Max Planck Institutes and Experts

Through observations of the exoplanet WASP-121 b with the Hubble Space Telescope, we have studied the atmospheric conditions on the night side of a hot Jupiter in detail for the first time. Incorporating measurements from the dayside, we determined the temperature profile in the stratosphere and an unusual water cycle between the two hemispheres. This study is a significant step towards deciphering the global matter and energy cycles in the atmospheres of exoplanets.

Recent observations have revealed that the first quasars are often surrounded by bright, giant nebulae. These span up to several 100,000 light years, about ten times larger than the quasar host galaxy. According to new detailed computer simulations of galaxy evolution performed at MPA, the observed extended nebulae can be explained as quasar light that reflects off surrounding cool neutral hydrogen clouds. Crucially, this mechanism only works if the energy provided by the quasar is able to produce gigantic galactic winds that blow out large masses of gas from its immediate vicinity.
 

A research project led by the Lise Meitner Group at the Bibliotheca Hertziana is exploring waste, heritage and the links between the two. Taking a historical approach, it analyses the ways in which by-products of early modern artistic processes were not wasted but rather reused, often in other objects. The group also takes a contemporary view, reflecting on the role waste as a cultural product has played and continues to play in shaping our societies. The group’s ongoing “Wastework” initiative ties both these research strands together.

How does cancer arise? How does the cellular composition of a tumor change its malignant characteristics? These questions are difficult to answer, yet crucial to understand cancer and find a cure. Together with my two research groups, I succeeded in developing a completely new diagnostic approach to get one step closer to this goal. By combining four modern methods, we have developed a very powerful technology to better understand the mechanisms of health and disease.

Imagine you could take a medicine that combats the ill health that comes with age, and keeps you living healthily for longer. Scientists are trying to find a drug that has these effects. The current most promising anti-ageing drug is Rapamycin, known for its positive effects on health and lifespan in laboratory animals. However, potential negative side effects and a lack of clinical data for its effects hold back its usage as a geroprotector. Our findings are helping to understand how this drug works, to open new doors for a potential application in humans.