New Science Communication Projects Inspire Enthusiasm for Research

Fish with a shortage of omega-3 fatty acids in their diet literally become stupid. They have a harder time finding food, have less stamina, and have problems with orientation. Such fish are becoming increasingly common: Due to higher temperatures as a result of climate change, less omega-3 producing algae is available to the insects the fish eat. These are some of the findings of a research project known as “4FatQ," which was carried out at the WasserCluster Lunz. The problem does not only affect fish. "Algae are at the very beginning of all food chains globally. If food quality declines due to climate change, this is a problem for humanity," says ecologist Libor Závorka, who conducted the 4FatQ study with his research group SciFish. The findings were the inspiration for the Science Communication project: The aim of "BrainFood" is to get as many people as possible interested in the connection between cognition and nutrition and to help them understand the close ecological connection between humans and the natural world. In the project, Libor Závorka and aquatic ecologist Gabriele Weigelhofer are working with a team to develop a digital platform with immersive and interactive features (stories, videos, games, quizzes, etc.) that will make it easy for the general public to explore these connections however they like and at their own pace. "We will test the prototypes on visitors to the nature museum ‘Haus der Wildnis’ and improve them based on their feedback," says Weigelhofer. The platform should be entertaining and fun, but not turn science into just a spectacle. "It should become clear that these topics are relevant for society, for the economy, for life, and not just an interesting biological curiosity."

Probably everyone has already given at least some thought to the topic of the Science Communication project "From Brain to Mind”: Where does the "mind" begin? Where in the brain can it be localized? What is the mind anyway, and how can it be explored? Based on the FWF-funded Doctoral Program "Imaging the Mind," B2M wants to use videos and podcasts to invite people to approach the phenomenon of the mind less metaphysically and more scientifically. "Neurocognitive science is at a point now where we can research memories, for example, or visualize the processes that are set in motion when you think about something specific or transition from sleep to wakefulness," says Pavlos Topalidis, who is leading the project. “Emotions or physical states also leave traces in the brain and can be measured with the right methods." B2M will focus on the findings of the 10-year Doctoral Program "Imaging the Mind." Researchers, students, and doctoral students involved in the program will talk about their work and present important results and methodologies. The aim is to reach the public as well as students, teachers, healthcare professionals, and the scientific community. "We tailor the content to the target group so that everyone learns something that is relevant to them," says Topalidis. "I think it's universities' job to open up and communicate as much as possible about what they do; to tell people what actually happens in the labs. It would also be great if you could just go to a university's website and get stuck there, simply because there are so many exciting things to learn and experience."

As one of the first organs to develop in an embryo, the brain is also the most complex. 3,300 different types of cells form during embryonic development, and they all distribute themselves to the places in the brain where they belong. "The brain is not only complex, but also the most beautiful organ on a cellular level," says Nicole Amberg. The neurologist investigates how the developing brain cells "know" where to go and which processes assign them their tasks and their resulting form. Nicole Amberg wants to pass on her fascination with the brain and her curiosity for exploring and investigating it – to start, the BraiNFC Science Communication project will be addressing children between the ages of eight and ten. The heroine of her story is a brain stem cell who nodded off during the development process and now has to find out where it belongs and where it can still produce nerve cells. The children are put in the role of this stem cell and experience first-hand how brain development works. In addition to the digital platform, there will also be a book and a game character. "It is important that scientists report on their research and explain the connections," says Amberg with regard to her research, which ultimately also aims to shed light on how brain development can go wrong. "Knowing the causes helps people feel a sense of reassurance and control, especially when they're struggling with difficult diagnoses."

Almost ten years ago, climate scientist and geologist Gina Moseley and a research team set off to Greenland for the first time to explore caves in the northern part of the island. The researchers were looking for mineral deposits, known as speleothems, which could provide information about the climate of past millennia. At an altitude of 600 meters in the steep cliffs of Greenland and located in the middle of a polar desert, the caves are very difficult to reach. The 2015 expedition gave paleoclimatologists access to an entirely new climate archive dating back millions of years. This first adventurous expedition was followed by further trips, establishing the first Arctic speleothem research group and producing sensational finds, including pollen from millions of years ago. The monumental research successes and breakthroughs also had a dark side for Gina Moseley, however, as they happened with practically no contact with the native Greenlanders. They were what Moseley criticizes as "parachute science": "We arrive, fly close to the caves by helicopter, explore, and then leave again. I was on the radio in Greenland maybe once." KINDLE is intended to bring the “parachute” down to the ground: For this Science Communication project, the researchers got in touch with the ILLU Science and Art Hub in Ilulissat, which is now a cooperation partner. The research team will spend a whole month, ideally in summer 2025, in Ilulissat in western Greenland supervising a multimedia exhibition and workshops about the caves. KINDLE addresses the general population of Greenland with a series of films about the research in the caves. "We want to make our research accessible so that it can also be understood by very young people," says Moseley. In addition to the films and workshops, a photo exhibition is also planned: "The caves are incredibly beautiful. Forty meters high and wide. Birds live in them. We want the people of Greenland to be able to see this." KINDLE will be produced in Greenlandic and later translated into English and German. "It would be great if we could get people excited about paleoclimatology. Perhaps we can also increase interest in the caves, as they are still virtually unexplored."