News

In the future, droughts could be even more severe than those that struck parts of Germany in 2018. An analysis of climate data from the last millennium shows that several factors have to coincide to produce a megadrought: not only rising temperatures, but also the amount of solar radiation, as well as certain meteorological and ocean-circulation conditions in the North Atlantic, like those expected to arise in the future. A group of researchers led by the Alfred Wegener Institute have just released their findings in the journal Communications Earth &…

MOSAiC expedition leader Markus Rex informed the Arctic Council about the Arctic drift expedition and presented the first results. The Arctic Council is the leading cross-national forum for the Arctic. Germany has observer status in the Arctic Council and is represented by the Foreign Office. Senior Arctic Official Chair, Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson, thanked Markus Rex for his presentation and congratulated Germany and all other nations involved in this historic expedition.
 

Roughly two weeks ago, a massive iceberg calved from the Antarctic Ice Sheet. As the only research vessel nearby, the Polarstern took the opportunity to enter the area between the iceberg and the Brunt Ice Shelf. The first images from the seafloor reveal an amazing level of biodiversity in a region that was covered by thick ice for decades. The sediment samples gathered are expected to provide more detailed insights into the ecosystem, while a geochemical analysis of the water samples collected will allow conclusions to be drawn regarding the nutrient…

The Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) is an international forum for actors in the energy sector. High-ranking decision-makers from politics, industry, science and civil society have the opportunity to exchange their experiences and ideas on a safe, affordable and environmentally friendly global energy transition. AWI Director Antje Boetius will speak at this year's online conference as a podium guest on March 16 from 7.30 p.m. The event will be streamed online.

A team of scientists under the direction of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht – Centre for Materials and Coastal Research (HZG) has detected numerous microplastic particles in the Elbe waters near Cuxhaven. The researchers found 200 to 2100 microplastic particles per cubic meter of water. To better interpret the results of their measurements and their large range as well as to enable the scientists to make comparisons with future studies, the team demonstrated for the first time in the field of microplastics research how the guidelines of the…

The Max Planck Society is launching a new virtual lecture series on topics of environmental relevance. AWI director Antje Boetius will kick off the series on February 25 at 5 pm with a lecture on “Sustainability and the oceans – how polar and marine life respond to anthropogenic impact”. Afterwards, audience members are invited to join the discussion on the topic. You can join the lecture via a zoom link on the website, the event is open to the public.

During glacial periods, the sea level falls, because vast quantities of water are stored in the massive inland glaciers. To date, however, computer models have been unable to reconcile sea-level height with the thickness of the glaciers. Using innovative new calculations, a team of climate researchers led by the Alfred Wegener Institute has now managed to explain this discrepancy. The study, which was recently published in the journal Nature Communications, could significantly advance research into our planet’s climate history.

The last complete reversal of the Earth's magnetic field, the so-called Laschamps event, took place 42,000 years ago. Radiocarbon analyses of the remains of kauri trees from New Zealand now make it possible for the first time to precisely time and analyse this event and its associated effects, as well as to calibrate geological archives such as sediment and ice cores from this period. Simulations based on this show that the strong reduction of the magnetic field had considerable effects in the Earth's atmosphere. This is shown by an international team…

As of 1 January 2021, Lower Saxony is part of the federal and state financing for the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). The inclusion of the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, co-founded with the University of Oldenburg in 2017, means that there are now AWI sites in four states.

On Friday, 12.02.2021, the Folkwang University of the Arts organized an online symposium on the topic “Emergency – How relevant is design in crisis situations?”. The students took a closer look at the relationship of art and design to crises and set up a diverse program on the day of the symposium. AWI Director Prof. Dr Antje Boetius also participated with a lecture entitled “Designing the path to future”.