News — University of Bonn

Helium-burning white dwarf discovered¹

A white dwarf star can explode as a supernova when its mass exceeds the limit of about 1.4 solar masses. A team led by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) in Garching and involving the University of Bonn has now found a binary star system in which matter flows onto the white dwarf from its companion. The system was found due to bright, so-called super-soft X-rays, which originate in the nuclear fusion of the overflowed gas near the surface of the white dwarf. The unusual thing about this source is that it is helium and not hydrogen that overflows and burns. The measured luminosity suggests that the mass of the white dwarf is growing more slowly than previously thought possible, which may help to understand the number of supernovae caused by exploding white dwarfs. The results are now published in the journal Nature.

QS Rankings by Subject: Another Strong Performance by the University of Bonn²

Once again, the University of Bonn has improved its performance significantly in the QS Rankings by Subject this year, moving further up the leaderboard for Germany in around half of the subjects for which it received a ranking. Leading the field among these subjects is Mathematics, which has come top in Germany and 39th worldwide.

Beethoven’s genome offers clues to composer’s health and family history³

Ludwig van Beethoven’s genome has been sequenced for the first time by an international team of scientists with the participation of the University of Bonn using five genetically matching locks of the well-known composer’s hair.

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New intracellular "smoke detector" discovered⁴

Researchers at the Universities of Bonn and Singapore have discovered a new intracellular "smoke detector." The sensor warns of damage to the mitochondria - the microscopic power plants that supply the cell with energy. If it does not function properly, chronic skin diseases can result. The sensor may also be important for unimpaired heart and bowel function. The results have now been published in the journal Nature Immunology.

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Leibniz Prize awarded to Catharina Stroppel⁵

Last December, the German Research Foundation (DFG) announced that Prof. Dr. Catharina Stroppel was selected to receive a Leibniz Prize endowed with 2.5 million euros. This week, the DFG handed over the prize to the scientist at an award’s ceremony at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences in Berlin.

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First PhenoRob Career Fair⁶

Students and graduates of the University of Bonn are welcome to participate in the first PhenoRob Career Fair to expand their professional network.

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University of Bonn again recognized as a ‘‘Fairtrade University‘‘⁷

Vice Rectorate for Sustainability Prof. Dr. Annette Scheersoi celebrated the latest accomplishment: ‘‘Our university’s engagement for fair trade has evolved spectacularly in the past two years. And this engagement has its origins in the midst of the university! The certification as a ‘‘Fairtrade University‘‘ was driven by students in 2020 and we’re excited that students and employees are continuing to determine the path of the Fair University of Bonn.‘‘

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Cellular waste removal differs according to cell type⁸

"Miniature shredders" are at work in each cell, disassembling and recycling cell components that are defective or no longer required. The exact structure of these shredders differs from cell type to cell type, a study by the University of Bonn now shows. For example, cancer cells have a special variant that can supply them particularly effectively with building blocks for their energy metabolism. The results were published online in advance. The final version has now been published in the journal "Molecular & Cellular Proteomics."

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