In the age of voice messages and videos, writing is easily forgotten. Yet for millennia, it has been the central medium of our cultural memory: it stores knowledge and tells stories. Simple symbols give rise to entire worlds in the mind—almost like cinema without popcorn. Whether painted or carved in stone, it lasts an astonishingly long time. Without it, we would know little about the past. Even before humans could read, they interpreted signs: they read animal tracks, navigated by the stars, and determined the time of day by the sun’s position. Egyptologist Prof. Ludwig Morenz of the University of Bonn describes the long road to writing in his new book. 

What cognitive frameworks underlie concepts of God in ancient Israel? A new research group at the University of Bonn is investigating this question. It is receiving nearly two million euros in funding from the German Research Foundation. The principal investigator is Prof. Dr. Jan Dietrich from the Faculty of Protestant Theology. Scientists from Bonn are also involved in two other new research groups examining how Chinese technology companies create new dependencies (political science) and how the Earth’s rotation can be measured even more precisely (geodesy).

An international team of researchers from LMU, the University of Zurich, University of Bonn and further partners investigated ash residues from incense burners. The substances they discovered show that Pompeii was part of a global trade network. 

The Faculty of Medicine Bonn has once again been successful in the Freiraum (“Free Space”) grant program run by the Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre, a foundation for promoting innovative teaching in higher education. April will see the launch of three new teaching projects designed to improve practical teaching on medical degree programs with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies. The teams from the University of Bonn and University Hospital Bonn are receiving over €1 million in all to turn their ideas into reality.

From computer chips and cloud computing to artificial intelligence, Germany and the rest of Europe want to become less dependent on digital technologies from abroad by driving forward their own innovations. The Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) at the University of Bonn has now prepared a policy brief, in cooperation with the Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications, Vodafone’s European think tank. The paper tackles the continent’s “digital trade deficit” and shows how hidden trade dependencies on the US and China are raising questions about the effectiveness of current European strategies.

Starting next Wednesday, April 1, 2026, summer hours will once again be in effect at the University of Bonn’s Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Garden at Poppelsdorf Castle and the Medicinal and Ornamental Plant Garden on Katzenburgweg will then be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Thursdays even until 8 p.m. Admission is free on weekdays; on weekends and holidays, an admission fee of 4 euros (reduced rate 2 euros) applies.

Dominik Eulberg's biodiversity show focuses on the biodiversity crisis as a central challenge of our time. Eulberg translates ecological knowledge into visual and auditory experiences. Scientific findings become emotionally accessible. The show encourages reflection and responsible action. It takes place on April 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the CAMPO Campus Cafeteria in Poppelsdorf.

In late March, a high-ranking delegation from the Canadian Western University visited the University of Bonn to expand existing relationships, particularly in the field of neuroscience, and form new collaborations in an array of disciplines.