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Human intelligence is closely associated with functional brain networks: The better these networks are developed, the easier it is for the brain to adapt to different tasks, this is shown by a new study of the University of Würzburg. You are just enjoying a nap on the sofa when your son suddenly turns up and asks you to help him with his math homework.

Several layers of nanographenes stacked on top of each other: such functional elements could one day be used in solar cells. Würzburg chemists have paved the way for this. Graphene is a carbon material that forms extremely thin layers. Because of its unusual properties, it is interesting for many technical applications.

Bacteria are extremely resourceful when it comes to adapting to a given environment. A team of researchers from Würzburg has now discovered a new trick bacteria use: a kind of sponge that absorbs certain messengers. Each year, at least 1.27 million people die from an infection with bacteria that are resistant to standard antibiotics, a study recently published in the journal The Lancet reveals.

Poxviruses pose a threat to humanity that should be taken seriously, as the current outbreak of monkeypox shows. A research team from the University of Würzburg is now working on the development of new drugs. The coronavirus pandemic is far from over, and already another virus is causing a stir: "International outbreak of monkeypox" was the cry in the media a few weeks ago, followed by daily headlines along the lines of "first case of monkeypox in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin and so on".

Some lung tumours do not respond to radiation therapy. This effect can be reversed by blocking an enzyme in the tumour cells, as Würzburg researchers report. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world, with 2.2 million new cases and around 1.8 million deaths in 2020 alone. Although knowledge about the disease has improved considerably, and new therapeutic strategies can prolong the lives of previously incurable patients, the numbers clearly show that lung cancer is still a serious disease and the mortality rate is still far too high.

The presence of sentinel immune cells is vital to maintain and regulate the balance of the body's immune response. Researchers have discovered an essential role of these cells in the treatment of cancer and severe viral infections. Chronic viral infections and cancers can cause a permanent impairment to the immune system, reducing the ability of immune killer T cells to remove tumour cells, or those infected by a virus - this is referred to as 'immune exhaustion'.

12/23/2021 Researchers from Konstanz, Novosibirsk and Würzburg make it possible to read out optically indistinguishable spin states with a new spectroscopy method - published in "Science". The change between singlet and triplet states of electron pairs in charge-separated states plays an important role in nature.

11/29/2021 The cells of a certain tumour type, called neuroblastoma, divide very rapidly. This rapid division can have potentially fatal consequences for them. A new study shows how neuroblastoma cells deal with this dilemma. Neuroblastomas occur predominantly in children. A specific subset of these tumours is very aggressive and difficult to treat.

11/24/2021 Monarch butterflies employ a sun compass on their long-distance migration. Surprisingly, a new study shows that the compass is only established during flight. Monarch butterflies are famous for their annual long-distance migration, which takes them over several thousand kilometres from the north of the USA to their overwintering habitat in central Mexico.

11/22/2021 The question of the causes of species extinction confronts science with complex tasks. Dr Sarah Redlich from the Biocentre on the challenge of creating a study design. Research groups all over the world are trying to disentangle the causes of biodiversity loss. One thing is clear: there is no single cause.

Urbanisation appears to be another key factor for insect decline. This is shown by a study in which the impact of climate and land use on insects was disentangled for the first time. Worldwide, the quantity and diversity of insects are declining: scientists have reported more and more evidence for this in recent years.

09/24/2021 Israeli and German researchers have developed a way to force an array of vertical cavity lasers to act together as a single laser - a highly effective laser network the size of a grain of sand. The findings are presented in a new joint research paper published online by the prestigious journal Science on Friday, September 24.

09/23/2021 The higher the biological diversity in an ecosystem, the better the important processes there function. A heterogeneous environment promotes this effect, while intensive land use weakens it, as a new study shows. Microorganisms, plants, and animals accomplish great feats every day. For example, by decomposing material, producing plant biomass, or pollinating flowers, they keep nature 'up and running,' thereby securing the livelihood of humans.

09/23/2021 Poxviruses have found a unique way of translating their genes into proteins in the infected organism. A team of researchers from Würzburg shows for the first time how the molecular machinery involved works at an atomic level. The last case of smallpox worldwide occurred in Somalia in October 1977.

09/14/2021 Researchers from the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat-Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter-have recently conceived and realized a new quantum material. The research results have appeared Communications. Researchers from the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat-Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter - have conceived and realized a new quantum material: "Indenene".

08/30/2021 Against infections, tumours and inflammations, immune cells are locally positioned as rapid reaction forces in the organs of the body. On site, they specialise and take on various tasks. When pathogens invade the human body, a rapid response is required. At the forefront of the immune response are special immune cells.

A new type of atomic sensor made of boron nitride is presented by researchers in "Nature Communications". The sensor is based on a qubit in the crystal lattice and is superior to comparable sensors. An artificially created spin defect (qubit) in a crystal lattice of boron nitride is suitable as a sensor enabling the measurement of different changes in its local environment.

07/29/2021 In the fruit fly Drosophila, a hormone helps to balance rest and activity. This is shown by a new study of a research team led by the University of Würzburg. Might humans have a hormone with comparable function? Searching for food, eating, resting: in rough terms, this is the rhythm of life that many animals follow.

07/19/2021 Centaurus A, one of the closest active galaxies to Earth, belongs to the brightest objects in the sky. An international team has now imaged the heart of Centaurus A in unprecedented detail. Scientists from the University of Würzburg were involved. An international team around the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration, known for capturing the first image of a black hole in the galaxy M87, has now imaged the heart of the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A in unprecedented detail.

07/14/2021 The characteristics of plants of the same species can have different genetic causes depending on their origin. This is shown by a recent study at the University of Würzburg. What the fruit fly is to zoologists, the thale cress is to botanists. The widespread herb with the botanical name Arabidopsis thaliana serves them as a model organism from which knowledge can be gained for other plants.