News - Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres

“I never get tired of rethinking things”

Research and politics – Professor Steven Chu knows both worlds. And the 71-year-old Nobel Prize winner in Physics never runs out of energy, particularly when it comes to climate change.

Nuclear Fusion

The latecomer

Wendelstein 7-X is the world’s largest and most advanced nuclear fusion device of the stellarator type. Its objective is to test whether a new source of energy could emerge for humanity from fusing light atomic nuclei.

Solar fuels

The quest for the perfect energy storage system

Our sun delivers huge amounts of energy to us every day. But we are only making use of a small percentage of it. If Kathrin Aziz-Lange had her way, this situation would soon be changed.

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Helmholtz around the world

Searching for drinking water under the sea

When it comes to water scarcity, Marion Jegen is a sought-after specialist. The geophysicist from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel works in coastal regions, using cutting-edge technology to search for fresh water stored in the seabed – for example, off the coast of Malta.

Underwater observatory

The mystery of Boknis Eck

An underwater station installed by GEOMAR in Eckernförde Bay at a depth of 14.5 meters had been reliably transmitting data to the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel for many years. But it suddenly vanished without a trace—leaving researchers, specialist divers, and criminal investigators grappling with a mystery.

Portrait

A passion for the extreme

Jane Francis is one of Britain’s most famous female polar researchers. She has undertaken numerous Antarctic and Arctic expeditions and, when required, she also explores the Australian desert for traces of its polar past.

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Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

Current Research, Facts and Figures

The number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Germany and around the world is increasing dramatically from day to day. We’re facing incredible challenges due to this situation, both as a society and as individuals. As Germany’s largest scientific organisation, Helmholtz is making key contributions to overcoming the coronavirus crisis through its top-level research.

Interview

Prevent COVID-19 outbreaks with Big Data

Israeli researchers have developed a method to predict the spread of the novel coronavirus. It allows the authorities to focus efforts on areas where an outbreak is expected and to facilitate action in other areas.

Sars-CoV-2

When will there be a vaccine against the novel coronavirus?

A vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 would suddenly change everything: It could stop the virus’ spread and normalize life. Here is an an overview of where we stand, how things are going - and when a vaccine might be available.

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Portrait

From Garching to Hawaii

Günther Hasinger is the director of science at the European Space Agency (ESA). His love of astronomy got its start at the observatory in Munich - and has taken him around the world.

Year of Space

From the ISS to Mercury

Alexander Gerst in command of the ISS, a mole landing on Mars, and a launch toward Mercury: These are just three major events in space exploration we have to look forward to in 2018. What follows is an overview of some of this year’s highlights, which are increasingly being shaped by private initiatives.

Helmholtz Extreme

Growing fresh food in the Antarctic

Scientists are working to grow fresh vegetables in a greenhouse surrounded by perennial ice. The experiment will supply the winter crew at Neumayer Station with fresh food, but it is primarily designed to provide experience and data for future Mars missions.

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Helmholtz extreme

The particles with the smallest mass

They are constantly passing through our bodies without us noticing. Even more than 60 years after they were discovered, neutrinos still hold mysteries for the scientific community. Because they are so elusive, they are also called ghost particles.

Portrait

The Unifying Factor

Although Ursula Bassler grew up in Germany, it is through her work in France that she has risen to become one of the most influential women in the field of particle physics. Her roots in both countries are useful in her work today.

Query

"Could a black hole swallow the Earth?"

Black holes have always been a source of fascination. But is there really anything to the legend that a black hole could swallow the Earth? Volker Schomerus, a quantum physicist at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), knows the answer.

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Portrait

Head over heels for molecules

Bert Meijer specializes in complex molecular systems and their formation. A native of the Netherlands, Meijer is a professor of organic chemistry and conducts research in the field of supramolecular polymers.

Public transport

Researching ways to make train stations safer

Platforms at train stations are often very crowded – especially during rush hour. Researcher Maik Boltes and his team want to improve situations like these by seeking effective ways to manage crowds of people.

New Center

“We research every aspect of information security”

Helmholtz has a new member. We spoke to Michael Backes, the director of the Helmholtz Center for Information Security, about computer viruses, autonomous driving, patient data—and how to attract employees from Silicon Valley to the state of Saarland in southwestern Germany.

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Award

Doctoral prize for six young researchers

At Helmholtz, more than 8,000 doctoral students do their research. Six of them received the Doctoral Prize 2019 in Berlin. With this award, the Helmholtz Association supports talented young researchers at an early stage.

Short Interview

Six questions with... Eduardo Zorita

Why did you become a scientist? And what has really annoyed you recently? We ask our scientists six intriguing questions. This time with Eduardo Zorita at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG).

Short Interview

Six questions with... Hugues Lantuit

Why did you become a scientist? And what has really annoyed you recently? We ask our scientists six intriguing questions. This time with Hugues Lantuit at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI).

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Interview

"The language of science knows no borders"

The first large-scale particle accelerator in the Middle East has been assembled in Jordan. Researchers from Israel, Iran, and the Palestinian territories work together there. We spoke to Rolf Heuer, former General Director of CERN and chairman of the project’s supervisory board.

"Israel Has Incredible Momentum"

The Helmholtz Association has opened a new international office in Tel Aviv. With this step, Germany’s largest research organization is seeking to take its cooperation with Israeli researchers and start-ups to a new level.

Helmholtz Juniors

On the Future of Science

The business practices of 'predatory publishers' drew a great deal of attention in the media. We asked seven young Helmholtz researchers about their ideas on how to cope with these issues.

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