Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. It often occurs in childhood and adolescence and has psychosocial consequences. A research team in Salzburg led by neurologist Eugen Trinka was the first to prove a connection between deficits in emotion recognition and social cognition. The results will lead to new therapeutic approaches.
For three and a half years, the art historian Michael Viktor Schwarz, in collaboration with other scholars, catalogued the illuminations in early printed works in the possession of the Austrian National Library. The project not only provides answers to questions of art history, but also supplies insights into the beginnings of the “book industry” and the supra-regional book trade.
Continue reading “The colourful world of early printed works”
Globalisation leads to the number of alien, i.e. non-native, animal and plant species rising sharply in many regions of the world. The newcomers often cause damage – not only in ecological, but also in economic terms. Researchers at the University of Vienna are working on prediction models to estimate the number of future bio-invaders as accurately as possible and to provide scenarios of possible impacts.
Continue reading “Alien species are spreading in Europe”In the coronavirus pandemic, many people have seen how scientific progress is made. However, these two years in which research has been in the limelight have not only increased confidence in science, but have also led to confusion and uncertainty. According to the German communication expert Beate Langholf, now is the time to communicate more about how research functions. Langholf is a jury member of the FWF funding programme for science communication, and in this interview she talks about criteria for success and trends, about the motivation of researchers and digital hack days.
Continue reading “Communicating the workings of science”
Faster, higher, further. Our society is based on the principle of growth, but our living space is limited. This is one of the fundamental problems that Alois Humer confronts. This professor of geography and spatial researcher at the University of Vienna is looking for answers as to how we can distribute our living space more equitably, how it can be better designed in view of the climate crisis and how global goals can be implemented at local level. The necessary ingredients: networking, the right political incentives and, above all, thinking big!
Continue reading “The limits of space”
In German-language cinema and television, the notion of Heimat (“home” or “homeland”), presented as an idealised but also threatening world, is one of the most constantly found themes. Maria Fuchs is a musicologist who is exploring the sound of Heimat in film music. What does film music reveal about modern fantasies concerning Heimat and what is the impact on collective memory? In Freiburg im Breisgau, this Schrödinger Fellow is investigating these issues in her project on the music in German-language films focusing on Heimat and Alpine settings between 1930 and 1970.
Continue reading “Exploring feelings about home”
