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Research team including Göttingen University reviews popular books on forests and criticises lack of scientific evidence Popular science books are all the rage. Their aim is to convey scientific topics to interested members of the general public as clearly and entertainingly as possible. To succeed, authors describe the science using accessible language and concepts that will be interesting to their audience.

Research team led by Göttingen University investigates consumer understanding of sustainable palm oil in Germany Palm oil is the world's most produced and consumed vegetable oil and everyone knows that its production can damage the environment. But do consumers have the full picture? In fact, replacing palm oil with rapeseed oil would require a four to five-fold increase in the amount of land needed.

Research team at Göttingen University develops plasmonic molecules from nanoparticles In the incredibly small world of molecules, the elementary building blocks - the atoms - join together in a very regular pattern. In contrast, in the macroscopic world with its larger particles, there is much greater disorder when particles connect.

Göttingen researchers use mathematical model to identify new mechanism for control of phase separation The very first life on earth is thought to have developed from -protocells liquid mixtures of many different types of molecules. Researchers from the University of Göttingen have now shown that in such mixtures, small imbalances in the number of molecules of different types can have an unexpected effect.

Digital transformation and the associated changes in operational processes can trigger fears among employees that have a negative impact on their engagement at work. Companies must actively counteract these fears to prevent transformation processes from failing. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by the Universities of Göttingen and Groningen on more than 1,000 employees in the finance organization of a multinational company in Germany.

Research team led by Göttingen University describe early occurrence of irregular sea urchins in the depths of the oceans Right at the bottom of the deep sea, the first very simple forms of life on earth probably emerged a long time ago. Today, the deep sea is known for its bizarre fauna. Intensive research is being conducted into how the number of species living on the sea floor have changed in the meantime.

Research team led by Göttingen University investigates 10 billion RNA snippets to identify -hub genes- The Earth's surface is covered by plants. They make up the majority of biomass on land and exhibit a wide range of diversity, from mosses to trees. This astounding biodiversity came into existence due to a fateful evolutionary event that happened just once: plant terrestrialization.

Research team including Göttingen University describes seven new species of walking leaves An international research team including the University of Göttingen has described seven previously unknown species of leaf insects, also known as walking leaves. The insects belong to the stick and leaf insect order, which are known for their unusual appearance: they look confusingly similar to parts of plants such as twigs, bark or - in the case of leaf insects - leaves.

Göttingen research team explores information processing in Deep Neural Networks Artificial neural networks are everywhere in research and technology, as well as in everyday technologies such as speech recognition. Despite this, it is still unclear to researchers what is exactly going on deep down in these networks.

Research team uncovers global centers of evolutionarily unique and endemic plants. Understanding the origins and preservation of biodiversity is crucial as human impact continues to threaten our planet's rich variety of life. Often overlooked, narrow-ranged and evolutionary unique species play a vital role in shaping biodiversity.

Preserved local fruits and vegetables can improve nutrition in East Africa In East Africa, up to 50 percent of cultivated fruits and vegetables cannot be used, partly because they spoil too quickly before or after harvest. At the same time, the population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies, also known as hidden hunger, which could be alleviated by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.

Göttingen University agroecology researchers evaluate effects with a meta-analysis The global decline in biodiversity is serious. Agricultural land use is a major contributor - especially farming single crops on a massive scale. Mixing crops can counteract this: in fields where different crops grow at the same time, there are more beneficial insects and spiders than in monocultures.

Researchers evaluate the benefits compared to monocultures with a meta-analysis The global decline in biodiversity is serious. Agricultural land use is a major contributor - especially the large-scale cultivation of individual crops in monocultures. Mixed crops can counteract this: There are more beneficial arthropods, such as insects and spiders, in fields where different crops grow simultaneously than in monocultures.

Researchers compare real forest losses with simulated agricultural decisions The destruction of the rainforest means not only loss of biodiversity, but also high social costs due to the release of greenhouse gases. Tropical forests sequester carbon from the atmosphere, helping to regulate the global climate.

Researchers compare real forest losses with simulated agricultural decisions Rainforest destruction means not only loss of biodiversity, but also high social costs from greenhouse gas emissions. Tropical forests sequester carbon from our atmosphere, mitigating the progression of climate change. Loss of tree cover in tropical forests due to agricultural activities releases CO2.

Research highlights benefits of wild plants in fallow land and other ecosystems in Madagascar Many landscapes in the tropics consist of a mosaic of different types of land use. How people make use of these different ecosystems, with their particular plant communities, was unclear until now. Researchers, many of them from Madagascar, have now investigated this in an interdisciplinary Malagasy research project at the University of Göttingen.

Research team led by Göttingen University compares form and function of island and mainland plants Oceanic islands provide useful models for ecology, biogeography and evolutionary research. Many ground-breaking findings - including Darwin's theory of evolution - have emerged from the study of species on islands and their interplay with their living and non-living environment.

Research team with Göttingen University uses light to reversibly change the shape of red blood cells Membranes are crucial to the functioning of living cells: they separate the cells from the environment and protect them; they transport nutrients into the middle of the cell; and they are vital when cells grow together to form tissues, reproduce by division or move around.

International research team led by Göttingen University quantifies the benefits for cacao production in Peruvian agroforestry Peru is the third largest producer of organic cacao worldwide and is also a leader in the cultivation of native cacao varieties - producing chocolate that is internationally recognized for its special flavour.

Research team including Göttingen University shows impact on biodiversity of abandoned land The past 50 years have seen an increased exodus of populations from rural to urban areas and more than half the world's population now lives in or around a city. This proportion is likely to rise to around 70% by 2050, leading to a rise in the number of abandoned fields, pastures, mines, factories, and even entire villages.