On Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze, the air is thin and contains very few pollutants. Ultrafine particles only exist there when they are transported through the atmosphere over long distances. A research team from the University of Bayreuth led by Prof. Dr. Anke Nölscher has now installed a new module for collecting ultrafine particles at the summit of the Zugspitze. The sampling at the Schneefernerhaus Environmental Research Station and the subsequent laboratory analyses are part of the Bavarian project network "BayUFP - Measurement, Characterization and Evaluation of Ultrafine Particles", which is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection.
For several years, ecological research has argued that climate often has no determining influence on the distribution of forests and savannas in tropical regions. However, an international research team led by Prof. Dr. Steven Higgins at the University of Bayreuth has now succeeded in proving that it depends mostly on climatic factors whether regions in Africa are covered by forest or savanna. The study, published in "Science", thus confirms the dominant role of climate in the formation of global vegetation patterns.
Mountain biking is one of the most popular leisure activities today. Sport ecologists at the University of Bayreuth have now compiled and evaluated a wide range of previously published findings on the ecological consequences of this sport. Numerous direct and short-term effects on animals, plants and soils can be clearly demonstrated. However, estimates of long-term consequences remain difficult because of the complexity of ecosystems and their inherent dynamics. The review article was published in the journal "Global Ecology and Conservation".
The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding a new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) at the University of Bayreuth. The interdisciplinary research of nanostructured functional materials is expected to revolutionise the performance of batteries, solar cells, fuel cells and photocatalysts, thereby opening new perspectives for a sustainable energy economy. The starting point for material-based innovations is a holistic view of the transport of electrons, ions, molecules and heat, and their interactions in the materials. The new CRC 1585 "MultiTrans" will receive a total of around 11 million euros from the DFG over the next four years.
Research is being conducted on biodegradable polymers at the University of Bayreuth. Now an environmentally friendly coating has been developed that could be a full-fledged replacement for the millions of plastic packaging materials used worldwide. The scientists and the industrial Partner have now been awarded the Dres.-Volker-und-Elke-Münch Prize for the Promotion of Science and Research.
Multinational food corporations have increasingly expanded their distribution networks and sales markets in the Global South. By way of their products, they are present in many African countries. A new project at the University of Bayreuth will now use the example of Ghana to systematically investigate for the first time how these companies define their responsibility for food, nutrition and health and put that into practice. The project is funded by the DFG and led by Prof. Dr. Tina Bartelmeß, Junior Professor of Food Sociology at the University of Bayreuth’s Kulmbach Campus. The findings are expected to generate new impulses for strengthening public health that extend beyond West Africa.
The labeling of novel foods with the aim of promoting sustainable consumption decisions is currently a much-discussed topic in science, industry and politics. The Simon Nüssel Foundation has recently started funding an unusual research project under the Chair of Food Law at the University of Bayreuth. The goal is to develop a board game called "Supermarket of the Future". Players will learn about innovative food products and how they can and should make informed consumer decisions. Science and politics can gain new insights into the practice of food labeling through the game.
The University of Bayreuth has once again positioned itself in the top group of German universities in the CHE Ranking 2023: it has achieved excellent ratings in the student survey conducted in the subjects of Law, Business Administration, Economics, and Business Administration & Engineering. The nationwide comparison published today confirms that the University of Bayreuth continues to be one of Germany’s leading higher education institutions in the fields of in the fields of law, business, and economics.
Redesigning the production of animal foods is at the heart of a transformation of food systems aimed at sustainability. The changes required for this also affect the legal framework for animal feeding. The Simon Nüssel Foundation has therefore recently begun funding a new research project at the University of Bayreuth on innovations in German and European feed law. The project is headed by Prof. Dr. Kai Purnhagen, Chair of Food Law at the University of Bayreuth’s campus in Kulmbach.
Materials made of spider silk can be specifically modified or processed in such a way that living cells of a certain type adhere to them, grow and proliferate. This has been discovered by researchers at the University of Bayreuth under the direction of Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel. Cell-specific effects of the materials can be generated by biochemical modifications of the silk proteins, but also by surface structuring of spider silk coatings. The research findings, published in "Advanced Healthcare Materials" and "Advanced Materials Interfaces", are pioneering for regenerative medicine and the production of artificial tissue.
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