Research in Germany

A lack of vitamin B2 makes tumour cells more susceptible to a unique form of cell death. This was discovered by researchers at the Rudolf Virchow Centre at the University of Würzburg.

An international study funded by the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence discusses solutions to fundamental challenges in research on ageing and disease in past societies.

For over 150 years, a rule of thumb dating back to the French mathematician Pierre Ossian Bonnet has been accepted in surface theory: if the metric and mean curvature of a compact surface are known at every point, then the surface can be uniquely determined. However, a team of three mathematicians from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the Technical University of Berlin and North Carolina State University have now managed to disprove this recognized rule.

Cosmic rays are one of the greatest challenges for space travel and pose a considerable risk to humans and materials. For the first time on European soil, an international research team in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) has succeeded in providing a simulator for Galactic Cosmic Rays at the GSI/FAIR accelerator facility in Darmstadt, Germany. The results have been published in two articles in the journal “Life Sciences in Space Research.”

If refugee movements across borders occur as a result of the wars involving Iran and Lebanon, Germany is the likely destination for the largest share of arrivals. Canda is another preferred destination, with Britain, Turkey, France, and Australia following. This is the result of a new report by the Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RFBerlin).

An international research team led by Konrad Meister from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, part of Mischa Bonn's department, has identified a new class of ice crystal-forming proteins in lower fungi. The study shows that fungi of the family Mortierellaceae use a genetic blueprint that originates from bacteria. Unlike bacteria, however, the fungi use the gene to form water-soluble proteins. This structural adaptation explains the high stability and efficiency of ice formation by the fungi. According to the researchers, the fungal proteins are promising for applications in the field of freezing technology.