News

Congratulations as KIM turns ten! The three letters for the Communication, Information and Media Centre, KIM, stand for the University of Konstanz's Library and IT services. In an interview, director Oliver Kohl-Frey reveals why a library would link up with IT services, which hidden treasures the Rara room holds, and what three wishes he has for KIM.

The University of Konstanz's Communication, Information, Media Centre (KIM) has three impressive reasons to celebrate this year: 10 years of KIM, 55 years of KIM Basic Services and 60 years of the Library. The university celebrated these historic milestones at the end of the summer semester 2024.

Thirty times the size of the human genome: An international team of researchers led by Konstanz evolutionary biologist Axel Meyer and Würzburg biochemist Manfred Schartl has sequenced the largest genome of all animals, the lungfish genome. Their data help to explain how the fish ancestors of today’s land vertebrates were able to conquer land.

The International Society for Research on Aggression presented Konstanz researcher Thomas Elbert with the John Paul Scott Award, honouring his lifelong work in the field of aggression research.

80 years after an SS massacre in the Italian town of Sant'Anna di Stazzema, the student project "ÜberLeben erzählen" focuses on the stories of survivors. On site and in class, students from the University of Konstanz developed an exhibition that was shown in Sant'Anna di Stazzema from 11 to 25 August 2024. The project was supported by forum.konstanz at the University of Konstanz.

The University of Konstanz is redesigning how students start their studies in mathematics and the natural sciences: Starting in the winter semester 2024/25, the new Go.MINt programme provides additional orientation for students in the subjects maths, computer science, biology, chemistry and physics.

In May 2024, Simon Diesch and his sailing partner Anna Markfort qualified in the 470 mixed for the Olympic Games. In addition to his career as a competitive athlete, he studies law at the University of Konstanz. Juggling studies and top-level sports is a challenge in and of itself. We interviewed him on campus shortly before the competitions. A conversation about the Olympic dream, the balancing act between sailing and studying, and his plans for the future.

Information about whether industrial chemicals impede brain development is only available for a very small number of chemicals. A new procedure aims to fix this problem without using animal testing. At a conference organized by CAAT-Europe at the University of Konstanz, researchers as well as representatives from industry and regulatory authorities met with a delegation of the OECD to initiate new legislation.

Konstanz physicists have brought electrons into a previously unknown chiral form – chiral coils comprised of mass and charge. Such constructed elementary particles could open up new research opportunities in fundamental physics and electron microscopy.