Biology

29. November 2023

Rudolphina Experts: The problem of free will

Free by Nature: The Biological Roots of Free Will

Whether our will is free is a question over which generations of philosophers have racked their brains. In this article, philosopher Anne Sophie Meincke explains the puzzling dilemma of free will and argues how biology can contribute to a solution.

7. November 2023

Guest article by

Jia Min Chin

Rudolphina Experts: Materials inspired by nature

Where nature shows science new ways

When looking for inspiration for the development of new materials, it is worth taking a look at nature. In her guest article, materials chemist Jia Min Chin reveals the tricks that flora and fauna have in store for the materials of the future.

31. October 2023

Presenting… Zoologist Sophie Greistorfer

Glowing snail mucus: The sticky future of biomaterials

A sticky thing: A small freshwater snail in New Zealand has a very special way of defending itself. It confuses its attackers with glowing green slime. "This mucus is one of the most promising biomaterials," says Sophie Greistorfer. In her PhD project, she is looking for the key to grasping the fundamental principles of this luminescent biopolymer.

25. October 2023

Physics of DNA material

Glue and stacks: The secrets of DNA ring polymers

A research team at the University of Vienna tries to unravel the physical principles behind ring-shaped polymers. These fascinating natural structures have promising properties that could be exploited in future soft and stretchy materials for use in flexible electronics or soft robotics.

12. December 2023 - 15:00 Clock

50th Nobel Prize Anniversary Ethology Colloquium

University of Vienna Biology Building (UBB), HS1

In honour of the 50th anniversary of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, awarded in 1973 to Konrad Lorenz, Niko Tinbergen and Karl von Frisch for their pioneering contributions to the field of Ethology, the Konrad Lorenz Research Center invites you to the "50th Nobel Prize Anniversary Ethology Colloquium"

14. September 2023

Guest article by

Bernd Lenzner

Rudolphina Experts: Insights from the World Biodiversity Report

Battling biological invasion

Invasive alien species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. In this article, ecologist Bernd Lenzner explains the whys and hows, and shares his insights into the making of a milestone global report on invasive alien species.

12. May 2023

Citizen Science

Nature watchers bring Viennese graveyards to life

Come for Beethoven's grave, stay for the colourful hamsters. Iconic tombstones are not the only sights to see at the Central Cemetery of Vienna. University of Vienna researchers, citizen scientists and wildlife watchers are unearthing a wealth of biodiversity in the capital's network of graveyards.

11. May 2023

Microbiome and health

Environmental protection within our body

The microbial community we carry inside us is as individual as it is important for our health. Microbiologist David Berry studies what puts it at risk, what heals it and how it interacts with the outside world.

4. May 2023

Presenting … Microbiologist Dania Randi

Microbes for sustainable agriculture

What do plants need for their well-being and how can they withstand increasing environmental stress? To ensure that we can still eat crops in the future, we need to know all the factors that help plants survive. This is why Dania Randi is investigating the relationship between salt-tolerant plants and their microbiome.

23. March 2023

Nitrogen cycle

Comammox: promising new player in the nitrogen cycle

Comammox bacteria astonished microbiologists worldwide due to their ability to perform the complete nitrification process within a single cell. They occur in numerous natural and engineered ecosystems, but thus far have not been found in marine environments. Microbiologist Dimitra Sakoula is looking for them in the ocean: If she finds them there, it would be "a big deal".

21. March 2023

Presenting … Ecologist Constanze Englisch

Looking into the "invisible"

In cities like Vienna, various stress factors, such as rising temperatures affect the groundwater. Constanze Englisch is investigating the effects of these increased temperatures on microorganisms and animals. Together with her team, she develops ideas for using the heat of groundwater sustainably and economically, as she explains in the video.

13. March 2023

Microorganisms

Research for the next nitrogen revolution

Petra Pjevac, Holger Daims, Michael Wagner and their teams are targeting microbes: At the University of Vienna, they investigate how the tiny organisms function and interact. Microbes could be key to a 'nitrogen revolution': a new solution to counteract dangerous nitrogen losses in agriculture and feed the growing world population – without harming the planet.

7. October 2022

Guest article by

Tom Higham

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2022

Svante Pääbo: The power of ancient genomics and archaeology

University of Vienna archaeologist Tom Higham congratulates his colleague with whom he has been working together on many projects over the years. He explains Svante Pääbo's key achievements and what the Nobel Prize means for the people working in the field.

12. September 2022

A new interdisciplinary PhD programme

Physics and biology unite to study separation

A new phenomenon has taken the world of cell biology by storm, but its study requires people with a deep understanding of physics and biology. The University of Vienna offers a new PhD programme to nurse a new generation of researchers with the ability to think creatively in both fields.

16. May 2022

Autism research

Every brain is different

Our society has clear ideas about how pro-social behaviour and empathy are to be expressed. But the research of neuroscientist Giorgia Silani shows that people with certain personality traits, such as autism or alexithymia, understand different forms of expression.

4. May 2022

Archaeological Science as Game-Changer

What ancient genes tell us about who we are

Using the latest scientific methods, Tom Higham and Katerina Douka from the University of Vienna want to solve a great mystery of human evolution: Why are we the only humans left?

18. April 2022

Behavioural Biology

The art of hearing

We hear a sound of a moving object and automatically predict in which direction it travels. What is the process behind this survival tool? The project Dynamates conducts the first comparative study on dynamic auditory predictions with marmoset monkeys and humans.

29. March 2022

Cancer research

Survival of the fittest cells

Stephanie Ellis is uncovering the principles of cell competition at the Max Perutz Labs. By understanding how our system eliminates 'loser' cells, she gains knowledge for future cancer therapies.