➀ Researchers at the Chemnitz University of Technology are studying the efficiency of organic solar cells;

➁ The slow current flow in organic solar cells is due to the disordered structure of the light-absorbing layers;

➂ Transport resistance, caused by slow charge carriers, reduces the fill factor and power output of the solar cells.

➀ The book 'Statistical Machine Learning for Engineering with Applications' is published by Prof. Dr. Anita Schöbel and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Franke, providing an accessible introduction to the concepts and methods of machine learning.

➁ The book aims to familiarize readers with basic topics like classification trees, Bayesian learning, neural networks, and deep learning, emphasizing practical applications and interpretation over mathematical details.

➂ It includes several detailed case studies based on real industrial projects, covering a wide range of technical applications from vehicle manufacturing to process and material technology, and process optimization through image analysis.

➀ Swiss company Sensirion's sensors are being sent into space this month as part of the Wobble2 experiment;

➁ The purpose of the experiment is to improve fuel delivery in zero-gravity conditions by using a better propellant management device (PMD);

➂ Sensirion is providing its SLF3S-4000B flow sensors for the experiment.

➀ The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has achieved a record six-month period for contract wins involving the European Space Agency (ESA).

➁ The agency highlights a significant increase in funds for ESA programmes, with an additional £112 million (€134 million) in contracts for the UK space sector between June 2022 and December 2024.

➂ The UK now receives 99p back in contracts for every £1 invested, after overheads, marking an improvement from the previous 93p.

➀ Dr. Kathrin Goldammer has been appointed as an honorary professor at HTW Berlin, Faculty 1 Engineering – Energy and Information.

➁ She brings extensive experience in the energy industry and expertise in applied energy research to the renewable energy programs.

➂ Goldammer's professorship focuses on the energy and electricity industry, energy policy, and the social framework for the use of renewable energy.

➀ The Würzburg University satellite SONATE-2 has successfully completed its one-year mission in space.

➁ The satellite, developed and built over three years by the team of Professor Hakan Kayal, achieved all mission objectives, including the training of artificial intelligence on board.

➂ SONATE-2 demonstrated the ability to autonomously recognize and photograph anomalies on the Earth's surface, such as the Nile and its surrounding green region.

➀ The Daimler and Benz Foundation launches the funding format 'Ladenburger Horizonte' to focus on research collaborations between German and African institutions in selected regions.

➁ The new funding measure addresses the growing scientific and political significance of African countries.

➂ Two research projects are selected to address urgent social challenges on the African continent.

Researchers have developed a novel method to track light fields directly within optical resonators. This enables precise measurements at the exact locations where future field-resolved studies of light-matter interactions will take place.

Scientists from the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf have developed a new experimental platform to measure the electric fields of light trapped between two mirrors with precision below a light cycle. These electro-optical Fabry-Pérot resonators allow for precise control and observation of light-matter interactions, particularly in the terahertz (THz) spectral region.

Through the development of a tunable hybrid resonator design and the measurement and modeling of its complex mode spectrum, physicists can now actively switch between nodes and maxima of light waves at relevant resonator locations. This study thus opens new paths for the exploration of quantum electrodynamics and the ultrafast control of material properties.

➀ AZoNetwork joins the global effort to close the gender gap in STEM;

➁ Women in STEM are gaining recognition for their groundbreaking contributions;

➂ Female scientists discuss the future of Femtech, quantum sciences, and women's brain health.

➀ Professor Dr. rer. nat. Peter Benner has taken over the position of Managing Director at the Max Planck Institute Magdeburg for the years 2025 and 2026.

➁ His tenure follows that of Professor Dr.-Ing. Kai Sundmacher, who led the Institute in 2023 and 2024.

➂ Benner emphasizes the importance of collaborative research and the pursuit of sustainable chemical and biotechnological production, as well as the use of renewable energy.

Oliver Zielinski, Director of the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), has been appointed to the German Science and Humanities Council (WR) on February 1, 2025. Zielinski's research focuses on the environmental physics of marine ecosystems, particularly in the field of autonomous sensor systems and marine observatories. He emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary research and the transfer of scientific findings to society.