“A Fine Blade and a Coarse Axe”
Unconventional, without a rigid agenda, and pleasantly informal: the “Hemdsärmelkolloquium” (Häko) follows this tradition to a T—this time at the University of Bonn. Around 300 researchers from solid-state chemistry, physics, and materials science filled the Grand Lecture Hall on the Poppelsdorf campus for three days. Conference fees? None, so that students and doctoral candidates could also participate. Prof. Dr. Robert Glaum from the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry organized the meeting with his team. About 40 years ago, he himself was still sitting in the audience as a student.
Start-up “Datapods” secures six-figure funding
The start-up “Datapods” has secured €500,000 in funding in a pre-seed financing round. “Datapods” was founded in 2024 by University of Bonn alumnus Lukas Stein, along with Jakob Endler, Finn Rübo, and David Goldschmidt.
Plant Knowledge
Starting March 19, 2026, the exhibition series “Plant Knowledge – Ecologies of Memory and Action” at the Global Heritage Lab at the University of Bonn will explore how our relationships with plants, ecosystems and water bodies have evolved historically. The exhibition also opens up perspectives for new forms of coexistence and knowledge production, aiming to encourage sustainable action and mindful coexistence with plants and the environment. The “Plant Knowledge” exhibition thus creates a space for learning and encounter at the intersection of art, science, and urban society. “Plant Knowledge” consists of four consecutive chapters. The opening chapter will be on display at the Global Heritage Lab from March 19 to June 7, 2026. The exhibition will open on March 19, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Global Heritage Lab.
Plant Knowledge
The exhibition series 'Plant Knowledge – Ecologies of Remembering and Acting' will be on display at the Global Heritage Lab at the University of Bonn from March 19, 2026, exploring how our relationships with plants, ecosystems, and bodies of water have developed historically. The exhibition opens up perspectives for new forms of coexistence and knowledge production, aiming to encourage sustainable action and mindful coexistence with plants and the environment. It creates a space for learning and encounter at the intersection of art, science, and urban society. "Plant Knowledge" comprises four consecutive chapters. The opening exhibition will be on display at the Global Heritage Lab from March 19 to June 7, 2026. The exhibition opens on March 19, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the Global Heritage Lab.
Bonn’s (Lack of) Power
The City Museum and the Bonn Adult Education Center, in collaboration with the Department of Early Modern History and Rhenish Regional History at the University of Bonn, invite you to the symposium “Bonn’s (Lack of) Power.” Interested parties are invited to attend the lectures and discussions of the urban history symposium on Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Haus der Bildung, Mülheimer Platz 1, 53111 Bonn. Registration is required.
How to Spot Disinformation: Tips from a Cybersecurity Expert
In late March, representatives of government and the business and scientific communities will meet on the University of Bonn’s Poppelsdorf Campus to discuss one of the most pressing issues of today’s digital age: the targeted dissemination of disinformation. The Bonn Dialogue on Cybersecurity will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm in Lecture Hall 1, Poppelsdorf Campus, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 5, 53115.
What’s in a Name? — The Unknown Faces of History
Most people in history remain nameless, appearing in sources merely as numbers, traits or anonymous figures. A new research project launched by the Cluster of Excellence Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS) and the Department of History (IGW) at the University of Bonn is looking into how these nameless individuals can be analyzed and rendered visible in historical records. It has been awarded €370,000 in funding from the Volkswagen Foundation.
Dishwashing with side effects: Kitchen sponges release microplastics
Kitchen sponges are among the most frequently used household items – and may also represent a previously underestimated source of microplastics. Researchers led by the University of Bonn investigated how many plastic particles are released from sponges during dishwashing and their environmental impacts. The findings show that while measurable amounts of microplastics enter the environment each year, the largest share of environmental impact from manual dishwashing is caused by water consumption.