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Historic water mills by the Karun River in Iran, where water power has been used for over 2,500 years. Photo: Axel Bronstert.

Essential for Life and yet not available everywhere - Prof. Dr. Axel Bronstert coordinates a sub-project on water resources management

Households in Germany consume about 120 liters of water per capita, per day. Furthermore, industry, power plant cooling and agricultural irrigation …
Dr. Christian Schmidt-Wellenburg. Photo: Karla Fritze.

The Thinking Club - Scientific network researches political struggles over new forms of transnationalization

The world is in flux: money is becoming digital, people are highly mobile, and the economy is global. As a consequence, some say, politics has turned …
Prof. Doreen Georgi. Photo: Karla Fritze.

What Languages Tell about Language - Linguist Doreen Georgi researches grammatical structures around the world

Language is one of the most versatile instruments we possess, thanks to its variability at all levels – from pronunciation to word order. But …
The three “visionYOU” founders in their office in Golm. Photo: Karla Fritze.

A Vision of the Right Career Start-up – “visionYOU” combines social responsibility and entrepreneurial spirit

Too many new university students and not enough apprentices - Germany is facing an “academization mania,” says philosopher Julian Nida-Rümelin. The …
Diskussion am Kalderarand des Mount Longonot. Foto: Henry Wichura.

Underway in Kenia – February, 15: “Oloonong’ot – mountain of many ridges

Geoscientists on an Excursion in the East African Rift System

February, 15th Today we want to study one of the largest caldera volcanoes of the Kenya Rift - Mount Longonot at an elevation of about 2560 m. …
Thanks to its variability, language helps to build bridges. Photo: Fotolia/hurca.com.

Testing the Limits – A Special Research Area Investigates How Flexible Language Really Is

It’s Friday morning at a weekly market in Berlin. Those who visit the Maybachufer market in the district of Neukölln are treated to a little journey …

Detecting abrupt transitions – be it in ocean heat or financial markets

From stock indices to sea surface temperatures, a lot of relevant data comes in the form of time series. Reliable detection of abrupt transitions such …
Electrodes measure the movements of facial muscles. Photo: Thomas Roese.

Look Into My Eyes?! – A socio-psychological study explores the famous first impression

A glance is enough: in a fraction of a second, we get a first impression of someone – whether we find them likable or unlikable, attractive or …
Prof. Dr. Ulrike Demske and Dr. Elisabeth Berner (r.). Photo: Karla Fritze.

A Precious Good - the Brandenburg-Berlinish Language Archive

“De Farrer woảnt dicht bid Kirch,” teacher Herbert Stertz writes in the questionnaire in front of him. Opposite him sits Anna Wiggert, a widow, who …
Town hall in Hanover. Photo: pixabay/connormik.

A Fresh Breeze in the Community – Administrative scientists establish European research network for local public sector reform

They decide where to found new schools or whether a utility company will be privatized. They finance education and cultural institutions and run …