UNI NOVA – Research Magazine of the University of Basel

Understanding animals from their appearance

Interview: Urs Hafner / As a philosopher focusing on animals, Markus Wild often meets with a positive response outside the university. He believes that philosophy helps people to gain a better understanding of animals – and that we see evidence of this across the world.

Research in the spirit of sustainability

Thomas Pfluger / Our generation is consuming energy and resources as if there were no tomorrow. To take just one example, the Swiss consume between 11 and 12 million tonnes of oil a year. Even though the reserves may have a few decades of life left, what will we do when they are exhausted?

Plant life is already reacting to climate change

Thomas Pfluger / What will the Swiss countryside look like in 50 years’ time? With climate change, the growing conditions for plants are also changing. Ansgar Kahmen, Professor of Sustainable Land Use in the Department of Botany at the at the University of Basel, is looking at how plant life is reacting to these changes.

Not all that is green is sustainable

Oliver Klaffke / In the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Basel, Paul Burger conducts research into sustainable behavior. He examines its consequences, how to encourage it, and the reasons why people choose to live by sustainable principles.

Fungi, plastics and sustainability

Oliver Klaffke / Researchers at the University of Basel are investigating how fungi and bacteria decompose wood. This basic research is facilitating the production of new materials – and might also provide clues about processes that maintain human health.

“Some fundamental uncertainties remain”.

Interview: Matthias Geering and Thomas Pfluger / UNI NOVA spoke to Frank Krysiak about sustainability research and its importance to Swiss politics.

The spirit is willing, but the urge to consume is stronger

Oliver Klaffke / “Promoting sustainability is not about preaching self-denial.”

Swiss electricity flows before and after energy transition

Public opinion and climate change