Cultural Studies

New cross-cultural study reveals that the bond between humans and dogs remains remarkably consistent across societies more

Study documents similar assessments across cultures more

The Max Planck Society and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation are this year honouring three researchers who have achieved extraordinary things at the boundaries of law, political science, and history more

A cross-cultural study tests the extent to which the consumption of wine and beer facilitated the evolution of human societies more

How pieces of music by different composers and genres develop can be anticipated for different periods of time more

Amateur and professional dancers are less neurotic than people who do not dance, study shows more

Genetic analyses of Celtic burial mounds from 500 BCE reveal close relationships and provide new insights into the power structures of early Celtic elites more

First-mover advantage may be key to success in the music industry more

An analysis of the famous composer's genetic make-up has revealed that DNA data has so far been too imprecise in capturing a person's abilities more

Researchers use Facebook data to prove that migration movements and culinary preferences are linked more

The year 2024 saw Max Planck scientists publishing exceptional research across disciplines. We have selected twelve highlights to share more

In the coming nights, the Perseid meteors will streak across the skies more

The sight of a bright comet has fascinated people at all times. But what is behind such a celestial spectacle? It was only in modern times that researchers discovered the phenomenon - by which time the tail stars had already had a long career as bringers of bad luck or divine messengers. more

What people find beautiful is highly individual. Aenne Brielmann and her team at the Max Planck Institute of Biological Cybernetics want to know how the perception of beauty comes about and what effect environmental design has on our well-being.  more

Football clubs in former coal mining areas play an important role in terms of social cohesion between the now unemployed more

An essay by Peter van der Veer on the different ways of dealing with face masks, toilet paper and the fear of death in Asia and the western world more

In an age of modern anatomy atlases and freely available online body-browsers, Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings of organs and body parts done with quill, ink and red chalk may strike us as aesthetically pleasing, yet antiquated. Nevertheless, almost everyone in Germany carries a reproduction of his famous Vitruvian Man with them – on their health insurance card. Alessandro Nova, Director at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz, on the other hand, explores Leonardo’s work in the light of the scientific knowledge it generates. more

Salmonella enterica, the bacterium responsible for enteric fever, may be the long-debated cause of the 1545-1550 AD “cocoliztli” epidemic in Oaxaca, Mexico that heavily affected the native population. more

The more a poem evokes vivid sensory imagery, the more we like it more

Max Planck researchers discover the oldest ever images of dogs on leashes more

In this video, anthropologist Rosalia Engchuan talks about her research in Indonesia. She looks at how Indonesian filmmakers respond to the challenges of their social and environmental surroundings and how they influence the development of moral values, for example, through solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. more