News
Mystery of Uruguay’s amethyst geodes
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz which has been used as a gemstone for many centuries and is a key economic resource in northern Uruguay. Amethyst geodes have been found in cooled lava flows, which date from the original breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana around 134 million years ago. However, their formation has remained a mystery. So, a research team led by the University of Göttingen investigated using cutting-edge techniques. more…
Megadiverse flowering plant family on isolated islands
Asteraceae, a family of flowering plants are the most diverse group of flowering plants in the world. This plant family comprises around 34,000 species. A research team found that an unexpectedly high number of evolutionary events occurred in the aster family within relatively short time periods on many islands worldwide. more…
Greenwashing in food labelling
A research team led by Göttingen University found that the label ‘climate neutral’ makes food appear significantly more climate-friendly than it actually is. Even when information about how the damage to the climate is being offset was explained, this did not stop consumers gettting the wrong idea. In contrast, a traffic light labelling system helped people to better assess the climate impact of food. The results were published in the journal Food Quality and Preference. more…
Honey bees fly to organic farming
Honey bees are valued both for their honey and their ability to pollinate crops. However, populations are suffering from the loss of areas of wild flowers in intensive farming, pesticide applications and from the influence of pathogens, so it is all the more important to understand what keeps them healthy. Researchers at the Universities of Halle and Göttingen discovered that organic farming and flower strips can promote the health of honey bees. more…
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Further news
Culture Award goes to Professor Metin Tolan for outstanding communication achievements
Professor Metin Tolan, President of the University of Göttingen, is awarded the Cultural Award of the Eduard Rhein Foundation, which is endowed with €10,000. more…
Otto Haxel Award for Dr Yuto Bekki
Dr Yuto Bekki of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) has been honored with the Otto Haxel Award for Physics for his doctoral dissertation. In collaboration with the German Physical Society (DPG), the Society for the Promotion of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) annually bestows this award upon the three best dissertations in physics from the Universities of Göttingen, Heidelberg, and KIT. more…