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University of Vienna


Marmoset monkeys have personalities too

A study published in American Journal of Primatology found that common marmosets exhibit distinct personality traits, such as explorativeness, boldness, and extraversion. These findings are consistent across captive and wild settings, suggesting that personality is a stable trait in these animals.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalAmerican Journal of Primatology·DateFeb 8, 2021

Environmental exposures affect therapeutic drugs

Researchers from the University of Vienna used high-resolution mass spectrometry to analyze environmental toxin interactions with therapeutics. The study found that exposure to substances like BPA and genistein can alter drug efficacy, leading to reduced effectiveness in cancer treatment and other conditions.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalTrends in Pharmacological Sciences·DateDec 1, 2020

Sweet taste reduces appetite?

A study found that consuming lactisole-supplemented sucrose increased energy intake and reduced serotonin levels in male subjects, suggesting a role for the sweet taste receptor in satiety regulation. The effect was not observed with glucose supplementation.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNutrients·DateNov 10, 2020

Microbial space travel on a molecular scale

Researchers found that D. radiodurans produced outer membrane vesicles and initiated multifaceted protein responses to alleviate cell stress after 1 year of exposure to low Earth orbit. The bacteria also used polyamine putrescine as a reactive oxygen species scavenger during regeneration.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalMicrobiome·DateNov 4, 2020

Star clusters are only the tip of the iceberg

Astronomers at the University of Vienna used machine learning to trace groups of stars born together and found thousands of sibling stars surrounding well-known cores of star clusters. The discovery reveals that star clusters are enclosed in rich halos, or coronae, more than 10 times larger than previously thought.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·DateOct 15, 2020

Producing leather-like materials from fungi

Researchers from the University of Vienna have developed biodegradable, CO2-neutral leather substitutes from fungi, using low-cost agricultural by-products. These materials exhibit comparable properties to traditional leather and hold significant potential as an environmentally friendly alternative.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Sustainability·DateSep 7, 2020

Autophagy: the beginning of the end

Researchers have identified Atg9 vesicles as a platform for assembling the autophagy machinery to build autophagosomes. The biogenesis of autophagosomes involves numerous proteins, and isolating 21 components has enabled scientists to rebuild parts of the machinery in a controlled manner.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScience·DateSep 4, 2020

When learning on your own is not enough

Researchers found two unique learning signals computed in distinct brain regions, one for direct learning and the other for social learning. This integrated brain network supports social influence in human decision-making, particularly in uncertain situations.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScience Advances·DateAug 20, 2020

Cellular stress causes cancer cell chemoresistance

A recent study published in Nature Communications reveals the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) regulon, a comprehensive list of genes activated to promote cell survival under stress. The researchers discovered that changes in one-carbon metabolism, relying on vitamin folate as a cofactor, contribute to chemoresistance in cancer cells.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 10, 2020

First fossil nursery of the great white shark discovered

Researchers analyzed 2-5 million year old fossil teeth to reconstruct body size distribution patterns of the great white shark in the past. The discovery reveals a significant nursery area with high percentages of young sharks, indicating that environmental changes can impact population dynamics and evolutionary success.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 22, 2020

Nature unveiling herself before science

Scientists have developed a new prototype that amplifies signals up to 10,000-fold, enabling the monitoring of rapid chemical processes on the milliseconds timescale. This breakthrough allows for the analytical characterization of pre-nucleation species in biomineralization, challenging current theoretical frameworks.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalAnalytical Chemistry·DateMay 19, 2020

Surveying the lipid landscape

A groundbreaking tool, LipidCreator, has been developed to efficiently analyze specific lipid groups and signal molecules, accelerating the discovery of biomarkers for diseases. This software enables scientists to quantify 60 lipid classes and their signaling molecules in larger studies than previously possible.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 28, 2020

Cool down fast to advance quantum nanotechnology

Physicists create Bose-Einstein condensate by rapidly cooling magnons to room temperature, eliminating the need for complex equipment and achieving a long-sought goal in quantum physics research. The discovery has significant implications for advancing quantum computing at room temperature.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateApr 21, 2020

Targeting the cancer microenvironment

A new biochemical switch involved in M2 macrophage polarization and proliferation has been identified, which can be targeted to inhibit cancer growth. The discovery was made by a research team from the University of Vienna and could lead to novel therapies against systemic diseases and cancer.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalCell Reports·DateFeb 5, 2020

A quantum of solid

Scientists have isolated and cooled a nanoparticle in a solid, achieving macroscopic quantum control for the first time. By removing thermal energy and isolating the particle from its environment, researchers successfully cooled the glass bead to ultra-cold temperatures near absolute zero.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScience·DateJan 30, 2020

Has physics ever been deterministic?

Researchers propose an alternative view of classical physics, suggesting that the future of an object is genuinely random after a certain number of interactions. This challenges the traditional view of determinism in classical physics and opens up new insights on the relationship between classical and quantum physics.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPhysical Review A·DateDec 9, 2019

Meteorite-loving microorganism

A team of scientists discovered an archaeon that can efficiently colonize and utilize meteorite material, suggesting that extraterrestrial compounds may have played a crucial role in the evolution of life on Earth. This finding provides valuable information about the potential for life beyond our planet.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalChemical Science·DateDec 3, 2019

United in musical diversity

A recent study in Science journal found that all cultures studied have similar music characteristics, such as fast rhythms for dance and soft tempos for lullabies. This suggests that there are fundamental universal properties of music that reflect commonalities in human cognition.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScience·DateNov 22, 2019

Applying biodiversity conservation research in practice

A collection of 14 articles in Biological Conservation explores the challenges of implementing conservation measures and presents solutions, including a transdisciplinary turn in conservation. The researchers emphasize the need for improved cooperation between science, politics, and practice to navigate the spaces between research and ...

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalBiological Conservation·DateNov 12, 2019

From cone snail venom to pain relief

Researchers have discovered a class of analgesics in conotoxin peptides, which are found in the venom of marine cone snails. These peptides show exceptional potency and selectivity for ion channels involved in pain transmission, offering new avenues for pain therapy.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalChemical Reviews·DateNov 4, 2019

Placenta transit of an environmental estrogen

A team of researchers from the University of Vienna has shown that the widespread food estrogen zearalenone migrates through the placenta and is partially converted to other harmful substances. The study found that even small concentrations could have a greater impact on the embryo than previously assumed.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalEnvironmental Health Perspectives·DateOct 10, 2019

The fast dance of electron spins

Computer simulations reveal that certain metal complexes can exhibit rapid spin-flip processes, making them useful for precise control of electron spins in quantum computers. The study used enormous computational power to model the behavior of rhenium complex and found a spin-flip process taking place within ten femtoseconds.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalChemical Science·DateOct 4, 2019

2,000 atoms in two places at once

Researchers at the University of Vienna and University of Basel successfully create a quantum superposition in hot, complex molecules composed of nearly 2,000 atoms. The experiment sets new constraints on alternative theories to quantum mechanics, demonstrating the robustness of quantum mechanics on a macroscopic scale.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Physics·DateOct 1, 2019

Quantum gravity's tangled time

Researchers have successfully described what happens when a massive object is placed in a quantum superposition state near clocks, defying classical descriptions. This discovery reveals that quantum time order can arise, leading to new physical effects and potential applications for quantum technologies.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 22, 2019

Symphony of genes

A recent study in Nature Ecology and Evolution found that gene arrangements in the genome have played a key role in animal evolution. The researchers discovered that genes present together in several species are also active in the same cells, highlighting a new perspective on investigating cell type identities.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateAug 5, 2019