Göttingen Campus: News

Three years ago, Göttingen Nobel Laureate Stefan Hell and his team introduced MINFLUX nanoscopy. With this technique it was possible for the first time to separate fluorescing molecules with light that were only a few nanometers apart - this is as sharp as it can get. Now, the Max Planck researchers present the technique's latest development: MINFLUX now reaches this resolution in cells, with multicolor imaging and in 3D. Thus, MINFLUX nanoscopy can now be boradly applied in biological research. (in German)

A single star has provided information about the collision of the Milky Way with the dwarf galaxy Gaia-Enceladus. The event likely took place approximately 11.5 billion years ago.

The dwarf galaxy Gaia-Enceladus collided with the Milky Way probably approximately 11.5 billion years ago. A team of researchers including scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany for the first time used a single star affected by the collision as a clue for dating. Using observational data from ground-based observatories and space telescopes, the scientists led by the University of Birmingham were able…

Team of scientists from Halle-Wittenberg and Göttingen identifies responsible gene

Scientists at the Universities of Halle-Wittenberg and Göttingen have succeeded in proving that a claw disease in cows is primarily genetic. Until now, the occurrence of interdigital hyperplasia has mostly been attributed to poor hygiene conditions in the barn. However, the team discovered a farm in which the disease occurred frequently and was able to identify the gene responsible. As a result, the disease may now be contained through selective…

Team from Göttingen, Helsinki and New York gets new insights into the evolution of myxomycetes

Most people associate the idea of creatures trapped in amber with insects or spiders, which are preserved lifelike in fossil tree resin. An international research team of palaeontologists and biologists from the Universities of Göttingen and Helsinki, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York has now discovered the oldest slime mould identified to date. The fossil is about 100 million years old and is exquisitely preserved in amber…

A meeting of the pioneers of aviation

For the first time, replicas of two of the most influential aircraft from the early days of aviation have flown together. Between 14 and 16 December 2019, Otto Lilienthal's 'Big Biplane' from 1895 and the Wright glider from 1902 were together during a demonstration at Kitty Hawk in the USA. Otto Lilienthal is considered to be the first human aviator, while in 1903 the Wright brothers made the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk. "It is pleasing…

Pair living as stepping stone from solitary life to complex societies

Alone, as a pair or in groups - the diversity in social systems of primates is interesting because it may also provide insights into human social life. An evolutionary biologist from the German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, together with a colleague from the University of Texas at San Antonio, investigated how different primate societies evolved and which factors may be responsible for transitions among them. The…

Ulrich Christensen, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, receives one of the highest awards of the American Geophysical Union.

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) yesterday awarded the Inge Lehmann Medal to Prof. Dr. Ulrich R. Christensen, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS). With this award, the AGU acknowledges Prof. Dr. Christensen’s outstanding contributions to the understanding of the dynamic processes in the Earth's mantle and core. His work has contributed decisively to a detailed and realistic picture of the processes in the…

Psychologists from the University of Göttingen reveal the secrets of successful interdisciplinary collaboration

How is knowledge exchanged and shared when interdisciplinary research teams work together? Professor Margarete Boos and Lianghao Dai from the University of Göttingen have investigated this by studying several different research projects. Their study makes concrete recommendations for how teams can best work together and achieve effective collaborations. The results have been published in the journal Nature. "We observed two fundamental patterns…

For the first time in 3D and atomic resolution: Researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, in cooperation with colleagues from Würzburg, have succeeded in presenting the propagation strategy of Vaccinia viruses. These viruses also serve as vaccines against human smallpox diseases and as the basis for new cancer therapies.

For viruses to multiply, they usually need support of the cells they infect. Only in their host´s nucleus can they find the machines, proteins, and building blocks with which they can copy their genetic material before infecting other cells. But not all viruses find their way into the cell nucleus. Some remain outside the cytoplasm and have to double their genetic material without help. To do so, they carry the necessary “machinery” with them. A…

Research led by Göttingen University studies carbon sinks and land-use in a mangrove-fringed lagoon in Java

The identification of natural carbon sinks and understanding how they work is critical if humans are to mitigate global climate change. Tropical coastal wetlands are considered important but, so far, there is little data to show the benefits. This study, led by the University of Göttingen with the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research in Bremen, and the University of Bremen showed that mangrove ecosystems need to be conserved and restored…

News from the Göttingen Campus

MINFLUX visualizes cells in molecular sharpness

Merger of Milky Way with dwarf galaxy dated

Claw disease tyloma is primarily genetic in cows

100 million years in amber: researchers discover oldest fossilised slime mould

The biplanes constructed by Lilienthal and the Wright brothers fly together for the first time

Together you're less alone

Inge Lehmann Medal for Prof. Dr. Ulrich Christensen

Knowledge-sharing: a How-To Guide

How do viruses multiply?

Natural ecosystems protect against climate change

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