International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025 – Quantum Birds
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2025 is the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Nowadays, quantum mechanics is so much more than just a lecture in a physics course. It is a field of fundamental research that forms the basis for many new technologies. These include, for example, quantum computers, quantum communication, quantum sensors and quantum simulation. The Institute of Physics has created a website for the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology and we are very pleased that we were able to present one of our main areas of research: The secret compass of migrating birds on a molecular level. (Image: Luca Silberg)
School project “kids4kids”
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Miriam Liedvogel leads the school project kids4kids, which is funded by the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony. As part of the initiative, Miriam’s office was recently transformed into a podcast studio, where six pupils from Neues Gymnasium Wilhelmshaven interviewed experts on migratory birds. The students asked curious questions, challenged each other in science quizzes, and explored the world of research through their own lens. The podcast is just one facet of the kids4kids project, which aims to explore innovative approaches to science communication and make them accessible and engaging for kids. (Image: Miriam Liedvogel)
Basil el Jundi has been appointed Professor of Navigation Biology
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Congratulations to Basil el Jundi on his newly appointed position as Professor of Navigation Biology at the Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences. His research is centered on the behavioral and neural mechanisms of spatial orientation and navigation in animals. Basil investigates a wide range of topics, from behavioral studies in the field and in the laboratory to neuroanatomical techniques and electrophysiological approaches in navigating animals. We wish him continued success in this new role! (Image: Daniel Schmidt)
Spring meeting of CRC 1372 at the Ruhr University Bochum
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50 members of the Collaborative Research Centre 1372 from Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, and Berlin gathered at Ruhr University Bochum for a three-day meeting hosted by the Biopsychology Group led by Onur Güntürkün. The event featured scientific talks, poster sessions, small group discussions, and informal exchanges during walks through the university’s botanical garden. The meeting fostered intensive dialogue, project development, and the formation of new collaborations. Special thanks go to the Biopsychology Group. (Image: Angelika Einwich)
Watching electron motion in solid
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Daniel Timmer, Antonietta De Sio, Christoph Lienau and their team have made a breakthrough in the study of extremely fast electron movements. In their article “Phase-cycling and double-quantum two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy using a common-path birefringent interferometer“, they present a new spectroscopic method in the journal Optica. This new method opens a range of exciting new experimental possibilities in spectroscopy and microscopy. 2D spectroscopy is, for example, ideally suited for probing coherent dynamics and charge transfer processes in European robin cryptochrome 4 proteins. (Image: Marcus Windus)
CRC 1372 Symposium ‘Moving beyond the sensory basis and mechanisms of animal navigation’
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The Collaborative Research Centre 1372 organised its first international symposium entitled ‘Moving beyond the sensory basis and mechanisms of animal navigation’. From 18 to 20 February, 110 participants came together in Oldenburg to exchange ideas, discuss new and old projects and to network. The symposium offered a series of exciting talks on topics such as moth navigation by Eric Warrant, magnetotactic bacteria by Dirk Schüler, robots flying like birds by David Lentink and quantum phenomena in optical cavities by Christian Schneider. There were also poster presentations where young scientists were able to present their research projects. Thanks to the scientific organisers Miriam Liedvogel, Pauline Fleischmann and Ilia Solov’yov – the symposium was a resounding success. (Image: Angelika Einwich)
Quantum Birds – Radiolab podcast
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Henrik Mouristen explains how one of the biggest mysteries in biology might finally find an answer in the weird world of quantum mechanics – where the classical rules of space and time are upended and electrons dance to the beat of an enormous invisible force field that surrounds our planet. (Image: Jared Bartmann)
Desert ants’ magnetic navigation
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Pauline Fleischmann has participated in an interview for the CBC. In this interview, she expounds on her research topic: Desert ants that navigate the endless sands of the Sahara using the Earth’s magnetic field to find their way. Unlike other animals like birds and turtles they don’t appear to have an internal compass that aligns north and south. Instead they are unique in that they use a more subtle cue – the polarity of the magnetic field. A study looking at this, led by Pauline, was published in Current Biology. (Image: Robin Grob)
A kickstart to uncover the role of magnetoreception in nocturnal navigating Australian moths
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Pauline Fleischmann was awarded a Research Partnership Kickstart Travel Grant in 2024 by the Company of Biologists. These funds support a junior faculty member to visit another institution and to initiate a new research partnership. The company of Biologists tells about Paulines story, how the travel grant enables her to visit Eric Warrants Bogong moth field sites in Australia and to secure a research grant based on this collaboration to study the nature of the magnetic sense of nocturnal long-distance navigating Australian Bogong moths, Agrotis infusa.
Desert ants and their mysterious sense of orientation
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The NDR visited Pauline Fleischmann at the University of Oldenburg and gave a comprehensive report on her fascinating research into the orientation sense of desert ants. In addition to fieldwork in extremely hot regions such as Greece, Pauline also transported two nests from the desert to the north to conduct experiments with her students.
Inspired by the animal world
Miriam Liedvogel and Henrik Mouritsen gave an interview in which they talked about the importance of animal navigation not only for conservation, but also for quantum technologies and autonomous vehicles. They highlight the critical role of migration in the global ecosystem and the challenges facing migratory species due to climate change. They explained that insights from animal navigation could also inspire improvements in autonomous technological systems, using many simple sensors for navigation rather than a few complex ones. (Image: Matthias Knust)
Hirn gehört- Episode 42- ‘Ants are the coolest animals ever’ with Dr. Pauline Fleischmann
Pauline Fleischmann presents her research subjects, desert ants, with evident enthusiasm, admiration, and passion. The ants provide the scientist at the Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Oldenburg with the opportunity to establish her own research niche and to investigate the magnetic sense of these fascinating insects as part of the Collaborative Research Centre 1372 .
Navigating through the postdoc career while exploring navigation systems in Cataglyphi desert ants
Pauline Fleischmann was interviewed by the Myrmecological News Blog. Her research focuses on understanding the role of the magnetic sense in navigation in desert ants. During her doctoral studies, Pauline investigated the mechanisms by which ants acquire their navigational skills and identified the utilization of the geomagnetic field for directional orientation. She is currently pursuing research aimed at elucidating the mechanisms by which ants detect and process magnetic information. (Image: Robin Grob)
Submission of full proposal
Today, we handed in our full proposal to the DFG. It was a great team effort, and we are now looking forward to present NaviSense to the reviewers in Bonn. The decision about the Cluster of Excellences to be funded will be made in May 2025.
New electron microscope reveals tiny structures
The university has recently procured a state-of-the-art electron microscope, which is accessible to external researchers. The high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscope is capable of imaging structures as small as 0.5 billionths of a metre (nanometres) and will be used by researchers of NaviSense. (Image: Matthias Knust)
The Baltic bat migration forecast
BatCast, initiated by Oliver Lindecke, provides real-time updates on the bat migration along the Baltic Sea coast, offering a unique window into the nocturnal journeys of these remarkable mammals. Our daily reports from Pape Station in Latvia include bat flight counts, weather impacts, and behavioural observations, connecting scientific research and the public to the wonders of an animal migration that covers the whole European continent. In autumn 2024, a total of 15,670 bats were caught!
3rd long night of science
Together with 13 other scientists, Sandra Bouwhuis and Miriam Liedvogel took part in the Long Night of Science in the Botanical Garden in Wilhelmshaven, where various research projects were presented in a relaxed atmosphere. Topics included bird flu in common terns and the fascination of bird migration.
NaviSense retreat in Hude
In the last two days, the NaviSense PIs and cooperation partners met in Hude close to Oldenburg to work intensely on the full proposal. Next to fruitful scientific discussions, we also enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other better during the breaks or on a walk.
The sixth sense: neural circuitry in the retina for magnetoreception in migratory birds
Today, Karin Dedek was invited to give a talk at the University of Bergen. Karin’s research focuses on the molecular basis of sensory biology, specifically on the retinal circuitry involved in magnetoreception in night-migratory songbirds like European robins. It involves studying the retinal distribution of double cones, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells, as well as conducting electrophysiological measurements to explore the role of cryptochrome 4 and its potential interaction partners in avian magnetoreception. (Image: Karin Dedek)
From here to Africa and back! How do birds migrate?
As part of the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the University of Oldenburg, an adventure day was organized for children. Ornithologist Heiko Schmaljohann gave a talk for the kids on the strategies used by migratory birds to avoid getting lost during their long journeys.
Restoring breeding habitat for terns
This spring, the Institute of Avian Research is partnering with the Lower Saxony National Park Administration (NLPVW) and Alliance for Nature Conservation in Dithmarschen e.V. (BniD) to restore several small islands at a former clay mining pit in Augustgroden as suitable breeding areas for terns, avocets and gulls. During several weekends in March and April, and with lots of support, three islands and a peninsula were cleared of vegetation and secured with electric fences to counteract the omnipresent high predation pressure from mammals, especially foxes, raccoon dogs and brown rats.
Minister Falko Mohrs visited NaviSense
Today, we had the honour to welcome Falko Mohrs, the Minister for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony, at University of Oldenburg to introduce NaviSense to him. After Henrik Mouristen introduced the concept of NaviSense, we showed Falko Mohrs some of our facilities like our unique non-magnetic houses where animals can be tested in different magnetic field conditions and our quantum microscope facility where we can study the quantum optical properties of single molecules. Next to NaviSense, Falko Mohrs also visited the two other Cluster of Excellences Hearing4all and Ocean Floor. (Image: Daniel Schmidt)
NaviSense is selected to apply for the full proposal
Today, we received the great news that we mastered the first big step in the application process of the Exzellenzstrategie. We are very happy to be one of the 41 out of 143 selected draft proposals which get the chance to write the full proposal. Thank you to all the people who were involved so far and we are very much looking forward to further develop and work on our NaviSense concept and visions.
Hirn gehört – Episode 34 – Craving for ornithology – especially when songbirds migrate with Prof. Dr. Heiko Schmaljohann
Heiko Schmaljohann has been fascinated by birds since he was a child, and it has accompanied and motivated him during his studies, doctorate and research. Today he is a professor of migration ecology at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, researching how bird migration and bird navigation work. Listen and learn exciting things about the physical fitness and irreplaceable ecosystem service of the 20 gram songbirds!
For Women in Science project: Bike trailers on the road
Pauline Fleischmann received the L’Oréal “For Woman in Science „award in 2021. She used the prize money, which is intended for projects to improve the balance between research and family life, to buy trailers that can be borrowed each semester by female students with small children at our university. (Image: Nele Claus)
For Women in Science Event in Berlin
In a panel talk, five alumnae of the German L’Oréal-UNESCO funding program ‘For Women in Science’, including Pauline Fleischmann (2021), discussed their personal experiences in the academic environment and the extent to which the funding program has influenced their paths. (Image: L’Oréal, Thomas Rafalzyk)
Opening our tern exhibition
Today we welcomed Minister Falko Mohrs of the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony to the Institute of Avian Research to show him the institute and then to have him join us in officially opening our common tern exhibition at the Banter See. It was an absolutely wonderful day, and we are hugely grateful to Uwe Franzen and Maria Röbbelen for turning our science into magic, to the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt and NBank for funding this adventure, and to Peter Becker and the tern team members throughout the years without whose hard work there would be much less to show our visitors. (Image: Sandra Bouwhuis (left), Stephan Giesers (right))
“Zukunftstag” (”Future day”) 2023
“Future day” at the Institute of Avian Research, tern colony and soon-to-open museum. The kids were doing a “Schnitzeljagd” at the Banter See and learned a lot about the data collection of an ornithologist. They observed birds, measured the size of eggs and they even ringed an articial chick. A working day very well spent with 7 wonderful kids!
The Meridian – Finding the way using starlight
Marie Dacke was invited as guest in the Meridian, an astronomy podcast from Lund Observatory. In this last episode of the third season Marie talks about her research field where she is studying nocturnal animals and how they navigate using the stars.