The pandemic-related restrictions on economic activity resulted in a massive reduction in working hours in March and April 2020. Only the key professions and those jobs that could be done from home were largely spared. Once the strict corona rules were relaxed, the sectors that were particularly affected recovered relatively quickly, while other sectors recorded a significant drop in hours. This is shown in a new study based on Dutch data conducted by economists of the Cluster of Excellence ECONtribute, a joint initiative of the universities of Bonn and Cologne, and the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

How many "listeners" a nerve cell has in the brain is strictly regulated. This is shown by an international study led by the University College London and the universities of Bonn, Bordeaux and Milton Keynes (England). In the environment of learning neurons, certain processes are set in motion that make signal transmission less exclusive. The results have now been published in the journal Neuron.

A novel optical switch makes it possible to precisely control the lifespan of genetic "copies". These are used by the cell as building instructions for the production of proteins. The method was developed by researchers from the universities of Bonn and Bayreuth. It may significantly advance the investigation of dynamic processes in living cells. The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

Emerging use of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) makes it possible to continuously measure shallow changes in elevation of Earth surface. A study by the University of Bonn now shows that the quality of these measurements may have improved significantly during the pandemic, at least at some stations. The results show which factors should be considered in the future when installing GPS antennas. More precise geodetic data are important for assessing flood risks and for improving earthquake early warning systems. The journal "Geophysical Research Letters" now reports on this.

How do asymmetrical dependencies and slavery manifest in language, narratives and lexical fields? Scholars of the Cluster of Excellence "Beyond Slavery and Freedom", located at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies at the University of Bonn, worked intensively on this question in their first thematic year, which will culminate with a discussion of their research on October 1 and 2, 2020 at the annual international conference of the Cluster of Excellence. Due to the corona pandemic, the papers will be delivered digitally.

The University of Bonn offers University members with childcare responsibilities financial aid and relief during the coronavirus pandemic through means such as employing assistant personnel.

The University of Bonn will host a high-profile conference with international participation at the beginning of October that will reflect on the motivation behind efforts to internationalize universities. Experts from all over the world will discuss the opportunities and challenges of global networking.

For the brain to work efficiently, nerve impulses must reach their destination as quickly and precisely as possible. The nerve fibres, also known as axons, pass on the impulses, and an insulating sheath around the axons increases their speed of conduction in vertebrates. This insulating sheath, called myelin, is formed by a major component of the brain – the glial cells. Researchers at the University of Münster, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Bonn, have now discovered that glial cells not only influence the speed of nerve conduction, but also the precision of signal transduction. In the absence of these insulating sheaths, short-circuit-like processes occur. The study has been published in the journal “Nature Communications”.