Research in Germany

Researchers at Hamburg University of Technology’s Cluster of Excellence BlueMat – Water-Driven Materials, led by Dr. Vasily Artemov, have developed a novel supercapacitor using pure water confined in nanometer-sized channels within clay minerals, combined with graphene carbon layers. This "Blue Capacitor" operates without added chemical electrolytes, relying solely on abundant, natural materials: water, clay, and carbon. It efficiently stores and releases energy, operates at up to 1.6 volts, and remains stable over 60,000 charging cycles. This sustainable, safe technology shows promise for renewable energy storage and advanced nanoscale applications.

A new international study led by Humboldt University of Berlin suggests that power in animal groups can be constrained. However, powerful individuals often pay a price for their dominance: their social influence may diminish and can even lead to exclusion from the group.

A recent peer-reviewed study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe estimates that the number of patients eligible for radioligand therapies (RLTs) in the EU-27 could increase from 10,700–13,200 in 2025 to 125,900–182,600 by 2035. To assess the implications for healthcare systems, the analysis also modeled treatment uptake scenarios in Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The findings highlight the potential scale of demand over the next decade and provide insights for long-term planning of the infrastructure, workforce, and healthcare capacity needed to ensure access to RLTs.

In Germany, climate lawsuits are emerging as an essential tool for achieving more climate protection. University of Hamburg sociologists Lea Frerichs and Prof. Stefan Aykut, together with legal expert Mona Andres, have created Germany’s first-ever central online database for climate lawsuits, which is now freely available. Including 221 lawsuits dating back to 2006, the platform allows NGOs, the media, academic researchers and companies to systematically research legal disputes involving climate protection and environmental law.

At EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026, SUSTAIN-6G, the SNS JU lighthouse project, showcased a strong and impactful presence through technical workshops, a dedicated standardisation session, live demonstrations, and stakeholder engagement activities. The project highlighted innovative solutions and methodologies that advance sustainability and support the development of future 6G systems.

Sloths are the slowest mammals on the planet, and living in dense jungles has made them difficult to study. For the first time, scientists have now sequenced and analysed the two-toed sloth genome and revealed the genetics behind their extremely slow metabolism. By mapping their evolution, the international team discovered sloth-specific ‘jumping genes’ that have been conserved over millions of years and are linked to the metabolism. The results, published in the journal BMC Biology, reveal insights into the genetics behind the sloth’s unique biology. This could pave the way for further research into metabolism-related conditions and ageing in other mammals, including humans.