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News 27 January 2020

Sonar Navigation Inspired by Bat Flowers

Successful "Experiment!": Researchers have come up with a solution for efficient sonar measurements for robots and self-driving cars, inspired by a special coevolution between bats and flowers.

News 16 January 2020

Addressing Future Challenges – Georg Schütte Takes up Position as Secretary General

Dr. Georg Schütte became Secretary General of the Volkswagen Foundation on January 1, 2020. He took over from Dr. Wilhelm Krull, who retired oat the end of December, 2019. Schütte previously held the position of State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and now he has some ambitious plans for the Volkswagen Foundation going forward.

Cover Impulse 2020
Publication of the Foundation 15 January 2020

Impulse 2020: "Künstliche Intelligenz" (in German)

Interview 13 November 2019

"A natural disaster is like a virus"

Epidemiologist Debarati Guha-Sapir gives insights, how data analysis can help to adapt to extreme weather events and even prevent deaths.

Story 13 November 2019

Deciphering Extreme Weather Events

Climate change manifests itself in increasingly severe floods, droughts and storms. How data science could help to understand extreme weather conditions  – and prepare humankind for what’s to come – was discussed at a Herrenhausen Conference on "Extreme Events" in Hanover.

Story 17 October 2019

Coveted Raw Material: Data for Cutting-Edge Research

Technology giants zealously guard their data records – a policy with strict laws that slows down data transfer. So how does research on AI in Germany organize its basic supply of data?

Stories

Foto einer einzelnen Manganknolle
Story 15 July 2026

Manganese Nodules and Microorganisms: Life Fuelled by Radioactivity?

Radioactivity is generally considered harmful to life. Yet in manganese nodules in the deep sea, microorganisms might benefit from it. Or even live off it? This is the intriguing hypothesis that geoscientist Walter Geibert hopes to prove.

Satellitenansicht der Innertropischen Konvergenzzone
Story 09 June 2026

Climate Research Using Old Ship’s Logs: the Wind Leaves no Trace on the Sea

Did a volcanic eruption in 1783 shift the tropical rain belt? Old ship’s logs could provide the answer – and also shed light on the future climate for millions of people living around the equator.

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