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Plant biodiversity in Europe: Study shows why an increase in plant species isn’t good news
29 Jun 2026 | The number of plant species in many ecosystems in Europe has grown rather than shrunk over the last 100 years. However, this is not necessarily cause for celebration as this local increase is primarily due to generalists and non-native species, which compete with the original native species. Moreover, the overall number of species has not increased across Europe. These were the findings of an international research team led by MLU. In its latest study, published in the scientific journal “Nature Communications”, the team analysed more than 57,000 time series of plant biodiversity across various habitats in Europe.
Researchers at MLU solve a 50-year-old mystery: how acid removes water from proteins
01 Jun 2026 | Proteins systematically lose their protective hydration shell when their environment becomes more acidic. Until recently this was just a theory. State-of-the-art imaging techniques have helped researchers at MLU directly observe this process for the first time at the level of the individual water molecule. This has answered a question in biochemistry that had remained unanswered for 50 years. In an article published in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” (PNAS), the team writes that this knowledge could help to develop more stable proteins.
New maps show where European landscapes can advance climate and biodiversity goals together
26 May 2026 | Across Europe, many landscapes show strong potential to move forward climate mitigation, climate adaptation, and biodiversity benefits, with low socio‑economic risk, according to an analysis using a new climate‑smart rewilding framework published in "One Earth". The study was conducted by researchers from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), the MLU, and the EU Horizon project WildE.
More than just acid: researchers discover new active compounds in ant venom
18 May 2026 | The venom of forest ants and horse ants contains numerous substances that protect the insects from pathogens. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and Freie Universität Berlin have succeeded for the first time in identifying and characterising these novel antimicrobial substances in the insects’ venom. These substances are peptides, small protein molecules. The study, published in the journal ‘Science Advances’, provides new insights into nest protection and the management of microbes in insect communities. At the same time, the newly discovered substances could provide fresh impetus for medical drug discovery.
Study: Bumblebees are hosts for dangerous bee virus
24 Mar 2026 | Wild bumblebees serve as key hosts for acute bee paralysis virus. While the virus appears to cause little harm to bumblebees, infection is usually fatal to honeybees. Until now, it was assumed that honeybees were the key host for the virus. By using data from extensive field trials, a team from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and Georg August University of Göttingen has now identified the red-tailed bumblebee as the key host for acute bee paralysis virus. Their study was published in the journal “Ecology Letters” and could help inform policies that aim at curbing the spread of such diseases in nature.
Psychology: Study shows limits of multitasking
11 Mar 2026 | Even with highly extensive training, the human brain is not really capable of performing two tasks simultaneously. Moreover, even the smallest deviations from trained routines can have a significant impact on how quickly and successfully people complete tasks simultaneously. This is shown by a new study conducted by MLU, the FernUniversität in Hagen and the Medical School Hamburg. It was recently published in the “Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology”.
