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Category: Nature and Technology

Particle Physics

Projects

30 May 2023

On the way to the “quantum steam engine”

The principles of thermodynamics describe large systems. Can they be transferred to the microscopic level of quantum mechanics? Researchers at the Atomic and Subatomic Physics Institute of TU Wien are deliberating new perspectives on quantum systems. The process could lead to “thermal quantum machines” that work much more efficiently than their classical counterparts. Continue reading “On the way to the “quantum steam engine””
Cacti in the Atacama desert, Chile

Projects

2 May 2023

Pointy water gatherers

Cactus spines harvest drops of dew and mist from the air. Materials science researcher Jessica Huss is investigating how cacti use their pointed surfaces – and what lessons we can learn from them for technological developments. Continue reading “Pointy water gatherers”

Projects

30 January 2023

An inside view of avalanches

Improvements in simulating avalanches require data collected in the field during events. Researchers from Innsbruck are now developing a new method for this purpose. Small sensors are placed in the masses of snow roaring downhill and take a multitude of measurements during an event. Benefits may include facilitating the search for victims buried in the […] Continue reading “An inside view of avalanches”

On the road

27 January 2023

Computing for the future in Berlin

By Michael Kniely

Scientists are increasingly taking their lead from nature when it comes to finding suitable models for sustainable solutions. The mathematician Michael Kniely from Graz is one of the researchers trying to describe the complex processes that take place in our environment. At the renowned Weierstrass Institute in Berlin, Schrödinger Fellow Kniely is conducting basic research […] Continue reading “Computing for the future in Berlin”

On the road

5 December 2022

Environmental research in Leipzig

Von Petra Till

Neues Umfeld, neues Forschungsthema, ein Unfall mit Folgen: Das Auslandsstipendium von Petra Till hatte es in sich. Die Molekularbiologin arbeitete am Helmholtz-Zentrum in Leipzig an Cyanobakterien, die großes Potenzial für die biotechnologische Nutzung bergen. Ihr neu erworbenes Wissen setzt sie nun an ihrer heimischen Forschungsstätte in Wien um. Continue reading “Environmental research in Leipzig”

Projects

21 November 2022

At the edge of the cloud

Bike sharing, smart homes or self-driving cars: our perception of the world and the way we move around in it is becoming increasingly dependent on digital processes. Computer scientist Christos Tsigkanos works on mathematical methods designed to ensure that systems at the interface of the physical and digital worlds provide reliable services despite the flood […] Continue reading “At the edge of the cloud”

On the road

13 October 2022

Artificial photosynthesis in rainy Utrecht

By Bettina Baumgartner

Chemist Bettina Baumgartner creates artificial plants modelled on nature and uses them to perform photosynthesis. A Schrödinger Fellowship has enabled her to pursue this ground-breaking research in an international environment. According to the young researcher, she spends her time at Utrecht University solving high-level “chemistry sudokus”. Continue reading “Artificial photosynthesis in rainy Utrecht”

Projects

10 October 2022

When algorithms result in exclusion

Digital technologies have the potential to improve the lives of many people. But artificial intelligence often contains unthinking assumptions that reinforce inequalities. Katta Spiel’s research focus is on such imbalances in the development of technology, and the researcher is developing innovative designs for people with different needs and for a more equitable world.  Continue reading “When algorithms result in exclusion”

Projects

22 August 2022

Improving fire predictions

Forest fires contribute to biodiversity, and in many regions of the world they are an element of land use. Major and long-lasting fires are a health risk, however, costing lives, resulting in the loss of assets and affecting the global carbon cycle. A team of German and Austrian researchers are investigating the human impact on […] Continue reading “Improving fire predictions”

Interview & Opinion

22 June 2022

An ancient bacterium is making biotechnology more efficient

Interview: Reinhard Kleindl

Biotechnologist Stefan Pflügl is researching how fossil resources in the chemical industry can be replaced by sustainable alternatives. In his work, he uses bacterial metabolic processes from the early days of the Earth’s history, work which has now won him the 2022 START Prize. Continue reading “An ancient bacterium is making biotechnology more efficient”

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