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International survey by Cluster of Excellence reveals division of European societies into two entrenched camps of substantial size. In Germany, one third hold opposing positions on national belonging, threat, disadvantage. 'Politics should not take one side: positions should be traced back to their respective functional core, compromises sought, polarization stopped.' Most comprehensive survey on identity conflicts in Europe to date.

Peatlands are an important ecosystem that contribute to the regulation of the atmospheric carbon cycle. A multidisciplinary group of researchers, led by the University of Helsinki, investigated the climate response of a permafrost peatland located in Russia during the past 3,000 years. Unexpectedly, the group found that a cool climate period, which resulted in the formation of permafrost in northern peatlands, had a positive, or warming, effect on the climate.

University of Rochester researchers describe the first demonstration of highly chirped pulses created by a using a spectral filter in a Kerr resonator, enabling them to widen a laser pulse wavefront by separating the beam's colors. The chirped pulses remain stable even with more than 90% energy loss.

The extramitochondrial cytochrome C protein may play a protective role in cells subject to low levels of DNA damage, but sentence them to death if the level of damage reaches a tipping point after which repair is impossible.

Nitrogen from agriculture, vehicle emissions and industry is endangering butterflies in Switzerland. The element is deposited in the soil via the air and has an impact on vegetation -- to the detriment of the butterflies, as researchers at the University of Basel have discovered.

Scientists at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, together with colleagues from Boston University (BU) and Wayne State University (WSU), have now succeeded in preventing dendrite formation and thus at least doubling the lifetime of a lithium metal battery. The researchers report on their method in the renowned journal "Advanced Energy Materials".

A faster method for collecting pure malaria parasites from infected mosquitos could accelerate the development of new, more potent malaria vaccines.

"Boomers" and "millennials" who go to church are more likely to trust their neighbours and donate to charity, according to a new study.

A study by the ICTA-UAB and the University of Porto analyses the effects of exposure to green spaces during the first months of the COVID19 pandemic in Spain and Portugal.

Using neural networks, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have developed a new method to search the human genome for beneficial mutations from Neanderthals and other archaic humans. These humans are known to have interbred with modern humans, but the overall fate of the genetic material inherited from them is still largely unknown. Among others, the researchers found previously unreported mutations involved in core pathways in metabolism, blood-related diseases and immunity.

3D models of bone formation provide a tool for tissue engineering, biomedical research and drug testing.

Recently, a team led by Prof. JIANG Yuqiang from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, collaborating with researchers from the National University of Singapore, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and Shanxi University, achieved ultra-fast orbital rotation rate of nanoparticles at subdiffraction scale.

Preclinical research finds that glioblastoma stem cells can be targeted by NK cells, but they are able to evade immune attack by releasing TFG-β. Deleting the TFG-β receptor in NK cells renders them resistant to this and restores their anti-tumor activity.

Seiichi Shirai (1905-1983) was an influential architect whose work has affected the designs of significant architects of the 20th century. Associate Professor Kosuke Hato of the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University has studied the work of Shirai and examined why the architect worked extensively on calligraphy. Hato's strategy is to clarify the relationship between the architect and his activity of calligraphy through Shirai's Theory of Tradition.

Outside the breeding season many parrots live in dynamic social systems in which individuals travel and forage. These flocks are characterised by frequent changes in composition and their dynamic nature entails a unique set of challenges, such as potential increased aggression and competition for resources. Therefore, the ability to selectively choose the right flock members may be essential to maximise individual fitness. In a new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University is shedding light over social interactions in parrots.

Scientists have developed a new method that improves dispensing of viscoelastic fluids - a vital process for circuit board production, 3D printing and other industrial applications. The scientists found that twisting these liquid bridges breaks them in a quicker and cleaner way than the conventional method of stretching them.

In a study published in Nature Communications, a research team led by CHEN Tao from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the unique defect properties of low-dimensional materials particularly Sb2S3 through building the bridge between the deep-level defects of Sb2S3 and anion/cation ratio.

Bacteria from an Indian landfill could help eliminate contaminated chemicals. The focus is on pesticides such as lindane or brominated flame retardants, which accumulate in nature and in food chains. Researchers at Empa and Eawag used these bacteria to generate enzymes that can break down these dangerous chemicals.

Russian scientists have developed a simple and easily reproducible cell labeling system that allows tracking the behavior and movement of individual cells when solving problems that require maximum accuracy.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have observed the absorption of a single electron by a levitated droplet with such a magnification that it is visible with the naked eye and can even be measured with a normal millimeter scaled ruler.