills, like mastering a foreign language or picking up a musical instrument, seems to fade.

Heidelberg researchers describe a new field of research to engineer precise immune responses from molecular constituents Synthetic immunology, an innovative field of research which could lead to fund

Bonn researchers clarify the influence of treatment with tetrahydrocannabinol on the metabolic switch mTOR A low-dose long-term administration of cannabis can not only reverse aging processes in the brain, but also has an anti-aging effect. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn together with a team from Hebrew University (Israel) have now been able to show this in mice.

Dr. Karl Petri is establishing a research group at the University Hospital Würzburg to develop and enhance novel CRISPR 2.0 tools for generating and improving cancer-targeted CAR-T cell products.

Bonn researchers establish efficient, cost-effective method for generating endothelial cells from stem cells The innermost layer of blood vessels is formed by endothelial cells, which in turn play a role in the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system. Human endothelial cells are therefore required for the "in vitro" investigation of the causes of these diseases.

Dr. Axel Bohmann is examining linguistic variation at the level of the individual. Edoardo Milana is investigating how "neurofluidic" systems can be integrated into soft robots.

Wanja Wiese explores which conditions must be met for consciousness to exist. At least one of them can't be found in a computer.

Thinking against the grain with artificial intelligence - A guest commentary by science journalist Manuela Lenzen People want to know how stories continue.

How and why do the perception and acceptance of political rules and institutions change? This is the hot-button question that a new research group on major structural change, headed by Lydia Mechtenberg from University of Hamburg, is asking.

Study by the University of Bonn shows that what are known as aptamers can be absorbed directly via the skin Researchers at the University of Bonn have isolated a DNA molecule that is suitable for combating allergic contact dermatitis in mice. What is known as an aptamer binds to certain immune system messenger substances, rendering them ineffective.

How can artificial intelligence (AI) contribute to deciphering, describing and naming biodiversity, i.e. the diversity of life on our planet, by using taxonomic methods faster than these species become extinct - An international research team led by the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry and the TU Ilmenau has investigated this question and published the results in the renowned journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

In her doctoral thesis, Dr Berta Canal investigated the effects of heat on the reproductive capacity of fruit flies Dr Berta Canal recently completed her doctoral thesis at the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity (IEB) at the University of Münster that examined the effects of heat stress on the reproductive capacity of fruit flies ( Drosophila ).

Procrastination, the deliberate but detrimental deferring of tasks, has many forms. Sahiti Chebolu of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics uses a precise mathematical framework to understand its different patterns and their underlying reasons.

The University of Würzburg is part of a new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) in which innovative therapeutic strategies against cancer are being sought.

  The German Research Foundation (DFG) is establishing eleven new Collaborative Research Centres (CRC), five of which are CRC/Transregios (TRR), which are jointly funded by several universities.

Evolutionary scientist Marc de Lussanet talks about the evolution of this high-performance organ Anyone who expects research to be carried out at the Institute of Sports Science into training, teaching, movement or psychology is quite right.

Rod and reel fishing is much more than a recreational activity: It makes an important contribution to the diet in many regions of the world.

Christian Hof is head of the new Chair of Global Change Ecology at the University of Würzburg. His research focuses on how climate change and human activities affect species and biodiversity.

DFG funds new Research Training Group in Biology at the University of Göttingen   A new Research Training Group (RTG) in Biology at the University of Göttingen has been funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Information systems specialist Christian Grimme explains the principle of evolutionary algorithms In many ways, nature serves as a model for processes and functions which we use in our everyday lives.

A team of researchers has developed a virtual brain twin for more effective treatment of psychosis patients Mental health is an increasingly important public health issue in the European Union.

Researchers observe a wild orangutan applying a plant with known medicinal properties to a wound, a first for a wild animal Even though there is evidence of certain self-medication behaviors in animals, so far it has never been known that animals treat their wounds with healing plants. Now, biologists from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany and Universitas Nasional, Indonesia have observed this in a male Sumatran orangutan who sustained a facial wound.

University of Bonn researchers demonstrate how tiny, innocuous particles strengthen the immune response Our lungs are bombarded by all manner of different particles every single day.

25 April is DNA Day.