Research in Germany

Hof, August 5, 2026. How can valuable nutrients from agriculture be used more effectively? This is the question addressed by the ReKorD research project at Hochschule Hof. The aim is to transform residual materials from livestock farming into high-quality fertilizers, thereby closing regional nutrient cycles. The project is intended to make agriculture less dependent on mineral fertilizers while conserving resources at the same time.

Researchers at HafenCity University Hamburg (HCU) have contributed to extend the 15- Minutes-City concept into suburban areas. In collaboration with 18 partners (including associate partners) across seven countries, the FORTHCOMING (FOsteRing THe City Of proximity through MaaS INteGration") project has successfully concluded in June 2026, advancing evidence-based strategies for proximity planning and sustainable mobility beyond dense urban cores.

Study by Universities of Tübingen and Zurich measures entertainment value of five top European leagues and finds matches involving top clubs often being less suspenseful but still deliver surprises

A recent study shows that Berlin residents generally support measures to limit through-traffic and redesign public spaces within residential areas. The survey, conducted by the Mannheim Faculty of Medicine at the University of Heidelberg and the Research Institute for Sustainability at GFZ (RIFS), analyses support for so-called Superblock measures (known as Kiezblocks in Germany). The study shows that residents are largely in favour of creating more green spaces and safer streets.

Memory B cells play a key role in adapting to new coronavirus variants The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is constantly mutating. As a result, vaccines become less effective and need to be regularly adapted. This was the case in 2025 with the JN.1 variant. An interdisciplinary team from Hanover and Göttingen has now investigated how the immune system responds to adapted vaccines. The findings were published in Nature Communications.

Climate change is affecting the entire planet—and yet different regions are warming at different rates. Where is human-induced warming already clearly detectable? And where do natural fluctuations still predominate? A new study has derived the human ‘fingerprint’ directly from observations, which helps to better understand regional changes.