Researchers at University of Konstanz and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München develop a prototypical attosecond electron microscope (A-TEM) that enables visualization of light-matter interactions at attosecond speeds. This breakthrough can facilitate the exploration of atomic origins of light-matter interactions in complex materials...
Researchers identified key enzyme PPM1F that regulates integrins' detachment from ECM, allowing cells to move in protein meshwork. The discovery sheds light on how cells balance attachment to versus detachment from extracellular matrix.
A study of young cichlid species in Nicaraguan crater lakes found that new species can arise within a few hundred years through the involvement of many genes. This contradicts previous theories suggesting that speciation is a slow process driven by simple genetic changes.
Fish schools are highly dynamic, social systems. Researchers used biomimetic robots to show that fish can profit from the vortices generated by near neighbours without keeping fixed distances, and found that a specific time lag based on spatial position is key to energy efficiency.
A new experiment reveals that fungal endophytes, which live inside plants, play a key role in invasion success and invasional meltdown in multi-species communities. The study found that alien species share fewer soil microbes with each other than with native species, making them less negatively affected by each other.
A new book examines how public opinion impacts educational reform in Western Europe. The authors found that when issues are highly debated by the public, policymakers are more likely to respond to clear signals, but in cases of ambiguous or 'quiet' debates, party politics takes over.
Researchers at University of Konstanz found that short periods of massage or rest can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing psychological and physiological stress. Participants experienced increased heart rate variability and reported feeling more relaxed after receiving a massage or resting for ten minutes.
A team of biologists has determined how limbs evolved from fins using embryos of the Australian lungfish. The study suggests that a primitive hand was present in lungfish fins but unique anatomy of limbs with digits only evolved during the rise of tetrapods through changes in embryonic development.
A new study shows that dominant individuals can actually reduce influence in groups, especially when individuals have a choice about who to follow. In contrast, passive individuals wield the greatest influence in bringing a group to consensus.
Researchers have developed a rapid stress test to assess coral thermotolerance, allowing for the identification of resilient corals that can survive ocean warming. The 'Coral Bleaching Automated Stress System' (CBASS) enables on-site testing within 18 hours, compared to months in a laboratory.
Researchers at the University of Konstanz have developed a new method to measure squeezing in systems, allowing for more sensitive detection of signals. The technique, led by Professor Eva Weig, uses a simpler approach than existing methods and enables measurements in previously inaccessible systems.
A global study found that cultivated economic plants are 18 times more likely to naturalize than non-cultivated species, with multiple uses being the most successful. Economic plants of Asian origin show the greatest naturalization success.
A team of researchers from the University of Konstanz and Innsbruck explore the role of artificial intelligence in basic research, focusing on agency, creativity, and authorship. They aim to provide a conceptual framework for the development of AI methods in science.
Researchers found that microswimming particles can be made to organize into different collective states, supporting the hypothesis of critical behavior. The study demonstrates a close link between collectivity and critical behaviour, suggesting a physical principle underlying complex animal group behavior.
A new study on wild house mice from Southern Italy suggests that Robertsonian fusions play an active role in speciation. The researchers found three identical chromosomal rearrangements in both island and mainland populations, showing large-scale genetic mutations occur independently.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz created artificial shelters that vary in precise ways, allowing them to reveal the underlying preferences of animals. The findings suggest that animals prefer certain traits over others when choosing a home, such as intactness over shell length.
A study published in Scientific Reports found that experiencing acute stress can dampen amplification of risk perception, while feeling stressed may contribute to overestimating risks. This has significant implications for public health efforts during global crises.
Scientists at the University of Konstanz have visualized the biochemical processes involved in detecting DNA strand breaks using PARP1, a key enzyme in DNA repair. This study provides important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and aging processes.
Researchers from University of Konstanz discover that a molecular chaperone helps form Alzheimer fibrils by exposing a vulnerable area on the protein tau, preventing longer, more toxic fibril formation. The findings suggest a possible defense mechanism against Alzheimer's disease.
A new study has found that the effectiveness of health messages in reducing risky drinking among young adults is linked to brain activity. The research used electroencephalography (EEG) to measure brain synchronisation while participants watched real-life health advertisements about alcohol use.
Researchers at the University of Konstanz have successfully controlled ultrafast motion of electrons in a metallic nanocircuit using light manipulation. The new method could speed up electronic switching in devices, enabling faster processing and higher performance.
Researchers from the University of Konstanz conducted an experimental study on how vaccination arguments propagate in online chains. The study found that existing vaccination beliefs are resilient to radicalization and do not become more extreme even when exposed to opposing views. This has significant implications for public health, h...
Research team around Dr Thomas Böttcher studies phage-host interactions to understand the transition from latent to active states, with potential applications for developing alternative antibiotics. The team aims to uncover molecular signals controlling dormant phages and their impact on the human microbiome.
Researchers argue that climate change has a disproportionate impact on disabled populations, limiting access to knowledge and resources. The study highlights the need for urgent research into the intersection of disability rights and climate change.
The University of Konstanz's Collaborative Research Centre 969 will continue its research in cellular proteostasis with a new funding period starting January 2020. The centre will focus on studying complex processes and networks of proteostasis, developing new techniques to make these processes visible and controllable.
The project Generation 1975 -- being 14 in the new Germany examines the transformation process after the Wall came down, with feelings of condescension and trauma prevalent in the east. Life plans were destroyed, but positive memories of a childhood in the GDR remain.
Researchers have discovered a multilevel society in vulturine guineafowl, a small-brained bird species. The study found that the birds form stable groups with hundreds of individuals and associate preferentially with specific other groups, similar to primates.
A new book examines how autocratic regimes use digital technology to suppress and control information, while also identifying opportunities for protest movements to mobilize online. Researchers found that higher internet penetration can reduce protest occurrence, but online channels can spread mobilization quickly once established.
Researchers found that genetic diversity makes a striking comeback in the host population after resistance evolution, thanks to an interplay between selection and population growth. The study's findings suggest that eco-evolutionary feedback plays a key role in shaping molecular evolution during species interactions.
A new deep learning toolkit, DeepPoseKit, has been developed to measure animal body posture with high speed and accuracy. The tool can be applied to study wild animals in challenging field settings and provides an accessible system for non-experts to apply machine learning to their behavioral research.
Iain Couzin, a renowned expert in collective animal behaviour, receives the 2019 Lagrange - CRT Foundation Prize for his groundbreaking work on collective sensing and decision-making. His research has had significant impact on various fields, including behaviour, ecology, psychology, and complexity science.
Researchers discover that the physical structure of animal groups, not individual animals, plays a crucial role in processing information and responding to environmental changes. By changing the group's structure, individuals can amplify risk signals and respond effectively to threats, highlighting the importance of social connectivity.
Two University of Konstanz researchers, Dr. Damien Farine and Professor George Walkden, have been awarded European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants to conduct pioneering research on group-living birds and the impact of language contact on grammar. The grants will fund their innovative projects over a five-year period.
Researchers found a link between microRNA regulation and the rapid evolution of new species in Nicaraguan crater lakes. They analyzed five species of Midas cichlids and identified specific pairs of microRNAs and genes that interact with each other.
The nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) identifies and sorts nascent polypeptide chains inside the ribosomal tunnel. NAC inserts its β-subunit into the tunnel to sense translation activity and regulate protein biogenesis.
Researchers discovered antibiotic properties of a natural product that selectively inhibits pathogen growth while leaving beneficial microbes intact. Synthetic derivatives of this substance have shown enormous antibiotic efficiency against Moraxella catarrhalis and malaria parasites.
Coral reefs face extinction due to climate change, but research shows bacteria play a crucial role in their resilience. Studies reveal that some corals adapt by associating with different bacteria, while others maintain consistent relationships.
The LRH-1 protein plays a key role in controlling the immune system, and its inhibition may be used to treat inflammatory diseases. Without LRH-1, the body cannot trigger an immune response, leading to increased damage from pathogens.
Scientists have successfully measured thermal transport through single-molecule junctions for the first time, revealing that heat transfer is length-independent. The breakthrough uses custom-developed calorimetric-scanning-thermal-microscopy technique to determine thermal conductance, which originates from atomic vibrations or phonons.
Scientists at the University of Konstanz develop a new method to study the interaction between p53 and poly(ADP-ribose) and DNA, providing insights into molecular reactions to cellular stress and cancer development. The research reveals distinct changes in protein structure induced by these interactions.
Researchers from the University of Konstanz's CRC 1214 create single-chain, uniform-shape monodisperse nanocrystals with high particle number densities. This breakthrough enables the creation of polymer materials based on nanoparticle assembly.
An international team led by Laura Epp is analyzing ancient DNA from sediment cores, current ecological data, and anthropological studies to understand the interplay between climate change, grazing, and tundra vegetation. The project aims to generate scenarios for future ecosystem changes and develop solutions for local communities.
Researchers from computer science, psychology, mathematics and linguistics work together to develop new methods for processing and representing image information. The project aims to improve the detection of movement in video recordings and explore applications of augmented and virtual reality technologies.
Scientists at the University of Konstanz have demonstrated how skyrmions can be used for probability-based computing. They successfully developed a material where skyrmions can form and exploited thermal diffusion to create a reshuffler, a crucial component for probabilistic computing.
A study by Florian Kunze and Max Reinwald found that employees who don't fit in teams experience discrimination and absenteeism, which can lead to significant losses for companies. The researchers observed over 800 teams in a Swiss-based service company over seven years and found that dissimilar team members accrue more days of absence.
A recent study discovered that the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) plays a key role in preventing protein aggregation associated with neurodegenerative diseases. NAC suppresses PolyQ aggregation and enhances organismal fitness, according to tests using animal models such as C. elegans.
A machine learning model can reproduce the swarming behavior of locusts by integrating methods from philosophical action theory and quantum optics. The 'Projective Simulation' learning model was successfully applied to a locust's specific swarming behavior, demonstrating its potential for realistic application to biological systems.
Artificial microswimmers with forward and long-range vision form stable groups by perceiving the number of neighbors within their field of view. This process allows for efficient movement, evasion of predators, and adaptation to environmental stimuli without requiring precise location information.
Konstanz researchers Dina Dechmann, Alex Jordan, and Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin receive HFSP grants to study seasonal brain change in shrews, coordination in animal groups, and network design inspired by plant societies. The projects aim to uncover new approaches to fundamental biology problems.
Researchers from the University of Konstanz and partners demonstrate a new technique for in-cell distance determination using RIDME, overcoming limitations of traditional methods such as DEER. This approach provides essential structural information about biomacromolecules under native conditions, enabling analysis without inserting or ...