For two years now, the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg has had a new department where researchers study the atmospheres of extrasolar planets. Its young director Laura Kreidberg has made a name for herself with sensational observations and is one of the lucky ones who will be observing with the new James Webb Space Telescope.
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In order to support people in therapy or in everyday life in the future, machines will have to be capable of feeling and gently touching their human counterparts. Katherine J. Kuchenbecker and her team at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart are currently developing the technology required for this objective and are already testing sensitive robots for initial applications.
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