Press Releases

Nitrogen fertilizers and nitrogen oxides from fossil fuels pollute the air and drinking water, lead to the over-fertilization of water bodies and terrestrial ecosystems, reduce biodiversity and damage the ozone layer. On balance, however, they have a cooling effect on the climate. more

Tropical forests are continuously being fragmented and damaged by human influences. Using remote sensing data and cutting-edge data analysis methods, researchers can now show for the first time that the impact of this damage is greater than previously estimated. more

Plant observations collected with plant identification apps such as Flora Incognita allow statements about the developmental stages of plants - both on a small scale and across Europe. more

With "Mission ATTO", the research project ATTO sends German students from grade 8 onwards on a fictional research trip to the Brazilian rainforest. more

The devastating storms, rainfall, heatwaves and droughts of the past year have become more likely and more severe as a result of global warming more

Storing carbon in the soil can help to mitigate climate change. Soil organic matter bound to minerals in particular can store carbon in the long term. A new study shows that the formation of mineral-associated organic matter depends primarily on the type of mineral, but is also influenced by land use and cultivation intensity. more

The international Cabo Verde Atmospheric Observatory (CVAO) is being further expanded: The President of the Republic of Cabo Verde José Maria Neves and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier laid the foundation stone on Thursday for a new laboratory building on São Vicente, one of the Cape Verde Islands off Africa. The Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry was involved in the construction of the station and has since been conducting long-term measurements of the greenhouse gases methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, among others, at the CVAO. more