Why Autumn Doesn't Actually Start on September 21 This Year

Photo by Eliza Ari on Pexels
If you've been telling people autumn officially began on Monday, you're a couple of days early. In France, as across the Northern Hemisphere, the new season doesn't start on a fixed calendar date, it waits for the equinox, and this year that falls on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. Why September 21 Is a Popular but Incorrect Shortcut September 21 has become a kind of cultural placeholder for "the start of fall" close enough to the real date most years that the assumption sticks, even though...
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Europe Launches Atomic Clocks to Test Einstein's Theories in Space

Europe Launches Atomic Clocks to Test Einstein's Theories in Space

April 22, 2025 • 03:00 PM

In a groundbreaking mission, Europe has dispatched two atomic clocks into space to enhance our understanding of the relationship between gravity and time. The initiative aims to provide synchronized time measurements globally and to validate key principles of Albert Einstein's theories on gravity. The atomic clocks, integrated into a system known as Aces (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space), were launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The capsule,...

Chemesthetic Sensitivity Influences Dietary Choices

Chemesthetic Sensitivity Influences Dietary Choices

January 24, 2025 • 12:00 AM

A recent study conducted at the University of Helsinki has revealed that individual chemesthetic perception, which relates to chemically induced sensations in the mouth, can significantly influence dietary habits and preferences. This doctoral research, led by Doctoral Researcher Sulo Roukka, MSc, examined the relationship between chemesthetic sensitivity and food consumption patterns among participants. Chemesthesis refers to the ability to perceive certain chemical stimuli that evoke tactile...

Orangutan Demonstrates Self-Medication Using Medicinal Plant for Wound Treatment

Orangutan Demonstrates Self-Medication Using Medicinal Plant for Wound Treatment

May 3, 2024 • 12:00 AM

When faced with minor injuries like a cut finger, many of us resort to self-treatment before seeking medical assistance. However, in the dense foliage of the jungle, great apes lack access to conventional medical supplies. Despite this, recent observations suggest that at least some individuals possess knowledge of wound management techniques utilizing natural remedies. A recent study published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports sheds light on this phenomenon. Biologists from the Max...

In 2023, We Became Lost in Neverland on Climate Change

In 2023, We Became Lost in Neverland on Climate Change

December 22, 2023 • 12:00 AM

This year, the UN, governments and even some scientists lost their collective minds on climate change. In July, UNSecretary-General António Guterressaid: "Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning. Children swept away by monsoon rains, families running from the flames (and) workers collapsing in scorching heat." Guterres now claims that "the era of global warming has ended" and "the era of global boiling has arrived." Three months later, Icelandic Prime Minister...

TUM Research Aims to Reduce Antibiotic Use in Poultry Farming

TUM Research Aims to Reduce Antibiotic Use in Poultry Farming

October 27, 2023 • 12:00 AM

Julia Steinhoff-Wagner, a Professor of Animal Nutrition and Metabolism at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), is spearheading an innovative research project focused on the reduction of antibiotic use in poultry farming while maintaining animal welfare standards. In an interview, she delves into the connection between antibiotic usage, animal health, and nutrition. While substantial research on antibiotic resistance is available, could you explain your current project's objectives? Our aim...

Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded to Munich Researcher and Colleagues

Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded to Munich Researcher and Colleagues

October 3, 2023 • 12:00 AM

This year's Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to three researchers, including Ferenc Krausz, the Director of the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching, near Munich. In addition to Krausz, Pierre Agostini from Aix-Marseille University in France and Anne L'Huillier, who teaches at Lund University in Sweden, have also been honored. They are being recognized for their contributions to the field of electron dynamics, as announced by the Swedish Academy of Sciences on Tuesday...

Breakthrough Discovery Unlocks Potential for Highly Sensitive Sensors

Breakthrough Discovery Unlocks Potential for Highly Sensitive Sensors

September 12, 2023 • 12:00 AM

The world of electronic devices is on the brink of a revolution in sensor technology as scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) announce a groundbreaking theoretical extension of parametric amplification. This discovery opens the door to unprecedented sensitivity in sensors, promising enhanced accuracy in location detection for mobile devices and a potential quantum leap in quantum computing. In today's electronic landscape, sensors frequently operate with high-frequency signals,...

Quantum-Safe Data Encryption: Researchers at TUM Take on NIST Challenge

Quantum-Safe Data Encryption: Researchers at TUM Take on NIST Challenge

September 8, 2023 • 12:00 AM

As the world advances technologically, our reliance on the internet for daily tasks grows stronger. From online shopping to banking, we trust that our sensitive data remains secure through encryption. However, the emergence of quantum computing poses a significant threat to our data security, as quantum computers have the potential to crack existing encryption methods. Recognizing the impending challenge, the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) took proactive...

Erbium Dopants Stimulated to Emit Single Photons

Erbium Dopants Stimulated to Emit Single Photons

July 27, 2023 • 12:00 AM

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have made significant progress in the path towards a quantum network by stimulating erbium atoms in crystalline silicon to emit single photons. This breakthrough could pave the way for extended networks linking quantum systems, potentially leading to a future quantum internet. Such a network would enable secure information exchange through fiber-optic connections, providing provable...

Europe's largest aerospace campus set for Munich

Europe's largest aerospace campus set for Munich

July 25, 2023 • 12:00 PM

The largest aerospace campus in Europe will be established in Taufkirchen and Ottobrunn, located in the southern part of Munich, Germany. This mega-project is a collaborative effort between the Free State of Bavaria and the involved municipalities. In late June, they signed a Joint Declaration to pave the way for the development of this new campus, which will be centered around the Department of Aerospace and Geodesy of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Bavarian Minister of Science, Mr....

New method improves measurement of brain activity

New method improves measurement of brain activity

July 17, 2023 • 12:00 AM

Measuring the activity of the human brain on a cell-by-cell basis was previously only possible to a very limited extent. Researchers at Klinikum Rechts der Isar at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed an approach that makes this much easier. They rely on microelectrodes and the support of brain tumor patients: During waking surgeries, they take part in studies. The team was thus able to show how our brain processes numbers. We think about numbers every day. On the one hand,...

Online trials - when the avatar negotiates

Online trials - when the avatar negotiates

July 7, 2023 • 12:00 AM

Online court hearings are becoming increasingly important. Since the Corona crisis, courts have been increasingly working on the introduction of digital court processes. The advantages: Court proceedings can be carried out more quickly and the parties involved no longer have to travel long distances. In addition to the smoother and more efficient court operations, cost and time savings speak in favor of the virtual processes. Critics, on the other hand, point to the necessary technology that is...

German PKV Insurance

German Private Health Insurance

Both private Health Insurance in Germany and public insurance, is often complicated to navigate, not to mention expensive. As an expat, you are required to navigate this landscape within weeks of arriving, so check our FAQ on PKV. For our guide on resources and access to agents who can give you a competitive quote, try our PKV Calculator.

Hospitals

Hospital and Clinic Directory

Germany is famous for its medical expertise and extensive number of hospitals and clinics. See this comprehensive directory of hospitals and clinics across the country, complete with links to their websites, addresses, contact info, and specializations/services.

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Upcoming Events

Linkin Park Special Night

Didn't manage to get a ticket for Linkin Park? Or still not enough after the concert? Join us at CRASH on June 12th for our "IN THE END" Linkin Park Special + CORE NIGHT.All night long, we'll be playing Linkin Park's music, along with Nu Metal, Metalcore, and Alternative Rock from bands such as Limp...

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Dominik Krause has been elected Munich's first openly gay Lord Mayor, ending over 70 years of SPD rule. Full results, biography and what comes next.
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