News - Natural Sciences, Aarhus University

Professor Jørgen Kjems is awarded the Novo Nordisk Prize 2018. (Photo: Novo Nordisk Fonden)

2018.01.31 | Public / media, Staff

AU Professor awarded the Novo Nordisk Prize 2018

Professor at Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and iNANO Jørgen Kjems is receiving the 2018 Novo Nordisk Prize for his pioneering interdisciplinary studies of how RNA, the biological cousin of DNA, plays a key role in regulating cells and has enormous future potential in treating disease. The Novo Nordisk Foundation awards the Prize,…

Professor Niels Peter Revsbech is head of WATEC. Photo: Lars Kruse, AU

2018.01.23 | Public / media, Staff

Poul Due Jensen Foundation pumps DKK 40 million into water technology research at Aarhus University

With four donations totalling more than DKK 40 million, Aarhus University's new Centre for Water Technology (WATEC) is off to a flying start and headed for a place among the international elite within the field of research into sustainable water cycles. This is largest sum ever donated to water research by the Poul Due Jensen Foundation.

Associated Professor Cristiano Spotti, Department of Mathematics, Aarhus University.

2018.01.23 | Public / media, Staff

Mathematician receives DKK 7 million from VILLUM Young Investigator

Associated Professor Cristiano Spotti, Department of Mathematics, receives the grant. The VILLUM Young Investigator grant is awarded to research talents to support the creation of independent research profiles.

By placing layers of two dimensional materials on top of each other it was possible for a Danish lead research group to leap forward towards the development of new materials that might lead to the technology of the future. (ill: Søren Ulstrup et al)
Søren Ulstrup participated in the development of a new method that can see deep within the atomic structure of materials and has observed an elusive phenomenon – a trionic particle. The young physicist will now start building a new experiment at the particle accelerator ASTRID2 at Aarhus University, which will allow him to understand the deeper implications of trions for understanding the electronic structure of matter. (foto: Rasmus Rørbæk)
How the method works: Intense light from the Advanced Light Source is radiated on the sample from the bottom right side of this illustration. The light propagates from a slit and saturates the focusing optical element that works like a filter that only permits the ultra focused light to reach the sample. This focusing scheme sets this particular method apart from how such experiments were done before, as it allows for much better focus. Once the light reaches the sample the electrons are knocked out and measured by the spectrometer. (ill: Søren Ulstrup)
The new particle: The left image shows the “layer-cake” with h-BN (boron nitride) as the violet base of the cake and WS2 (tungsten disulfide) as the green frosting on the cake. The image behind the cake shows the actual effect where the colors relate to the energy spectrum of the electrons in the material as measured by microARPES. The series of images to the right shows the effect of electron doping on the so-called valence and conduction bands of the semiconductor. The arrows illustrate the appearance of the trion, which has been sketched in the last image on the right. (ill: Søren Ulstrup)

2018.01.24 | Science and Technology, Public / media

Observation of new phenomenon in materials physics

A young Danish scientist succeeded in creating nothing less than a revolution in materials physics. Together with a group of American scientists he created a new method to look deep within the world of atoms, and with this new technique they observed an exotic particle that will have wide-reaching implications for finding new exciting material…

Several glaciers flow into the area of Young Sound where researchers have shown that heat from the Earth's interior warms up the bottom water of the fjord. (Photo: Mikael Sejr).
Researchers from Aarhus University and the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources analyse bottom water from Young Sound, North-East Greenland. (Photo: Mikael Sejr).
Although it may be biting cold over the water, heat from the Earth's interior is transported to the bottom water of Young Sound, North-East Greenland. (Photo: Wieter Boone).
Sampling in Young Sound in spring where the sea ice still lies as a solid lid on the fjord. (Photo: Søren Rysgaard).
Although it may be biting cold over the water, heat from the Earth's interior is transported to the bottom water of Young Sound, North-East Greenland. Here the researchers are on their way to taking samples in October just before the sea ice returns. (Photo: Mikael Sejr).

2018.01.21 | Public / media

Heat loss from the Earth triggers ice sheet slide towards the sea

In North-East Greenland, researchers have measured the loss of heat that comes up from the interior of the Earth. This enormous area is a geothermal “hot spot” that melts the ice sheet from below and triggers the sliding of glaciers towards the sea.

2018.01.12 | Public / media, Staff

DKK 120 million for Aarhus University from the Novo Nordisk Foundation

Two researchers from Science and Technology have each received DKK 60 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge Programme to establish two new interdisciplinary research centres: one for biomolecular medicine and the other for environment and health.

2018.01.11 | Science and Technology, Public / media

Breakthrough in solar driven organic synthesis using cheap catalyst

Researchers from the groups of Flemming Besenbacher and Nina Lock at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) at Aarhus University and Synfuels China Technology Co. Ltd. demonstrate the commercial potential of solar driven N-N coupling reactions in a new study published in Nature Communications.

A picture of dark sunspots and bright diffuse faculae (best seen around the edges). The study shows how the larger mix of heavy elements leave the spots unchanged, while increasing the contrast of the bright diffuse faculae. Photo: NASA / SDO

2018.01.18 | Public / media

Special star is a Rosetta Stone for understanding the sun's variability and climate effect

A new study of a star almost identical to the Sun brings us closer to understanding the physical mechanism behind the solar cycle, and could help us understand how the Sun affects our climate.

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