wire - news in brief

As societies around the globe become increasingly diverse, the dynamics of migration demand a more nuanced understanding. Superdiversity , a concept created by Steven Vertovec , encapsulates the complex interplay of factors surrounding contemporary human movement and its outcomes. Here, he considers how migration is a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by economic, social, political, demographic and environmental forces.

Researchers studying the science of cultural evolution have conducted a comprehensive study of the role of 'first-mover advantage' in music, the power of being first, mirroring the concept's proven importance in the business world. Data collected from nearly one million songs across 110 music genres supports the hypothesis that pioneering artists and bands who lay the groundwork for new genres achieve greater popularity than their later contemporaries.

This recent study by Silvia Loi and colleagues examines how life events like job loss and divorce affect the health of immigrants using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel.

Online intervention helps to promote social skills and reduce mental health problems Mental health problems, loneliness already among the youngest and polarization are rapidly increasing, especially after the Covid19 pandemic.

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.

An analysis of the famous composer's genetic make-up has revealed that DNA data has so far been too imprecise in capturing a person's abilities To what extent are exceptional human achievements influenced by genetic factors?

Cardior has utilized basic research from the Max Planck Society to advance its proprietary technology and pipeline Novo Nordisk has agreed to acquire Cardior Pharmaceuticals for up to 1.025 bi

New product called Human Plugins by Mixed In Key is based on Max Planck and Harvard research Electronically generated rhythms are often perceived as too artificial.

First eROSITA sky-survey data release makes public the largest ever catalogue of high-energy cosmic sources X-ray astronomy has an eventful 60-year history of exploring the extremes of the universe: from exploding stars to active galactic nuclei, which, with their supermassive black holes, are arguably the most efficient sources of energy in the universe.

Around one million individuals worldwide become infected with HIV, the virus that causes Aids, each year.

The number of relatives that an individual has is expected to decrease by more than 35 percent in the near future.

Artificial transcription factor reprograms cells of human and different animal species with high efficiency After the discovery of the reprogramming of somatic cells using transcription factors in 2006, induced pluripotent stem cell lines have so far been produced for only a few animal species.

Their acceptance of responsibility and political motivation should be taken into account as a mitigating factor when sentencing Some climate activists, rather than receiving punishment, have in several cases successfully claimed to have acted on the grounds of necessity.

The Max Planck Institutes in Bremen, Heidelberg, Leipzig and Martinsried are delighted to receive the prestigious Consolidator Grants, each worth around two million euros.

Whether we spontaneously put ourselves in someone else's shoes is a question of effort One of the most important human abilities is to understand what other people are thinking.

Individual voice could help birds be recognized in a flock, no matter what they say Parrots are exceptional talkers. They can learn new sounds during their entire lives, amassing an almost unlimited vocal repertoire. At the same time, parrots produce calls so they can be individually recognized by members of their flock-raising the question of how their calls can be very variable while also uniquely identifiable.

A study confirms this trend, while also showing major differences between men and women, eastern and western Germany, and low and high-skilled workers Can extending work lives be a solution to the future problems of an aging society?

Officially, we are currently living in the geological epoch known as the Holocene. But the profound impact of human activities on the Earth's systems has triggered discussions regarding a new era: the Anthropocene.

Just like us, using mobile phones, satellites also communicate with each other and with receiving stations on Earth using radio waves.

In some monarchies, inherited power offers a ladder that can be ascended to absolute authority - be it through diplomacy, ruthlessness, or the passing of time.

One thing is certain: life on Earth emerged very early in the history of planet Earth. There are few concrete answers to the questions of how and where the first organic molecules were formed.

Understanding how short-circuits occur in solid-state batteries could extend their lifespan   They could be the next generation of battery: so-called 'solid-state' batteries.

Why we can't keep our hands off chocolate bars and co. Chocolate bars, crisps and fries - why can't we just ignore them in the supermarket?

Researchers studied the vocal experiences of children growing up on Malakula Island in Vanuatu where multilingualism is the norm How children acquire their mother tongue has always fascinated scholars. However, for the most part, these studies have focused on children growing up with only one mother tongue, and mostly, in the United States learning English.

Study on the impact of different risk communication formats on the vaccine intentions of 1255 unvaccinated, vaccine-hesitant adults in Germany Interactive risk communication formats can be more effective than conventional text-based formats in overcoming vaccine hesitancy and building public trust.

Researchers test cognitive abilities of the language model GPT-3 Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen have examined the general intelligence of the language model GPT-3, a powerful AI tool.

The epidemiological baseline situation determines how much the corona infection increase as a result of a major event such as a European soccer championship The impact of the European Soccer (Footbal

Grafting and mobile CRISPR for genome editing in plants A ground-breaking twist to the CRISPR tool - aka "genetic scissors" - is being put to use to edit plant genomes by scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, signalling a methodology change. The discovery that was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Biotechnology could simplify and speed up the development of novel, genetically stable commercial crop varieties by combining grafting with a 'mobile' CRISPR tool.

Coupling two approaches of game theory can shed light on how moral norms evolve Selfless behaviour and cooperation cannot be taken for granted.

Study examines the motives behind former East Germans' decisions not to view their files Many people-including public figures such as Nobel Laureate Günter Grass, former West German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, and trade union leader Claus Weselsky-choose not to read their Stasi files.

The vaccine candidate VPM1002 shows its safety in a study with HIV- and non-HIV-exposed newborns No other infectious disease has killed more people than tuberculosis. Currently, only one vaccine is available to prevent severe courses: Bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG). However, it is not equally effective against all types of tuberculosis.

The space observatory launches into space with equipment developed and built at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy The mission of the James Webb Space Telescope has been successful so far. After the launch in December 2021, the journey to the observation site in the so-called Lagrange point L2 and a callibration and test phase lasting several months, James Webb will now its delivering the first images.

The director at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden receives the award for the discovery of condensates - cell droplets without a membrane In 2009, Hyman and hi

Huda Zoghbi and Adrian Bird receive the International Prize for Translational Neuroscience 2022 of the Gertrud Reemtsma Foundation for their findings on the causes of Rett syndrome The brain is one of nature's most complex structures.