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Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena


Invisible actors in groundwater

A study published in Nature Communications reveals the presence of previously unknown viruses in groundwater, which influence microbial community dynamics and nutrient cycling. The findings suggest that viruses are active players in shaping the groundwater microbiome.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 4, 2026

A dictionary of fragrances

Scientists at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena have developed data sets for the description and recording of odours, using over 1,200 test subjects to compile how people perceive, describe, and classify 74 monomolecular odour samples. The researchers aim to help solve the stimulus-percept problem in smell perception.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalScientific Data·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateFeb 28, 2025

Paving the way for diagnostics

Researchers at the University of Jena have developed a method to functionalise graphene without interference, allowing for ultrasensitive detection of biomarkers. This breakthrough enables rapid, cost-effective diagnostics using graphene-based field-effect transistors.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 27, 2024

Bacterial glitter

Researchers sequenced DNA of 87 structurally colored bacteria to identify genes responsible for their glittering structures. The findings could lead to environmentally friendly dyes and materials.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeNews article·DateJul 9, 2024

An optical lens that senses gas

A research team from the University of Jena developed a micro-lens with an intelligent behavior that changes in response to gas molecules. The lens is made of hybrid glass and consists of a three-dimensional lattice with cavities that accommodate gas molecules, affecting its optical properties.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 26, 2024

Peptides on Interstellar Ice

A research team led by Dr. Serge Krasnokutski has discovered that peptides can form on cosmic dust particles even in the presence of water molecules. The study used a vacuum chamber to replicate interstellar conditions and found that the formation of peptides was slowed down but still occurred.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 18, 2024

Attack and defence in the microverse

Researchers discovered that tiny RNA molecules play a decisive role in the complex interaction of attack and defence strategies when bacteria are infected with bacteriophages. The study found that these RNA molecules regulate phage genes as well as host genes, effectively explaining the destruction of bacterial cells.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalCell Host & Microbe·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 4, 2024

Hemp helps to heal

A study published in Cell Chemical Biology reveals that cannabidiol (CBD) from hemp acts as a molecular switch in innate immune cells to promote the biosynthesis of inflammation-resolving lipid mediators. This finding holds promise for developing new therapeutic strategies to treat inflammatory diseases.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalCell Chemical Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 29, 2023

Timing is key

Researchers have deciphered a biochemical mechanism explaining how cortisone preparations mediate inflammation-resolving effects in human immune cells. Cortisone influences enzymes involved in the formation of inflammation-resolving messenger substances, inducing resolvins early but impairing function later.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 22, 2023

The first map of the Microverse

A German-Dutch research team has created the first map of the Microverse, redefining microbial niches. Generalists, which can cope with a wide range of conditions, dominate most habitats, while specialists have more specific environments and smaller genomes.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 4, 2023

Hotter than infinity – light pulses can behave like an exotic gas

Researchers at the Universities of Jena and Central Florida have created a photon gas that exhibits behavior similar to a conventional gas, with particles moving at different speeds but maintaining a mean velocity defined by temperature. This phenomenon, known as negative temperature, can be cooled or heated, allowing for the creation ...

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 10, 2023

Asteroid impact in slow motion

Scientists at the University of Jena have solved a decades-long puzzle by studying quartz samples under extreme pressure. They discovered that characteristic lamellae, which are often used to detect asteroid impacts, form when quartz transforms into a more tightly packed phase under high pressure.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 7, 2023

Black holes in eccentric orbit

Gravitational wave observatories LIGO and Virgo captured a signal in 2019 that differed from previous measurements. Researchers found an alternative explanation: the collision occurred on a strongly eccentric path, where one black hole was initially free to move before being captured by another's gravitational field.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 18, 2022

Exciting light emission and measuring temperature with ultrasound

Researchers at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena create a material that can emit visible or invisible light in response to ultrasound, also providing feedback on local temperature. This innovation could enable new applications in medicine, such as photodynamic therapy, and other areas where targeted light and heat are required.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalAdvanced Science·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 17, 2022

Fitness needs the right timing

The study found that cryptochromes are conserved across various green organisms, influencing cell structures responsible for photosynthesis. The researchers discovered that a specific cryptochrome can actually lead to increased growth despite appearing darker green due to denser packed cell membranes.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalPLANT PHYSIOLOGY·DateApr 5, 2022

How life came to Earth

A research team led by Dr. Serge Krasnokutski has discovered a reaction pathway that can form peptide chains under cosmic conditions without water. This finding suggests that the origin of peptides could be extraterrestrial in nature, challenging the conventional assumption that life emerged on Earth.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 10, 2022

More is not always better

A research team from the University of Jena has made an important breakthrough in generating high-energy proton radiation using laser-plasma interaction. By precisely adjusting parameters such as foil thickness, laser focusing, and pulse duration, they have achieved a maximum energy yield that could enable the development of smaller an...

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalPhysical Review Research·DateFeb 1, 2022

People with hearing prostheses use timbre of voice to recognise emotions

Researchers at Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena investigated how people with cochlear implants perceive vocal emotions. They found that the group with cochlear implants showed lower scores overall in recognizing emotional nuances, but some individuals could effectively utilize timbre to distinguish between fearful and angry voices.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalEar and Hearing·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJan 12, 2022

Small molecules with a dual function

Researchers discovered a small RNA molecule that regulates both the production of the cholera toxin and the metabolism of the cholera bacterium. This finding provides a new target for developing treatments against cholera and has implications for biotechnological applications.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalThe EMBO Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 7, 2021

Melting glasses from unmeltable compounds

Researchers at Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena have created a way to melt normally unmeltable metal-organic framework compounds, or MOFs, into glasses. This process enables the production of glass components for various industrial applications, including energy and environmental technology.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 29, 2021

Teamwork in a molecule

Chemists at the University of Jena have successfully created a bimetallic main-group complex using gallium, demonstrating cooperative bond activation that can remove fluorine atoms from hydrocarbon compounds. The breakthrough paves the way for further development of sustainable catalytic reactions.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJan 21, 2021