Posted on December 8, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Alfred Wegener – an airhead?
Natural EnvironmentsThe meteorologist Alfred Wegener became famous for a record he set in balloon flight: On 5 April 1906, he ascended together with his brother Kurt and stayed in the air for over 52 hours. This beat the previous world record by 17 hours. But the balloon flight was not only for fame, but above all
Posted on December 3, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Swedish wine
Natural EnvironmentsLauri Pappinen can be happy. In 1997, the former computer specialist started growing wine on the Swedish island of Gotland. At the time, many wondered about his crazy idea. Today, Pappinen’s winery is a thriving business that has even found imitators. No wine could thrive above the 50th parallel, it was once said. This wisdom
Posted on December 3, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Snapshot of a planet
Natural EnvironmentsActually, this photo should not be possible at all, but scientists have managed it: the first photograph of a planet outside our solar system. German planet hunters at the European Observatory in Chile have now presented a photo of the star “GQ Lupi” – and clearly separated from it the planet “GQ Lupi b” as
Posted on December 3, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Sand in sight
Natural EnvironmentsGermany’s most famous North Sea island is threatened with extinction. Every year Sylt gets a little smaller. The “Blanke Hans”, as the stormy North Sea is also called, gnaws ceaselessly at the island’s west coast. To stop the shrinking of Sylt, sand is now to be pumped from the seabed onto the beach. A hundred
Posted on December 2, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Mysterious holes in the earth’s crust
Natural EnvironmentsBritish researchers have discovered a hole in the Earth’s crust several thousand square kilometres in size on the seabed. According to the scientists, the Earth’s mantle lies open there. The research ship RSS James Cook is now on its way to examine the spots more closely. The expedition’s first target is a hole between Tenerife
Posted on December 2, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)
Save the rainforest – protect the climate!
Natural EnvironmentsThe tropical rainforest is the most species-rich area on earth: a green wonder of jungle giants, lianas and ferns, inhabited by colourful birds, butterflies and many other animals. But every day huge areas of the rainforest are cut down. This does not only mean the end of many species. Clear-cutting is also a major problem