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Some materials convert photons into more free charges than would be expected. Using an ultrafast film, researchers have now been able to get a picture of this process. Physicists from the University of Würzburg were also involved. Photovoltaics, the conversion of light to electricity, is a key technology for sustainable energy.

Scientists at the Universities of Würzburg and Ottawa have solved the decades-old problem of distinguishing between single and multiple light excitations. They present their new method in the journal Nature. The construction of the first laser in 1960 ushered in commercial applications with light that have become an integral part of our everyday lives.

The glycoprotein V of the blood platelets is an important switch point for haemostasis and thrombus formation. This new finding could have great clinical potential. When our blood vessels are injured by cuts, abrasions, or bruises, it is vital that the bleeding is stopped, and the wound is sealed. This process is called hemostasis and involves two main components: First, blood platelets attach to the wound edges, form a plug and provisionally seal the injury.

Intestinal bacteria are often the trigger of complications after surgery. This is shown in a new study by research teams from Würzburg and Bern. A solution to this problem could come from the liver. Nearly 16 million operations were performed on inpatients in German hospitals in 2021. In Switzerland, the figure is around 1.1 million.

Researchers from the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat have achieved a significant milestone in the pursuit of energy-efficient quantum technologies by designing a ferromagnetic topological insulator. In 2019, an international research team headed by materials chemist Anna Isaeva, at that time a junior professor at ct.qmat (Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter), caused a stir by fabricating the world's first antiferromagnetic topological insulator - manganese bismuth telluride (MnBi 2 Te4).

The Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat has designed a ferromagnetic topological insulator - a milestone on the way to energy-efficient quantum technologies. Back in 2019, an international research team led by materials chemist Anna Isaeva - then a junior professor at the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat - Complexity and Topology in Quantum Materials - achieved a minor sensation with the fabrication of the first antiferromagnetic topological insulator manganese bismuth telluride (MnBi 2 Te4).

RNA sequencing technologies provide valuable insights into how individual cells work. A research team at the University of Würzburg has now developed a technique that provides an even more detailed view. How do cells work in a normal state? How do they change when they cause disease? Do they react as desired to new drugs? Nowadays, anyone seeking answers to these - and other related - questions in the laboratory can hardly do without a special technique: single-cell RNA sequencing, or "scRNA-seq" for short.

Scientists at the Universities of Würzburg and Bielefeld detect the quantum properties of collective optical-electronic oscillations on the nanoscale. The results could contribute to the development of novel computer chips. Whether the light in our living spaces is on or off can be regulated in everyday life simply by reaching for the light switch.

Video streaming is responsible for high greenhouse gas emissions. These could be reduced with relatively simple measures. A study by the University of Würzburg shows possibilities for streamers. In recent years, video streaming has increased significantly. While every German spent an average of 42 minutes a day watching online videos on YouTube, Netflix, Facebook or other platforms in 2019, a year later it was already 55 minutes - in the group of 14- to 29-year-olds even 130 minutes.

Scientists from Würzburg and Braunschweig have developed a new approach that enables more efficient processing of bacterial genomes . The ability to genetically modify bacteria is key to exploring the microbial world. Genome editing - the editing of genetic material such as DNA - is essential for developing new antibiotics and using bacteria as miniature factories for the sustainable production of chemicals, materials and therapeutics.

Scientists from Austria and Germany show that pathogenic fungi are adapting to social health care measures by ants. Not only humans are social, ants are too. Group members are taking care of sick ones by providing collective hygiene measures. This presents germs with a task. They must circumvent the immunity of an individual ant and avoid the group's healthcare.

The newly discovered dyscalculia mutant of the Venus flytrap has lost its ability to count electrical impulses. Würzburg researchers reveal the cause of the defect. The carnivorous Venus flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula ) can count to five: This discovery by Würzburg biophysicist Professor Rainer Hedrich caused a worldwide excitement in 2016.

Mapping trees, finding heat islands: Research drones offer many new options for small-scale observation of the environment. Earth observation, also known as remote sensing, provides highly relevant information about the state and change of our planet every day via satellite data worldwide. The data can be used, for example, to gather information about heat islands in cities, droughts or the condition of forests.

The search for nectar costs insects a lot of energy, so they have to be as efficient as possible. Colourful patterns on the petals can help with that. Be it mallow, foxglove or forget-me-not: many flowers bear colourful patterns, which are known as nectar guides in biology. They are assumed to show the pollinating insects the shortest way to the nectary.

Within the framework of the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, excitons were generated in a topological insulator for the first time. A breakthrough in quantum research, based on material design from Würzburg. An international team of scientists collaborating within the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat has achieved a breakthrough in quantum research - the first detection of excitons (electrically neutral quasiparticles) in a topological insulator.

What genetic changes are responsible for the evolution of phenotypic traits? This question is not always easy to answer. A newly developed method now makes the search much easier. With its powerful digging shovels, the European mole can burrow through the soil with ease. The same applies to the Australian marsupial mole.

Like a Swiss army knife: Researchers from Würzburg and the U.S. discover new type of CRISPR gene scissors. New publication in "Nature". Like humans, bacteria and archaea can be attacked by viruses. These microorganisms have developed their own immune defense strategies against their pathogens.

When a fruit fly starts walking or flying, its insulin-producing cells are immediately inhibited. This could be one explanation for why exercise promotes health. Insulin is an essential hormone for humans and many other living creatures. Its best-known task is to regulate sugar metabolism. How it does this job is well understood.

A newly developed rapid test needs only a few seconds to reliably detect pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. It is based on specially designed magnetic nanoparticles. The current rapid tests for diagnosing infectious diseases are speedy, but not really fast. For example, antigen self-tests, PCR tests or ELISA tests for coronavirus take 15 minutes to several hours before a reliable result is available.

Hollow spheres made of MYC proteins open new doors in cancer research. Würzburg scientists have discovered them and report about this breakthrough in the journal "Nature". MYC genes and their proteins play a central role in the emergence and development of almost all cancers. They drive the uncontrolled growth and altered metabolism of tumour cells.