News

Reich an Vielfalt: Botanischer Garten gewinnt Wettbewerb zu wildlebenden Arten

Der Botanische Garten der Universität Graz ist nicht nur eine der schönsten Oasen der Stadt. Die 2,8 Hektar große Fläche gehört auch zu den wertvollsten Lebensräumen für wildlebende Tier-, Pflanzen- und Pilzarten. Das bestätigt der Sieg bei der Aktion „Bioblitz Botanischer Gärten“, initiiert vom Verband Botanischer Gärten (VBG), an der insgesamt 36 Botanische Gärten im deutschsprachigen Raum teilgenommen haben. 1929 Wildarten wurden am Areal in der Schubertstraße im vergangenen Juni entdeckt. Auf den Plätzen zwei und drei landeten die Botanischen Gärten der Universitäten Berlin und Bonn.

PFAS in honey bees: Insects enable monitoring of pollutants in the environment

PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – have increasingly come under scrutiny in recent years as so-called “forever chemicals”. These artificially produced substances are used in the manufacture of many everyday products. They are harmful to the environment and human health, difficult to break down and accumulate everywhere, in flora, fauna and even in humans. Researchers at the University of Graz have now used honeybees to investigate the occurrence of PFAS at different times and in different land use areas. The study shows that bees and the pollen they collect are ideal for monitoring environmental toxins. The insects absorb the pollutants, allowing conclusions to be drawn about their spatial and seasonal distribution.

Milestone for medical research

Omega-3 fatty acids are known to be an essential part of a healthy diet. As humans cannot produce them, they have to be consumed in sufficient amounts. However, omega-6, -7, -9, and -10 fatty acids also play important roles in the metabolism of fats. These numbers indicate the position of the first double bond in a fatty acid chain. Deviations in the omega position can signal enzyme malfunctions or pathological metabolic processes, such as those occurring in cancer. Now, researchers at the University of Graz and the University of California, San Diego present in Nature Communications a novel, effective method to determine omega positions of lipids – the scientific term for fats – in complex biological samples including human tissues and blood.

When will we run out of water? Geologists analyse springs in the Alps

More water in winter, a drastic drop in summer: Austria's springs are still abundant enough throughout the year. In the long term, however, climate change could jeopardise the supply. This is the result of a recently published study.

Styrian Economic Chamber awards scholarships to three students at the University of Graz

In their Master's theses, Daniela Pinter, Elena Pusca and Leonie Sayer are focussing on topics that are of particular importance to the economy. On 1 July 2025, the students from the University of Graz each received a research grant of 2,100 euros from the Styrian Economic Chamber. In addition, 500 euros each will go to the institutes where the theses are supervised.

Signals from the roots: how the plant hormone cytokinin influences flowering

Many do it in spring, others wait a little longer and some really get going in winter – when a plant begins to flower is controlled by various internal and external signals. In a study published in the renowned scientific journal Plant Physiology, researchers at the University of Graz were able to clarify the role played by the hormone cytokinin in this process. The findings are also interesting with regard to the breeding of crops for agriculture. In view of changing climatic conditions, adjustments to the start of flowering could help to secure yields.

Researchers at the University of Graz enable reliable monitoring of Paris climate goals

Global warming is continuously advancing. How quickly this will happen can now be predicted more accurately than ever before, thanks to a method developed by climate researcher Gottfried Kirchengast and his team at the University of Graz. For the first time, this method enables reliable monitoring of the Paris climate goals and shows that temperatures are rising faster than expected in the latest IPCC report. The new findings have just been published in the scientific journal Communications Earth & Environment.

Peptides against hospital germs: the long road to market readiness

Multiresistant germs are a threat to global health. At the University of Graz, Nermina Malanovic is researching peptides as a potential new weapon. Thanks to external funding, the preclinical phase for this alternative to conventional antibiotics has been able to start.

More news

What vision reveals about the seat of consciousness

Researchers at the University of Graz are using vision experiments to investigate how our brain constructs reality. The results offer insights into…

From chokeberry to stone pine: plant rarities market on April 26 and 27

On the weekend after Easter, the Botanical Garden and the campus meadow at the University of Graz will once again be transformed into a huge rarities…

Graz gegen Kapstadt und New York: Wettbewerb der Naturbeobachtungen ab 25. April

Bei der City Nature Challenge von 25. bis 28. April können Hobby-Forscher:innen Naturbeobachtungen sammeln und damit die Wissenschaft unterstützen.

Grundstein für das „Graz Center of Physics“ gelegt

Heute am 8. April 2025 wurde die Grundsteinlegung für das „Graz Center of Physics“ vorgenommen – eines der größten Universitätsbauprojekte…

Quick, concise, clear: doctoral students present research in 3 Minute Thesis Competition

The Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) presents doctoral students with a challenge that they are not usually faced with in research: to keep it…

Sensitive and strong: physicists at the University of Graz create basis for new sensors

Sensors play a crucial role in all areas of modern technology. The more precisely they respond to the smallest changes, the higher the quality and…

Doctorate sub auspiciis: Researchers from the University of Graz and TU Graz honoured

Six researchers from Graz have been awarded doctorates "sub auspiciis Praesidentis rei publicae" this year: Computer scientists Barbara Gigerl, Andrea…

Brain teasers: Almost 300 students at the Maths Mixed Doubles at the University of Graz

The University of Graz and the Styrian Department of Education jointly organised a maths competition for ten to twelve-year-olds. The final on 25…