Bucht in Alexandria: Das Wasser steht nah an Hochhäusern
Story Feb. 05, 2025

Sinking Cities: Learning from Cultural Heritage

Coastal cities around the world are at risk of sinking as a result of rising sea levels in the wake of global warming. Urban researcher Hilke Marit Berger asks herself how this can be dealt with, not just technically, but above all socially and emotionally – and searches the past for answers for the future.

Funding offer Jan. 23, 2025

Change! Fellowships

With the new funding program, the Volkswagen Foundation supports scientists who conduct research on transformation processes and, with the help of their network, put their knowledge into practice. Next deadline: April 2, 2025; online Q&As on Jan. 31 and Feb. 19

 

Zwei Hände halten einen grünen Sack mit Reishülsen
Story Sep. 10, 2024

Affordable water-purification from waste

Trained as a mechanical engineer, the Kampala-based researcher Peter W. Olupot has spent the last decade finding ways to produce affordable water purification systems using rice husks, a common byproduct of rice production.

Portrait eines Mannes
Story Sep. 03, 2024

Preventing future pandemics through community empowerment

Human societies transform the natural environment around them. If this impact is negative, it can increase infectious disease risk. Epidemiologist Joacim Rocklöv believes changing human behavior is critical to preventing pandemics from happening in the future. 

Illustration mit drei Figuren, die Kommentare zu einer zentralen Darstellung mit Diagrammen machen
Opinion Aug. 07, 2024

Paradoxical participation: three challenges of successful transdisciplinarity

Sociologist Andreas Bischof has summarised his view on the challenges of successful transdisciplinarity for our thematic focus ‘Transdisciplinary research’.

Illustration einer Frau mit schmelzendem Eis. Im Hintergrund eine dampfende Stadt.
Stories Jul. 30, 2024

Heat recycling in cities: Can the heat emitted in big cities be used for the energy transition?

Environmental scientist Susanne Benz wants to harvest the heat being emitted from large cities in huge quantities every day. This heat recycling could help to reduce energy consumption – an unusual idea that she will be researching in more detail in the coming years with the support of the Freigeist programme.