Data from citizen science projects are of great value for research but can potentially lead to skewed results. This was the finding of a study done in collaboration with the University of Halle. What does this mean for such projects? A conversation with co-author Professor Jonathan Chase and Dr Sabrina Träger, who coordinates the German part of a citizen science project on cowslip. Read more
Researchers solve mystery surrounding the Nebra Sky Disk – with a precious metal playing a decisive role in more than just the famous Bronze Age discovery. Read more
The bacterium C. metallidurans is most notable for its perseverance, thriving in areas contaminated with heavy metals. It has attracted the attention of a research group in Halle, led by Professor Dietrich H. Nies, but for an entirely different reason: it produces microscopic gold nuggets. Read more
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
Every human being shares his or her body with a countless number of tiny organisms, for example, bacteria. Up until a few years ago their significance was unrecognised. Today we know that bacteria can significantly impact a person’s health and even their behaviour. Gary Sawers, a professor of microbiology, explains why. Read more
Crickets chirp at the edge of the forest, otherwise all is quiet in the Nature Park Saale Unstrut Triasland. Nine students from the University of Halle are working intently despite the midday heat. It is their last day in the field and there is still a lot left to do. In the master’s module Outdoor Ecology the up-and-coming biologists are learning what it means to conduct fieldwork in four investigation areas near Freyburg. Read more
Gene scissors derived from bacterial “CRISPR/Cas” systems are considered to be a revolutionary discovery in the field of biosciences. It has never been easier to modify the genetic material of plants, animals or humans. Dr Johannes Stuttmann from the Institute of Biology explains the technique as well as its advantages and disadvantages. Read more
Humboldt Professor Tiffany Knight studies the changes of ecosystems over long periods of time and the effects that a loss of biodiversity may have on the ecosystem. In February 2016, the affiliation of the renowned US-scientist changed from the Midwestern US to Central Germany. She is now working at the German Center of Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig. Read more
It’s a battle for survival. Plants against bacteria. Your habitat, my habitat. And right in the thick of it: Dr. Jens Boch from the Department of Genetics. In 2009 he discovered how certain bacteria Read more
