The epigenomes of twins Mark and Scott Kelly were examined during the NASA Twins Study.
© NASA/Robert Markowitz
15.10.2018 in Science, Research, Context

Epigenetics

Epigenetics is an emerging branch of biological research. Its findings will help us understand how information outside DNA can be passed on from cell to cell throughout a person’s life and partially even inherited from generation to generation. Bioinformatician Professor Ivo Grosse explains what epigenetic modifications are all about and how they can be affected by environmental factors. Read more

Georg Theunissen is committed to an innovative scientific approach to autism in Germany.
© Michael Deutsch
09.10.2018 in Science, Campus, Study and Teaching

Taking into account the perspectives of those affected

Prof Georg Theunissen holds the only chair of pedagogy for autism in the German-speaking world. He is committed to an innovative scientific approach to the topic in Germany. Autistic people in Germany are still discriminated against and excluded rather than respected and included. This is not only due to widespread ignorance, but also to the fact that the perspectives of those affected are not as much in the foreground as in the USA, Canada or Australia. Read more

Harald Bluhm ist Projektleiter der Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe.
© Maike Glöckner
04.05.2018 in Science, Research

Marx unplugged

Karl Marx was born 200 years ago. Even today his work influences the thinking and behaviour of many people, yet a lot do not know exactly what he actually wrote. The “Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe” (complete historical-critical edition of the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, MEGA) aims to change that. The huge project is being supervised by Halle’s political scientist Prof Harald Bluhm. Read more

There from the start. Without Reinhard Neubert the Weinberg Campus would not have become what it is today.
© Michael Deutsch
26.04.2018 in Featured, Science

“Flexibility is our advantage”

The Weinberg Campus is a high-tech location. In the last 25 years around one billion euros has been invested in a site that is also the heart of the university’s scientific campus. The density of research institutes is high on the nearly 134-hectare site. This is accompanied by numerous successful companies that have often emerged from start-ups. Important drivers of the process are technology and founders’ centres. The first one opened in 1993 and the technology park was born. Professor Reinhard Neubert - a scientist, Prorector and entrepreneur - is one of the pioneers of this development. He talks with Ines Godazgar in an interview. Read more

For the purposes of his research, Ralph Ludwig (left) meets frequently with leading academics in the Creole Movement, such as Hector Poullet.
© Florence Bruneau-Ludwig
25.04.2018 in Context, Science

Language contact

Languages are constantly evolving. Whenever two languages come into contact, they interact with one another. In some cases, such interaction results in entirely new languages, so-called creole languages. Professor of Romance linguistics Ralph Ludwig explains how and why these languages are a subject of research, and what we can learn from them. Read more

For their project, Martin Kühnel, project leader Martin Grunert, Matthias Hambrock and Andrea Thiele (left to right) use historical sources, which have been taken from different archives and libraries.
© Michael Deutsch
23.04.2018 in Science, Research

Letters from the belligerent spirit

There is barely another name which is so strongly associated with the German Early Enlightenment than that of Christian Thomasius. The work of the professor, who once taught in the City of Halle, has already been the subject of much academic work. The first volume of his letters has now been completed. Looking at this volume, it becomes clear that it is only by considering these historical sources, that we can understand the world and the essence of the argumentative jurist. Read more

Members of "Tri-Sustaine" during their first workshop in Tanzania
© Norbert Arnold
04.12.2017 in Science, Research, International News

Project on medicinal plants in Africa: first workshop in Tanzania

Approximately 80 per cent of African residents seek out traditional medical professionals in case of illnesses. The healers often use medicinal plants that they have collected for treatment. Evaluating the pharmaceutical potential of those plants is the main objective of the international research project “Tri-Susain”, led by Martin Luther University. The first workshop of the project took place in November in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Dr Lucie Moeller from the University of Halle reports about the event. Read more

Positive psychology examines, for example, how happiness can be influenced.
© fotolia.com - #126378752
12.10.2017 in Science, Context

Positive psychology

Anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders are major themes of traditional psychology. Happiness and playfulness are seldom discussed. Positive psychology, which has gained a lot of attention in recent years, looks at precisely these aspects. Psychologist Dr René Proyer explains why. Read more