On these pages you will find a selection of research news from the Leibniz Institutes.
  1. A wall covered in sticky notes and diagrams

    New wave of start-ups
    11/02/2026 · ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research

    In 2025, more start-ups were founded in Germany than in the previous 15 years. Small businesses were the main driving force behind this upturn.

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  2. Tomatoes on the vine

    Tomatoes with a heat memory
    10/30/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Horticultural Sciences

    Tomatoes are able to prepare themselves for recurring heat stress. Moderate heat exposure can reprogramme the plants so that they activate a protective effect.

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  3. Laboratory staff are examining samples in a medical laboratory.

    Early warning system against viruses
    10/28/2026 · Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine

    Ten years after Ebola: An international laboratory partnership is strengthening local laboratories in Guinea and improving the early detection of dangerous viruses.

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  4. A piece of plastic film in the sea

    Read in the sediment
    10/22/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research

    Microplastics as a marker for a new geologic epoch: Researchers propose using plastic particles in sediments to provide geological evidence of the Anthropocene.

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  5. Defective, but not silent
    10/21/2026 · Leibniz Institute of Virology

    A recent study shows why HIV persists in the body for decades despite effective therapy. The findings could pave the way for new strategies to combat the virus.

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  6. Vultures in gliding flight

    Vultures on the thermals
    10/19/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research

    Until now, swimming was considered a particularly energy-efficient mode of transport for wild birds. However, according to a new study, flying with air currents is even more efficient.

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  7. A person wearing protective gear is working in a laboratory

    CAR-T Cell therapy against rheumatism
    09/14/2026 · German Rheumatology Research Center

    Misguided immune cells may be responsible for the recurring flare-ups of rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment with genetically modified immune cells has now led to remission in the first patients.

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  8. A train station at night with illuminated tracks and red signals

    New lighting
    09/14/2026 · Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change

    Amber-coloured LEDs attract significantly fewer insects than conventional station lighting. Based on the results of these studies, Deutsche Bahn has already retrofitted its first stations.

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  9. Unicorn-shaped money box

    Early exposure to capital markets
    09/11/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE

    The “early start pension” offers enormous opportunities to change Germany’s equity culture sustainably, economists say – provided they are structured correctly. A new white paper sets out recommendations.

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  10. Panorama of a forested mountain with green meadows and a winding road

    Mountain formation and biodiversity
    09/09/2026 · Senckenberg Society for Nature Research

    Fossils show that mountain formation and precipitation turned eastern Tibet into a biodiverse habitat as early as about 39 million years ago.

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  11. Seals on a beach

    Two magical seconds
    09/04/2026 · Leibniz-Centre General Linguistics

    People around the world speak at a similar pace. Researchers have now found surprising parallels with animal communication.

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  12.  A woman is standing behind a cacao tree, holding a cacao pod in her hand

    A smoky off-flavour
    08/31/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich

    Chocolate occasionally exhibits smoky or leathery off-flavors. This may be caused by overfermentation of the cocoa beans during processing.

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  13. A golden eagle in a nest made of branches and twigs

    Experience beats skill
    08/28/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research

    When golden eagles leave their parents' territory is not determined by their flying ability. The decisive factors are motivation, competition, food availability, and weather.

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  14. Eruptions in the laboratory
    08/24/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam

    Coronal mass ejections occur regularly on the Sun, but are very rarely observed on other stars. A study reveals the role that magnetic fields play in this process.

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  15. Colourful, mottled fields seen from above

    Between conservation and yield
    08/24/2026 · Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research

    How can we protect agricultural soil whilst meeting the growing demand for food? Five future scenarios.

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  16. A woman stands in the lab in front of brightly lit tanks

    Threatened carbon sinks
    08/21/2026 · Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research

    Seagrass beds sequester large amounts of carbon. However, rising temperatures could significantly reduce their carbon sequestration capacity.

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  17. Photo of two people collecting samples on a Baltic Sea beach. One person is still standing on the beach, while the other is wading into the Baltic Sea wearing waders and carrying a bucket.

    Hidden patterns
    08/10/2026 · Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde

    AI methods for text analysis can be successfully applied to the analysis of environmental samples, a Baltic Sea study demonstrates.

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  18. Visualisation of a barred galaxy from a simulation. In the brightly glowing centre, a central star cluster and a nuclear stellar disc can be seen, surrounded by spiral structures.

    Cosmic conveyor belt
    08/07/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam

    A state-of-the-art simulation shows for the first time that star clusters and stellar disks in galaxies grow together. The results shed new light on the formation history of our Milky Way.

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  19. The four members of the research group in their laboratory

    Hydrogen production from formic acid
    08/06/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Catalysis e.V.

    A new catalyst enables the extraction of hydrogen—a key energy carrier—from bio-based formic acid.

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  20. Smoke over a forest with a firefighting aircraft

    How smoke particles affect the climate
    08/05/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research

    Measurements over Leipzig demonstrate the unusual extent of the wildfires in southern Europe: smoke particles were transported to Germany at various altitudes.

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