Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Award for Psy­chol­o­gist

Dr Sofia Amaoui was awarded MSCA funding for her project entitled "Attitudes Towards Intimate Partner Violence against Women: from Neural Networks to Daily Life Experience" as part of the Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC) programme.

Net­work of quan­tum sen­sors boosts pre­ci­sion

Quantum sensor technology promises even more precise measurements of physical quantities. A team led by Christian Roos at the University of Innsbruck has now compared the signals of up to 91 quantum sensors with each other and thus successfully eliminated the noise caused by interactions with the environment. Correlation spectroscopy can be used to increase the precision of sensor networks.

US ski indus­try suf­fered a $5 bil­lion hit from cli­mate change

For the first time, a study has estimated the economic damage of climate change to the ski industry. The study by the University of Innsbruck and the University of Waterloo in Canada reveals that the economic losses to the US ski industry from human-caused climate change exceeded more than US$5 billion over the last two decades.

Suc­cess­ful Laser Cool­ing of Positro­n­ium

An international team of scientist including Giovanni Cerchiari from the University of Innsbruck demonstrated laser cooling of positronium, a matter-antimatter system composed of an electron and a positron, which is the antimatter counterpart. This milestone marks a pivotal advancement in our understanding and manipulation of antimatter establishing a foundation for forthcoming experiments and technological advancements.

Biomark­ers of Aging

A new study proposes a framework to standardize biomarkers of aging and accelerate clinical use. Co-author Chiara Herzog from the European Translational Oncology Prevention and Screening Institute at the University of Innsbruck explains how this could improve the life expectancy and health of the population.

The “su­per­ra­di­ance” revis­ited

Theoretical physicist Farokh Mivehvar has investigated the interaction of two collections of atoms emitting light inside a quantum cavity – an optical device consisting of two high quality, tiny mirrors facing each other that confines the light within a small area for an extended time. The model and predictions can be implemented and observed in state-of-the-art cavity/waveguide-quantum-electrodynamics experiments and might have applications in the new generation of so-called “superradiant lasers”.

Weigh­ing Galaxy Clus­ters

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics have published the cosmological results of the first X-ray sky survey of the Western Galactic Hemisphere by the eRosita space telescope. The working group for Extragalactic Astrophysics at the University of Innsbruck was also significantly involved in the calculations. The results provide new insights into dark energy, the nature of the Universe and confirm a rejected hypothesis of Albert Einstein.

Com­pres­sion may cool

An international research team from Innsbruck and Geneva has developed a new thermometry method to measure temperatures for low-dimensional quantum gases. With this method it was found that compressing a gas may lead to cooling. The results on this counterintuitive phenomenon have just been published in the prestigious journal Science Advances.

Buch­tipp: Roh­stoffe – Men­schen – Wis­sen

Band 35 der Reihe „Innsbrucker Historische Studien“, herausgegeben von Elena Taddei und Georg Neuhauser, befasst sich mit der Ressourcengeschichte des historischen Tirols vom Spätmittelalter bis ins 20. Jahrhundert. Vieles fällt dabei unter „Ressourcen“ – von Rohstoffen wie Holz, „Humanressourcen“ wie Söldner bis hin zu Wissensressourcen.

Bac­te­ria in motion

In a joint effort with various international institutions, researchers from the University of Innsbruck have described the movement patterns of the bacterium Escherichia coli. To do so, they used an engineered bacterial strain, experiments under the microscope and complicated functions.

The Secret Diary of Karl Benedikt Hase

Karl Benedikt Hase (1780–1864) is recognised as one of the foremost Greek scholars in the French academia of his time. The LAGOOS project has at its core the discovery of 9 volumes of the private diary of Hase, written in Ancient Greek and preserved at the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv, Weimar. Specialists of Late Antique and Byzantine history and literature applaud the outstanding value of his work as an editor and commentator. They have also, however, identified him as the perpetrator of a series of forgeries on documents of Byzantine history.

Sig­nif­i­cant decline of CO2 emis­sions in Inns­bruck

Air monitoring measurements at the University of Innsbruck's atmospheric observatory show that carbon dioxide emissions in western Austria have fallen by around 20 percent since 2018. Emissions are therefore well below the levels predicted by various models. Observational data is becoming increasingly important for assessing greenhouse gas budgets.

Observ­ing macro­scopic quan­tum effects in the dark

Be fast, avoid light, and roll through a curvy ramp: This is the recipe for a pioneering experiment proposed by theoretical physicists in a recent paper published in Physical Review Letters. An object evolving in a potential created through electrostatic or magnetic forces is expected to rapidly and reliably generate a macroscopic quantum superposition state.

Book tip: Teach­ing Inter­na­tional Law

In a world characterised by growing international conflicts and existential threats to humanity, international law is becoming increasingly important. The book "Teaching International Law" sheds light on this urgency and offers profound insights into the challenges and opportunities of teaching international law.

Print­ing inks made from plants

On the path to a circular economy, Judith Deriu is developing natural color pigments from plants and uses them to make sustainable printing inks for industry in the laboratory at the Research Institute of Textile Chemistry and Textile Physics in Dornbirn.

Brisk walks sup­port smok­ing ces­sa­tion

Good news for anyone who wants to quit smoking in the new year: In a recently published study, Innsbruck scientists show that ten-minute brisk walking sessions reduce the cravings of temporarily abstinent smokers and improve their overall well-being. The study is the first to compare the effect of indoor and outdoor activity on smoking cessation.

Iodic acid replaces ammo­nia in aerosol for­ma­tion

Iodine from the world's oceans forms iodine oxoacids, which can accelerate the formation of sulfuric acid particles in the atmosphere by a factor of 10,000. This was discovered by scientists of the CLOUD experiment with the participation of the University of Innsbruck. The increasing iodine emissions have an impact on the climate that is still under-estimated in current models.

Unlock­ing Neu­tron Star Rota­tion Ano­ma­lies

A collaboration between quantum physicists and astrophysicists, led by Francesca Ferlaino and Massimo Mannarelli, has achieved a significant breakthrough in understanding neutron star glitches. They were able to numerically simulate this enigmatic cosmic phenomenon with ultracold dipolar atoms. This research establishes a strong link between quantum mechanics and astrophysics and paves the way for quantum simulation of stellar objects from Earth.

Aus­tri­a's quan­tum sci­ence is tak­ing off

Yesterday, the FWF Cluster of Excellence for quantum sciences has been officially launched in Innsbruck. As part of the Excellence Initiative, the Clusters of Excellence are Austrian beacons of basic research. Quantum Science Austria (quantA) brings together over 60 research groups in Innsbruck, Vienna, Linz and Klosterneuburg and is intended to strengthen Austria's leading position in quantum science in the long term.

Focus cli­mate com­mu­ni­ca­tion: Pro­ject PEAK launched

The University of Innsbruck is enhancing its science communication in the fields of climate, biodiversity, and sustainability. A key development in this initiative is the creation of a new online platform, designed to showcase the university's extensive scientific expertise. This platform, part of the 'PEAK' project (Perspectives on Engagement, Accountability, and Knowledge), offers insights into current research and includes a growing database of expert profiles.

Quan­tum tool opens door to uncharted phe­nom­ena

Scientists led by Peter Zoller have developed a new tool for the measurement of entanglement in many-body systems and demonstrated it in experiments. The method enables the study of previously inaccessible physical phenomena and could contribute to a better understanding of quantum materials. The work has now been published in Nature.

From Glaciers to Rain­fall: Ten Years in the Andes

Scientists at the University of Innsbruck have been studying the water cycle and glaciers in the Andes near Huaraz in northern Peru for a long time. They recently documented a previously unreported rainfall phenomenon. These light rainfalls, known locally as "Pushpa", mark the beginning of the sowing season. Their unpredictability from one year to the next complicates matters for farmers, a situation potentially worsened by climate change.

Sus­tain­abil­ity of arti­fi­cial snow on ski-slopes

Researchers from the Universities of Innsbruck and Waterloo have studied the environmental impact of artificial snowmaking and its effect on the sustainability of ski tourism with Canada as an example. High water and energy consumption and the associated CO2 emissions are a burden on the environmental balance sheet; energy from renewable sources can make winter sports considerably more sustainable.

Ice cliffs as an early warn­ing sys­tem for the cli­mate

It is rare to find glaciers bounded on land by vertical ice cliffs. These ice cliffs respond with particular sensitivity to environmental changes. Research teams from Tyrol and Styria are investigating ice formations at a site in the far north of Greenland. The researchers intend to draw conclusions about the development of the Arctic climate based on the changes in the glacier walls. 

Inter­act­ing polarons

In physics, quasiparticles are used to describe complex processes in solids. In ultracold quantum gases, these quasiparticles can be reproduced and studied. Now, for the first time, Austrian scientists led by Rudolf Grimm have been able to observe in experiments how Fermi polarons – a special type of quasiparticle – can interact with each other. Their findings have been published in Nature Physics.

Deep look into the dipo­lar quan­tum world

In a groundbreaking collaboration, two world-leading research groups, one led by Francesca Ferlaino and one by Markus Greiner, have joined force to develop an advanced quantum gas microscope for magnetic quantum matter. This state-of-the-art instrument reveals intricate dipolar quantum phases shaped by the interactions as reported in Nature.

El Niño's Chang­ing Pat­terns: Human Influ­ence on Nat­u­ral Vari­abil­ity

Two recent scientific studies led by Dr. Paul Wilcox from the Department of Geology at the University of Innsbruck provide new insights into Earth's climate dynamics, with a particular focus on the El Niño phenomenon. The results show how El Niño responds to natural factors over extended periods, while highlighting the increasing role of human activities in shaping this climatic phenomenon in the modern era.

Cross-alpine tran­sit protests

When the large highways crossing the Austrian and Swiss Alps were built, citizens’ movements protesting the transalpine traffic started to form in both countries from the 1970s onwards. They found common ground in blaming EU policy but overall employed distinct methods, also with varying success, and never really joined forces. In a recent project, historians in Innsbruck, Basel and Munich made these two environmental initiatives the subject of their comparative research. 

Statis­tics of the invis­i­ble

In order to obtain information about dark matter and dark energy from the huge amounts of data to be generated by the new ESA probe Euclid, Innsbruck astrophysicist Laila Linke and her team are using novel statistical methods. As soon as Euclid sends its first data to Earth, the researchers intend to have a tool ready to gain new information on the most important questions concerning the invisible side of the cosmos.

Glacier Loss Day indi­cates record break­ing glacier melt

In the summer of 2022, one of Tyrol's largest glaciers experienced its most significant loss of mass on record. Last year, the Hintereisferner in Tyrol, Austria, reached its Glacier Loss Day (GLD) earlier than ever before. The GLD serves as an indicator of a glacier's health throughout the year, similar to how the Earth Overshoot Day measures Earth's resource consumption. Annelies Voordendag, together with a team of glaciologists at the Department for Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences at the University of Innsbruck, employs cutting-edge laser scanning techniques to determine the GLD.
 

ERC Grant for Bio­di­ver­sity Research

For his research on the influence of biodiversity on long-term forest dynamics, Rubén D. Manzanedo has been awarded a Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). Currently a researcher at ETH Zurich, Dr. Manzanedo applied for the grant, which is endowed with around 1.5 million euros, through the University of Innsbruck.

Learn mod­el­ing and sim­u­la­tion

How to prepare for the third pillar of science - let's call it computing or simulation? How to keep up with the ever-evolving computational tools relevant to one’s field of studies? This winter term, the Extension Programme Scientific Computing (EPSC) is back for its second year, offering 7 lectures on how to approach these challenges for modern scientists and professionals.

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