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Since 2007 the “Religion and Politics” Cluster of Excellence has been carrying out research into the changing relationship between religion and politics right across the ages and across cultures – from ancient Egypt up to the present day. In this guest commentary, spokesperson Prof. Michael Seewald explains what focus the researchers have in their work, and plan to have in the future.

In order to cope with the complex challenges facing our world, we need high-powered mathematical methods which cross over the boundaries between traditional areas of mathematics. This is where the Cluster of Excellence “Mathematics Münster: Dynamics – Geometry – Structure” comes into play. In a guest commentary, spokespersons Prof. Thomas Nikolaus and Prof. Mario Ohlberger provide some examples.

A team from the University of Münster, ETH Zürich and Leibniz-Universität Hannover has investigated a key component of the so-called GM1 cholera toxin complex for the first time using a fluorinated GM1 analogue. The findings on the molecular mechanisms of the strong interaction may help to enable the development of inhibitors that prevent life-threatening cholera infections.

Alongside hypothetical dark matter particles, neutrinos from the sun have long been predicted to be observable in detectors built to search for dark matter nuclear recoil signals. The XENON collaboration has now succeeded in proving this. The Institute of Nuclear Physics at the University of Münster, headed by Prof. Dr. Christian Weinheimer, was also involved. Solar neutrinos are the lightest known elementary particles; they are created in nuclear processes in the sun's interior.

The call for applications for "WiRe (Women in Research) Fellowships" is open until 20 September. The call is aimed at international female postdocs who want to carry out a research project together with a professor at the University of Münster in the coming year. The Department Researchers & Staff of the International Office provides advice to all interested persons.

On the multilingual website "Geo-Sports", an international research team clearly describes the geological features and various landscapes through which the Tour de France will pass this year. Prof. Dr. David de Vleeschouwer and Jana Klisiewicz from the University of Münster report on the 13th stage, which leads through the Aquitaine Basin.

Prof Kai Schmitz's field of work lies at the interface between particle physics and cosmology. In this interview, the physicist talks about the state of cosmological research and still unresolved questions.

The University of Münster is the new research home for three female researchers: On the basis of a fellowship from the Philipp Schwartz Initiative, the Russian Prof. Dr. Elena Marasinova and the Ukrainians Dr. Anna Kornyushchenko and Dr. Larysa Kovbasyuk will be working at different institutes for two years.

A mouse which disappears in a hole, a bee heading for a blossom, a blackbird in full-throated song – animals interact with their environment in certain ways, they display behaviour. This is based on certain evolutionary mechanisms, as biologists Dr. Niklas Kästner and Dr. Tobias Zimmermann explain in their guest article. They run the online magazine “ETHOlogisch – Verhalten verstehen”.

In collaboration with several Fraunhofer institutes and industrial partners, the three-year research project “MANTIS” aims to prevent hacker attacks on gas pipeline networks and other vital infrastructure with the help of quantum encryption. Prof Carsten Schuck, a physicist at the University of Münster, is overseeing one of the sub-projects in the alliance.

Around 3.750 athletes started at this year's Leonardo Campus Run. Despite the heat, the atmosphere was fantastic and all the runners were highly motivated. With 419 participants, the University of Münster was once again the largest group at the popular running event.

Rector Prof. Dr. Johannes Wessels spoke of "a great day for the university and for mathematics" at the laying of the foundation stone for the "Centre of Mathematics Münster". Around 200 researchers from various disciplines want to work together in the planned research building.