Nature, Climate and the Cosmos

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?

22. February 2024

Water management

AI detects river pollution

Various human activities affect the quality of our lakes, rivers, groundwater, and oceans. When harmful chemicals enter our waters, it is crucial that these are identified as soon as possible. This is at the core of the "SWAIN" project, which is taking a totally new approach using artificial intelligence.

31. January 2024

Quantum entanglement in bent space

Between gravity and the quantum world

Physicists in the team of Philip Walther at the University of Vienna investigate how gravity works in the bizarre realm of quantum physics. Watch the video for a glimpse into their lab and their ambitions and read on to learn about a new precision experiment on the influence of gravity on quantum entanglement.

24. January 2024

Environmental sciences

PFAS: Chemicals for eternity?

Made to last forever, used on a daily basis and often highly toxic: PFAS, a group of extremely stable industrial chemicals, are seen as the next big environmental problem of our time. We asked environmental scientist Thilo Hofmann: Is there still hope?

18. January 2024

Guest article by

Robert Woodward

Rudolphina Experts: Drinking water supply

Clean and reliable water: Looking to the sky for answers

Airborne treasure: The atmosphere is an often overlooked reservoir of fresh water. Materials chemist Robert Woodward and his team developed a novel approach to tap into this precious resource in even the driest locations on Earth.

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.

29. November 2023

Guest article by

Anne Sophie Meincke

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.

14. November 2023

Materials for the energy transition

Supercomputer, Schrödinger and the energy revolution

How can we sustainably scale up the production of hydrogen and synthetic fuels for the post-fossil energy world? Advances in materials science could hold the key. Physicist Georg Kresse and his team use computer simulations to enable the necessary breakthroughs.

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.

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"

25. September 2023

Guest article by

Thilo Hofmann

Rudolphina Experts: Sustainable Agriculture

Can we feed the world population of 2050 without plastic in agriculture?

In this article, environmental geoscientist Thilo Hofmann from the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science explores the role of plastic in modern agriculture and its potential ramifications on our planet.

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.

23. May 2023

Guest article by

Blaž Gasparini

Solar Geoengineering

A planetary sunscreen can probably cool the climate, but not solve the climate crisis

In this guest post, climate physicist Blaž Gasparini explains recent attempts to counteract global warming by giving the planet "sun protection" – via injecting the gas sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere – and why the scientific community broadly criticizes the approach.

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.

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.