Filamentous cyanobacteria form characteristic patterns

In unity towards complex structures

When active filaments are exposed to localized illumination, they accumulate into stable structures along the boundaries of the illuminated area. Based on this fact, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS) and the University of Konstanz developed a model that can be used to simulate the self-organization of thread-like living matter. This model provides important insights for potential technical applications in the formation of structures.

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A bat flies over a water surface on which it is reflected.

Bats use an acoustic cognitive map for navigation

Echolocating bats have been found to possess an acoustic cognitive map of their home range, enabling them to navigate over kilometer-scale distances using echolocation alone. This finding, recently published in Science, was demonstrated by researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, the Cluster of Excellence Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour at the University of Konstanz Germany, Tel Aviv University, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.

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“With a grain of salt”: How humans learn from others

When we make decisions, we are often guided by the opinions and experiences of those around us. Yet we actually have quite different preferences, tastes and goals. An international research team led by the Universities of Tübingen and Konstanz investigated how we learn from others despite individual differences. The scientists found that humans tend to treat social information as a recommendation – with some scepticism. They also use it to save themselves costly exploration. The results open up…

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New psychotherapy centre in Konstanz

The University of Konstanz's psychotherapy outpatient clinics open in a spacious, new location. The new university outpatient clinic for research and teaching provides psychotherapeutic care for patients of all ages.

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Aerial view of the University of Konstanz campus at sunrise

University of Konstanz again ranks among the top universities in Germany

The latest "Open Edition" Leiden Ranking was recently published based entirely on freely accessible data. As in the regular edition, the University of Konstanz ranked first in the two categories "Open Access" and "International Collaboration". Konstanz reaches new heights among Germany's top ten universities in the category "Scientific Impact".

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A diver looks at a very large bleached coral.

Coral protection, a human right

To save coral reefs from climate change, scientists are proposing an unusual idea: declaring coral protection a human right. Christian Voolstra, a biologist from Konstanz and president of the International Coral Reef Society (ICRS), explains why this could work.

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