Climate crisis

15. March 2024

Interview with climatologist Stefan Rahmstorf

The climate debate – Between lobbies and science

Stefan Rahmstorf is one of the best-known climate and marine researchers. On 8 March he spoke at the University of Vienna at the festive launch of the "Environment and Climate" research network. Afterwards, he met with us to talk about tipping points in the ocean, the role of the media and where he believes science has a duty.

28. February 2024

Extreme habitats on earth

Thriving at the limits of life

There is hustle and bustle on our planet – even in quite uncomfortable places. We accompany biologists of the University of Vienna to some of the most extreme environments: from the deep sea and the open ocean to hot springs and alkaline salt lakes. What can we learn from their inhabitants?

13. December 2023

Solar energy revolution

Excited by light

Mimicking 'plant power' through artificial photosynthesis: an approach that could drive the solar energy revolution. Researchers at the University of Vienna are in a bid to chase this dream by trying to capture the sun's energy and storing it in chemical compounds. A report on how this works and why computer simulations are indispensable in the process.

11. December 2023

Panel Discussion on 15 January

What is our future made of?

The highlight and closing event of the semester question was a panel discussion with renowned panellists at the Main Ceremonial Hall of the University of Vienna: Ranging from materials science to design and urban research. Materials researcher and NYT bestselling author Mark Miodownik from UCL gave the keynote speech.

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.

24. May 2023

Presenting… Psychologist Jana Köhler

For a healthier planet: Climate activism must be rewarded

The current discussion around the climate protests show that the social perception of environmental activists is often very negative. With her research, Jana Köhler wants to help promote climate- and environmentally-friendly behaviour among the population.

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.

28. February 2023

Marine ecosystems

The urgent need to protect marine ecosystems

Climate change, pollution, overfishing: they are all changing the world, having a huge impact on the seas. The global network Q-MARE, under the co-leadership of Konstantina Agiadi from the University of Vienna, studies past changes in order to provide guidelines for a more effective protection of our oceans.

17. February 2023

Climate science and permafrost soils

When thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gas

There is hardly any other region where climate change is as noticeable as in the Arctic. At the Arctic Science Summit Week 2023, which is currently taking place at the University of Vienna, 700 international Arctic researchers are putting their heads together. One of them is Andreas Richter from the University of Vienna: he and his team experienced the explosive nature of the topic at first hand a few months ago during field research in the Canadian Arctic. Read more in the guest article.

10. February 2023

Magnesite is storing greenhouse gases

Archaea as climate saviours?

Geologist Jennifer Zwicker from the University of Vienna is studying whether archaea are playing a role in forming magnesite or not, exemplified by the Kraubath magnesite deposit in Styria, Austria. If they are, these tiny microorganisms could help us combat the climate crisis.

6. October 2022

Climate science and permafrost soils

When thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gas

Three weeks in the Canadian Arctic: Ecosystem researchers from the University of Vienna collected soil samples in northwestern Canada. They are investigating how the nitrogen bound in permafrost is processed by microorganisms when these permafrost soils thaw. What happens in the process could exacerbate climate change.

9. March 2022

Guest article by

Lisa Schipper

IPCC Climate Report

Adaptation on climate change and its limits

The new chapter of the IPCC climate report is clear: Climate change affects the planet, biodiversity, our lives in a severe way. Lisa Schipper in her guest article about adaption on climate change.

18. November 2021

Sea-Unicorn

The hidden pathways of the oceans

The aim of the EU-funded Sea-Unicorn project is to unify scientific approaches to "Marine Functional Connectivity" – i.e. the connections and pathways of marine organisms that allow the populations, species and ecosystems of the different oceans to connect. On board is Konstantina Agiadi from the Department of Palaeontology of the University of Vienna.

21. May 2021

Cellulose

Foam without plastic

The production of degradable materials, ranging from packaging to insulating material, is one of the major challenges of our time. In an EU project, Alexander Bismarck from the Department of Materials Chemistry is developing polymer foam made from cellulose – using the cultural technique of bread baking.

11. May 2021

Permafrost

"What we are doing right now is completely irresponsible"

Andreas Richter conducts research at a place where it is (still) cold: In the Arctic and the Alps, global warming is progressing at the fastest rate – here, researchers can examine essential mechanisms and collect data required to determine the speed at which the Earth is heading towards irreversible change.