german research 3 /2009

In this issue Commentary Jörg Hinrich Hacker With a High Potential It´s Never Too Early To Ask Questions ...... p . 2 research Initiating a public debate on challenges associated with synthetic biology Magazine of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for Development Using nature as role model and Engineering Sciences a source of inspiration: Engi- B. Weigand, S. O. Neumann, H. Steinbrück and S. Zehner neers use the ice formation method to optimise circulated Inspired by Nature ...... p . 4 bodies, allowing machine parts Portrait with novel and functional con- tours to be developed. Page 4 Hanno Schiffer Invisible Companions...... p . 9 How Our Language Torsten Granzow, a solid-state physicist, creates hightech ceramics Drifted Apart Humanities and Social Sciences Florentine Fritzen

german The Iron Curtain didn’t only divide the political map of Changing the World with Müsli ...... p . 11 Germany. Studies conducted The Lebensreform movement and its impact on health awareness in the area near the border between Thuringia and Ba- Rüdiger Harnisch varia after 1989 have shown Crossing the Language Barrier ...... p . 15 that the dialects spoken had changed and that regional lin- Life Sciences guistic boundaries had shifted Martin Pfeiffer in a remarkable way. Page 15 In the Virtual Realm of the Myrmecologists . . . . . p . 18 How the internet portal ANeT showcases the diversity of ants Cooperating in the Patients’ Interest Natural Sciences Peter Deuflhard Oral and maxillofacial sur- geons try to help people by Going Under the Knife with Mathematics ...... p . 24 performing operations. When Martin Wegener and Stefan Linden preparing these operations, Optics Starts Walking on Two Legs ...... p . 27 they are increasingly cooperat- ing with mathematicians, who DFG inside devise highly complex differ- ential equations and three-di- DFG Science TV mensional visualisations to as- “Directing Attention to the Essentials“ ...... p . 30 sist them in their work. Page 24 Rembert Unterstell interviews behavioural biologist Bernhard Fink Science and Management A Revolution on a “Research Needs Managerial Assistance“ ...... p . 31 Nanoscopic Scale Dorothee Dzwonnek discusses her views with Marco Finetti Novel metamaterials are in- spiring physicists’ imagina- tions and the use of “photonic Fascinating Species Diversity 3 /2009 . In the Virtual Realm of the Myrmecologists atoms” is leading to novel The nocturnal giant forest ant Camponotus gigas can . . optical applications, opening grow to be as long as three centimetres in length. It lives It´s Never Too Early To Ask Questions Changing the up a path to previously un- in amongst fallen leaves on the forest floor of the South- World with Müsli . Inspired by Nature dreamt-of innovations. Page 27 east Asian rainforest – a habitat for hundreds of species . Going Under the Knife with Mathematics Cover: Martin Pfeiffer of ants, many of them previously unknown. Page 18

german research 3 / 2009 Commentary

oes life begin in the test tube? the capabilities on which synthetic new properties, known as “proto- weapons. A central database could Can organisms be created biology is based is that of synthe- cells”, and allows the construction of be created to do this. Otherwise, the D in retorts? Could scientists sising larger DNA fragments with regulatory circuits using natural ge- products created through synthetic be playing God? These and other several thousand components un- netic ranges or the addition of “or- biology are, of course, subject to the questions are often raised when- der lab conditions. These fragments thogonal systems”, which represent legal requirements which currently ever the new research field of syn- can then be introduced into micro- modified molecular machines. Syn- regulate the production and prolifer- thetic biology is mentioned. We are organisms in order to give them thetic biology is therefore, opening ation of toxins and pathogens. In any also hearing reports that it is now new properties or characteristics, up a whole range of new avenues – case, performing ongoing security impossible to imagine biomedical enabling them, for example, to gain and others will soon follow. research in accordance with the pre- basic research without synthetic cautionary principle is both sensible biology and that it will liberate and appropriate. tremendous economic forces. Very different perspectives, therefore, ast but not least, there are the on a new discipline which is caus- Jörg Hinrich Hacker ethical implications. Are bound- ing a commotion, both at home and L aries being breached? Are sci- in the international arena. entists really playing God? These What is synthetic biology, and questions are legitimate and it is im- what are its aims? First and fore- portant to keep them in focus. most, synthetic biology is a truly Synthetic biology has, however, interdisciplinary branch of re- It’s Never Too by no means yet reached the stage search based on the principles of at which organic life could be creat- engineering and molecular biology ed under lab conditions. The charac- and incorporating topics and meth- teristics of organic life – independent ods from medicine, chemistry, bio- reproduction, autonomous metabo- technology and IT. It enables, for Early To Ask lism, evolution capabilities – have example, biological components, not yet been achieved; and they may such as larger gene regions, to be never be. And yet, the potential risks specifically created in order to form must be weighed up and ethical is- cells with new properties. This al- sues must be raised – and this must lows the generation of completely be done in public. In this respect, a new structures not found in natu- Questions wide-ranging discussion of the op- rally occurring organisms. Perhaps portunities offered and risks posed it does, after all, smack just a little by synthetic biology is to be wel- of Frankenstein. Synthetic biology is a new field, but the opportunities comed. And it would be good for sci- In any case, it is clear that a new ence if, to paraphrase Brecht’s Gali- scientific discipline like synthetic leo Galilei, synthetic biology were to biology raises questions concern- and risks need to enter public debate now “emerge into the market place”. If ing the boundaries of science, its Illustration: Himsel the statement prepared by the DFG, underlying ethical issues and the acatech and Leopoldina were to suc- safety issues involved. Not only is ceed in bringing this about, much this discussion both legitimate and energy through new processes or to What effects do these new methods lar biological basic research will soon synthesis of new materials, will also will have been achieved. predictable, it is also extremely eliminate toxic substances. Organ- have? On the one hand, they enable be unable to progress without the benefit from this new field. useful and necessary. isms with new properties are, there- important questions in basic research wide range of methods introduced Naturally, the numerous oppor- fore, already being created – if not to be addressed – some of which it by synthetic biology. And all this ul- tunities offered by this new technol- gainst this backdrop, the in retorts, then in the lab. has not, until now, been possible to timately takes place in the lab, i.e. in ogy also pose questions about the DFG has, together with the On the other hand, the genomes tackle, or only incompletely. It is now a test tube. risks involved. Are there specific A German Academy of Sci- of microbes can be reduced so far possible to ask how many and which problems relating to biosafety and ence and Engineering (acatech) and that a “minimal genome” can be genes an organism needs to survive urthermore, it is already pos- biosecurity? the German Academy of Sciences defined. This “minimal genome” – the question “How many genes are sible to say that synthetic biol- It is, first and foremost, important Leopoldina, recently issued a joint serves as a “chassis” onto which required to sustain life?” has sudden- F ogy is both economically rel- to bear in mind that many synthetic statement discussing the principles, new gene fragments can be mount- ly become current. It allows scientists evant and will, in future, increase biology projects are based on the Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Jörg Hinrich Hacker opportunities and risks of synthetic ed. Furthermore, the methods of to test their hypotheses on modifying tremendously in economic signifi- further development of genetic en- served as Vice President of the DFG until July biology. This document is well- synthetic biology are used to com- the universal genetic code – is it, in cance. Working groups develop- gineering processes and as such, are 2009. As such, the microbiologist from the Uni- timed. Even though synthetic biolo- bine metabolic pathways in new fact, possible to modify the building ing new medications, vaccines or covered by the Gesetz zur Regelung versity of Würzburg was significantly involved in gy is still a new field, it can never be ways, enabling new biomolecules to blocks of life? Genetic circuits can be gene therapy procedures are no der Gentechnik [the German Genetic the preparation of the “Stellungnahme zur Syn- too early to discuss the risks it poses be produced – such as, for example, used to study the control systems for longer able to proceed without the Engineering Act]. No particular risks thetischen Biologie” (“Statement on Synthetic and the opportunities it offers. the preliminary stage of a malaria life processes. These can, for exam- new methods. In addition, many have yet been identified in this area. Biology”), which was prepared by a joint work- Firstly, the statement tackles the drug – which can then be processed ple, be used to determine cell growth forward-looking processes, includ- It would, however, appear sensible to ing group comprising members of the DFG, acatech and Leopoldina under the direction research fields involved in synthet- further. Synthetic biology also fa- dependencies or to study differentia- ing, for example, the production of verify the sequences of larger DNA of Dr. Bärbel Friedrich (Humboldt University of ic biology – and addresses the spe- cilitates the production of molecular tions in the occurrence of particular fine and industrial chemicals, the fragments with regard to their poten- Berlin). Hacker has been President of the Robert 2 cifics of this new discipline. One of machines or cellular constructs with signal substances. All in all, molecu- development of new biofuels or the tial abuse, for example for biological Koch Institute in Berlin since March 2008. 3

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 An engineer’s dream: the shape of a circumflowed object is optimised by the ice formation method, thus facilitating the design of new machine components Inspired by Nat ure By Bernhard Weigand, Sven Olaf Neumann, Helga Steinbrück and Sebastian Zehner

4 5 Illustration: Niggli

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Engineering Sciences

f you go for a stroll in winter after the USA who wanted to find out edge of a cylinder, for example. Left: Laboratory setup used for highly a rainy and frosty night, you will whether the obvious optimisation This melting sculpts the originally precise measurements of the ice layer discover all sorts of picturesque capabilities of nature could be uniformly thick ice layer into a new thickness with a light-stripe sensor. I Bottom: The laser stripe is clearly visible coatings of ice on trees, masts, exploited to create more efficient shape, which is then resculpted by on the ice contour. power lines and other objects. designs for technical applications. the current. When the shape of the In mountainous regions, frozen This approach was developed into ice layer has stopped changing, streams and brooks are lined with a process that imitates nature and the resulting contour is precisely such as minimum pressure loss or unusually shaped ice sculptures. If is aimed at finding the optimum measured. low heat transfer, can be included you break a block of ice out of the shape for circumflowed objects: Although various boundary con- as desired. surface of a frozen lake and turn it the ice formation method. ditions, such as supercooling of The ice formation method has over, you are in for a surprise: the In this experimental method, a walls and the flow rate, lead to dif- already been used at the Institute underside of the ice block is not particular object, such as a cylinder ferent body contours, they all ex- of Aerospace Thermodynamics at smooth like the top surface, but has or a turbine blade, is cooled to a tem- hibit similarities in their “construc- the University of Stuttgart (Ger- a distinctive structure with small perature below the freezing point tion plan” (topology). Water flowing many) to study a cooling channel bumps and depressions. These of water so that it becomes covered past a flat plate covered with a uni- with a 180° U-bend and for a tur- bine blade. The flow channel soon revealed that coupling of the ex- perimental and numerical meth- ods provided considerably more favourable flow regimes. Thus the pressure loss in the optimised ge- ometry was 28 percent less than that of the original version. This

Illustration: ITLR is an impressive example of the method’s advantages. the lowest energy. The contour thus contours with a high development represents a good compromise be- potential. Such body contours can he results obtained so far show tween the maximum applicable hardly be obtained by conventional the difference with respect to flow resistance of the object and optimisation methods. T the geometry of a U-bend in the minimum heat transfer at the Thus, in a particular applica- the cooling channel of a turbine object. tion, the body contours obtained blade optimised by standard meth- In practical applications, how- experimentally with the ice for- ods. In the first step, experimental ever, engineers are often interested mation method are first analysed, natural optimisation, an ice contour in other optimisation criteria. Many then automatically represented initially forms on the dividing wall components of modern jet engines by functions and finally subjected (web) between two channels whose or stationary gas turbines are not to a classical numerical optimisa- shape can be easily explained by only subjected to extremely high tion, for example with algorithms. the thermodynamic and flow me- temperatures, the maximum over- Furthermore, target requirements, chanics properties of the flowing Illustrations: ITLR / Sven Olaf Neumann pressure for flow through these components is limited by the ma- Left: A small brook with characteristic ice with a uniformly thick layer of ice. form layer of ice produces contours chine. It is thus of primary impor- deposits along the edges. Right: Forma- The iced object is then exposed to that grow continuously in the direc- tance to use the pressure difference tion of ice (white) in a flow channel. flowing water. The scientific expla- tion of flow. The absolute thickness or the heat transfer as the optimisa- Nature on the left, technology on the nation of the ice formation method of this layer differs depending on tion criterion in order to minimise right – the similarity between the two structures is clearly apparent. is based on coupling between so- how fast the medium flows past the them. In view of this, body contours called momentum- and heat-ex- object. However, the shape of the obtained by the ice formation meth- change and their ice layer remains od are not always directly suitable. phenomena, which are surprising interaction with similar. Analysis The ice formation method was oc- and remarkable at first sight, are the wall consist- Optimisation capabilities of the resulting casionally used as an optimisation also interesting for researchers and ing of a solidified of nature can be exploited shape reveals method in earlier times, but it then they lead to a basic question: how phase (i.e. ice) favourable body lost importance. did these natural ice formations get whose contour to create more efficient contours for the Instead of using the ice forma- their shape? is determined by particular flow tion method to find “the” optimum Engineers have known for a a local thermal designs for novel, creative characteristics. body contour immediately and di- long time that the surface topol- equilibrium. technical applications These contours rectly, the resulting body contour is ogy of a frozen body results from This means are especially used as the starting point in further interactions between the flow of that the ice layer efficient with re- numerical optimisation procedures. the surrounding medium, the ob- on the object melts away and re- spect to the lowest possible transfor- This approach provides particu- ject’s geometry and the ice itself. mains thin in regions that are ex- mation rate of kinetic flow energy larly powerful advantages because This knowledge was already used posed to the current and a very into friction losses because nature shapes obtained with the ice for-

6 30 years ago by researchers in intensive heat transfer – the front always tries to attain the state with mation method represent novel Illustration: ITLR 7

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Portrait orsten Granzow is a solid- polarisation can be switched by state physicist. But he could external influences, such as an T have just as easily become externally applied electrical field. a historian. The young researcher Invisible Granzow is working to learn the has always been fascinated by the conditions under which the per- Middle Ages, can quote histori- formance of the ceramics change, cal passages from Faust and en- Companions such as high temperature, material joys spending his free time among defects or mechanical load. knights and jugglers at medieval The special ceramics – often festivals. “History, mathematics, Torsten Granzow creates a mixture of lead, zirconium and languages – there were always Hightech Ceramics titanium – make possible higher-

Illustration: ITLR many things that interested me and performance automotive valves, that I was able to pick up without By Hanno Schiffer better pressure sensors and higher medium. The numerical optimisa- numerical optimisation. The origi- Above: Ice layer in a channel. Engineers difficulty,” explained the 35-year- resolutions for medical diagnoses tion, aimed at minimising pressure nal contour of this naturally devel- can use the improved ice formation old as he recalled his school days. in order to find tumours just mil- loss in the U-bend between the first oped web geometry is still clearly method to find an optimised contour. But, after graduating from high travels 250 kilometres to see his limetres in size. Or they serve as channel and the second, leads to a visible after optimisation of the school with perfect marks, the man wife. “My schedule is quite full. I the basis for new frequencies in significant change in the geometry pressure loss. of many talents decided to study don’t usually have very much free mobile phones and car keys – in- of the web at the channel outlet. simply icing a test model. It can physics – the only one in his class time,” said the young researcher, visible companions in daily life. “A However the shape of the intake o summarise: the ice forma- therefore be expected that the ice to do so. Today, Torsten Granzow shrugging his shoulders. “But person is often carrying four of five hardly changes. tion method can be used to formation method will be used suc- is one of the leading German re- when something is important, I am ferroelectric ceramics without even Although the resulting numeri- T great advantage even for cessfully and profitably in the fu- searchers in his area of specialisa- very disciplined. And now I am do- knowing it,” said Granzow. cally optimised design is similar to technically mature components in ture for a wide range of different tion: the characterisation of mate- ing exactly what I want.” Ferroelectric piezomotors, for that generally used in practice, it order to solve new and unknown and complex optimisation studies. rial fatigue in ferroelectrics. He example, drive zoom lenses in typ- has an unconventional shape with design problems and for technical has worked as a postdoctoral re- ical digital cameras. Controlled by many characteristic features. In applications. This method provides Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernhard Weigand, Dr.-Ing. searcher at the Technical Universi- electrical impulses, the piezomate- short: the naturally optimised web a quick way of obtaining a first im- Sven Olaf Neumann, Dipl.-Ing. Helga ty of Darmstadt since 2004. He was rial “pushes” a wheel in the motor contour from the experiments was pression of the possible shape of a Steinbrück and Dipl.-Ing. Sebastian Zehner awarded the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz via periodic material expansion. a good basis for the subsequent component and allows faster and are researchers at the University of Stuttgart. Prize in 2008 for his work on fer- In this way, the piezomotors elimi- cheaper implementation. roelectric ceramics, the DFG’s nate the need for large gearboxes The results of investigations and Contact: Institut für Thermodynamik der most prestigious prize for young in fine positioning systems. The Below: Cutaway view of a GP 7000 jet applications show without a doubt Luft- und Raumfahrt (ITLR), Universität Stutt- researchers. tip of an electron microscope can engine used in the Airbus A 380. Below gart, Pfaffenwaldring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, right: A cooled low-pressure turbine that this more advanced method Germany For Granzow, who earned his be controlled with a pulse of 1,000 blade made of a high-temperature can be used for any machine com- doctorate summa cum laude in volts in order to move just 0.0004 resistant alloy. ponent and is easily performed by . www.uni-stuttgart.de/itlr 2003, the prize served as true in- millimetres. centive: “It was not only a great Granzow frequently collabo- honour, but also a push for moti- rates with industry. He finds the vation and performance.” In addi- applicability of his work to be both tion, he is now better recognised a blessing and a curse: “In addi- as a researcher, he said. With the tion to all of the potential commer- Illustration: Schiffer prize, he has come one step closer cial applications, there must still to his goal of becoming a “profes- When he began his studies in be a certain amount of research sor at a good university”. Cologne, Granzow had only a freedom.” Granzow says he finds Work is piled high on his desk vague idea of what awaited him this freedom only in university in the form of papers. The work- in the world of physics. But the research – for example, as group day of the young, top-level re- science-fiction fan was fascinated leader in the DFG-funded Collab- searcher: Granzow researches fer- by the variety of physical formulas. orative Research Centre “Electri- roelectric ceramics for some ten The deeper the young researcher cal Fatigue”. hours per day, supervises doctoral immersed himself in his subject In addition to scientific curios- researchers and exchanges ideas area, the more interested he be- ity, Granzow is also motivated by with professional colleagues lo- came in applied physics – ”where the aesthetics of physics: “Truly cated around the world. In addi- you can really see something and beautiful optical effects occur with tion, he is working on his habilita- where you can do experiments and transparent ceramics when they tion thesis and other publications. press buttons,” he added mischie- are subjected to an electrical field.” Unimaginable for Granzow: a pri- vously. During this time, Granzow A hint of romance in the otherwise vate life without planning. After also discovered the diverse possi- data-based world of physics. work, he sweats for two hours in bilities of ferroelectrics. the fitness centre, and every week- Ferroelectric ceramics consist of Hanno Schiffer was an intern in the Press end, the newly married scientist artificially produced crystals whose and Public Relations Office of the DFG. Illustration: MTU Aero Engines Illustration: MTU Aero 8 Engines Illustration: MTU Aero 9

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Humanities and Social Sciences Changing the World with Müsli The Lebensreform movement campaigned for a life more in tune with nature. Today the movement is only of historical interest, but it has had a lasting impact on health awareness

By Florentine Fritzen clothes and body care products. The shop stocked everything that arie Ernst and Robert the customers needed for their way Boermel got to know each of life: fruit pastes, dried bananas, M other while working at the whole grain rice, vegetable oil, re- Naturopathy Sanatorium, between form shoes, porous or “breathable” Spessart and Vogelsberg, where underwear. the young woman massaged the The owners and customers of the patients and the young man in- health store did not see themselves troduced them to Kneipp’s hydro- as solitaries, but rather as part of therapy. In their private life too a social movement, which by the they were well matched: Marie and turn of the century was already Robert were both life reformers. being referred to as the Lebensre- They shared a world view which form movement. The movement was an object of ridicule for many embraced various groups such as people in the Wilhelmine Empire. vegetarians, alternative practition- Reformers like Robert and Marie ers, clothing reformers, teetotal- campaigned for a more “natural” lers and naturists. The reformers life. They recommended juice in- also felt that they belonged to a stead of alcohol, more fresh veg- greater whole, because they hoped etables and less meat, plenty of ac- to change the world for the better. tivity, preferably in the forests and They believed that if enough indi- fields, loose garments rather than viduals turned their homes into “re- corset dresses, light and air rather form households”, German society than stuffy living rooms. People like would also be transformed. Marie and Robert saw themselves The health store in Frankfurt as pioneers. They looked to the fu- was one of the first in the - Ger ture, dreaming of a time when their man Empire. The turn of century ideas on healthy living would be- also saw the emergence of the first come common knowledge. manufacturing plants for health Until then, however, there was products. The Eden Cooperative in still a lot to be done. So after their Oranienburg processed fruit into wedding, the young couple opened juice and puree, the Hensel facto- a health store by the name of “Boer- ry in Cannstatt produced mineral mel-Ernst” on the Theaterplatz salts, and the Steinmetz Company in Frankfurt am Main. From 1904 in Flensburg made bread and flour. on, they sold products by Thalysia, The nascent health product indus- a Leipzig based company which try grew quickly and united to manufactured health food, reform form the Neuform Cooperative in the nineteen twenties. The reform- ers’ ideas also started to spread. “For your health”: Health store adver­ In the Weimar period, many Ger- tisement for unfiltered apple juice, as man cities established “Light &

10 Oranienburg Illustration: Eden-Archiv, “recommended by doctors”. Air Baths”, created public parks 11

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Advertisement for “Pauly´s Wholemeal posite of Wilhelmine Germany, At the feet of the master: Closing speech Baby Food” from 1940. The reformers whose overcrowded hospitals and by the Swiss-born reformer Werner believed that healthy eating should asylums they regarded as decadent, Zimmerman at the International Vegetar- start early. ians Conference in 1932. Below: Distinc- or even degenerate. The earthly tive appearance – front page of the paradise, on the other hand, would customer magazine Reform-Rundschau. or engaged architects who were be populated by contented, healthy committed to the “New Building” people with a penchant for circle style. dancing in the great outdoors, and adapted readily to the new regime, From today’s vantage point, the the working day would be no more having been deluded into seeing reformers, who dreamed that their than three hours long. the Third Reich as the “new age” ideas would one day be interwo- In order for this culture of hap- which they had eagerly anticipated ven with the fabric of German so- piness to be inaugurated – so for decades. ciety, bringing about a radical al- much was obvious – the people On 5 April 1933, only a few teration of that society, have been first had to change. The reformers weeks after Hitler took power, the proved right on the one hand, but had some very concrete, practical Chairman of the Neuform Coopera- totally wrong on the other. More advice for their fellow men in this tive declared in the members’ jour- people than ever are tuned into the regard. Quite apart from their no- nal that, “Out of our 1200 member healthy lifestyle, and it has been a ble aims, reformers like Marie and businesses, only four are in Jew- long time since health stores were Robert also made a tidy profit from ish hands. Office holders, such as

the only location for health-con- the idea of Lebensreform. After all, members of the Executive Board Oranienburg Illustration: Eden-Archiv, scious shopping. At the same time, the products they sold promised or the Supervisory Board or group the ideal of social reform has faded. happiness. representatives, are neither of Jew- Nowadays, when someone looks In the interwar period, when ish extraction nor do they belong after their health, their only aim is muscles became fashionable and to subversive parties.” What hap- to do themselves some good. There the first vitamin products appeared, pened to the four Jewish health are not many people who can still there was also much talk of the vital stores, the cooperative explains only relate to the Lebensreform move- body among reformers. They saw in an oblique manner: an “immedi- ment, though it was the source of the body as a whole, which ought ate inspection” revealed that “the many theories and practices which to be in harmony with the mind and Executive Board had undertaken are still relevant to the healthy way the soul and also with its natural the kind of measures demanded by of life. environment. The reformers spoke the present times”. much about “inner” and “outer” hat really distinguished nature. By this they meant, on the ollowing the national socialist people like Marie and one hand, the nature incorporated perversion of body culture into W Robert as pioneers of by humans with their own bodies, F a body cult, and especially fol- health awareness was above all and on the other, the natural en- lowing the reduction of the body their pragmatism. The ideal of the vironment. The two natures must to race and blood, which resulted healthy life existed already in an- become a harmonious unity – this in the murder of millions of peo- tiquity, but the compromise of liv- was the great work pursued by the ple, the Lebensreform movement ing a healthier life is a thoroughly reform movement during the entire switched its focus to “outer nature”, modern idea. The notion of chang- twentieth century. which before long was referred to ing the world, or at least society, During the nineteen twenties as the “environment”. This is evi- with muesli and gymnastics lived and thirties, however, the reform- dent, among other things, from the on for many decades, up to the end ers were primarily interested in images in the customer magazines of the twentieth century in fact. “inner nature”, and in finding out issued by the health store. Where- At each stage, however, it has as- what foods, what peeling agents as before the war, the magazines, sumed a different guise, inasmuch or what exercises are most effec- which had been released monthly as the Lebensreform movement has tive for strengthening the body. At since 1925, were filled with pic- always been closely linked with this time the notion of the “national tures of well-formed, scantily-clad German society. To the same extent body” arose. Just as individuals bodies, in the second half of the that the reformers attempted to im- should care for their own bodies, twentieth century, the Reformhaus- prove society, they were also invari- likewise the German people had to Rundschau magazine preferred to ably influenced by the fashions and be steeled, so they could be forged print photos of mountains, lakes thinking that characterised their into the healthiest nation of all. This and plants. After the war, belief in own time. notion was well suited to the ideol- a bright future was also subdued. The reform-minded contempo- ogy and purposes of the National There was no more talk of a “new raries of Marie and Robert tended Socialists. The health stores had a age”. Instead, the foremost con- to be somewhat utopian. They of- special mission to strengthen the cern was now to protect the envi- ten spoke of the year 2000, which German people, and the industry ronment and prevent the ecological they envisaged as a “golden age” was co-opted into the Nazi’s totali- collapse, which was perceived as a Advertisement from “Reform-Rundschau”, February 1940 Advertisement from 12 that would be pretty much the op- tarian programme. The reformers tangible threat. “Reform-Rundschau”, June 1940 Illustration: Cover from 13

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Humanities and Social Sciences

Health store products now stood more for naturalness and organic Local border traffic in the village of Mödla­ agriculture, than for strengthening reuth, which was known as “Little Berlin” the body. By now, most health busi- nesses had a tradition going back over decades. Since the seven- ties more and more suppliers have crowded the market for health prod- ucts: organic shops, drug stores and even grocery stores. There was also competition for the Lebensreform movement on the market for ideas and ideologies.

he ecological movement which emerged after 1968 T had many beliefs in common with the reformers, and these ide- as continued to disseminate into every corner of society. Newspa- pers and magazines started report-

ing about seal deaths and the de- the “Reform-Rundschau”, June 1941 Illustration from struction of the rainforest. Fitness

trails were created in the woods. Alternating foot bath and hydrotherapy nantly older gentlemen, gradually Felix DB / dpa-Bildarchiv Illustration: The book market was flooded with to prevent vein infections: Illustration of a approaching retirement age. They handbooks on healthy eating, re- “preventative article” from the Reform- belonged to the second, well-es- Rundschau in 1941. Bottom: Children laxation techniques and stress pre- visiting the fruit growing commune, tablished generation of the Leben- vention. Eden, in Oranienburg, which had early sreform movement, the generation But the reformers and “alterna- links to the Lebensreform movement. of the children of Marie Ernst and Crossing the Language Barrier tive types” had very little to say, in Robert Boermel. any case little that was positive. In The Iron Curtain not only bisected the inhabitants’ homeland – in the Thuringian-Bavarian 1966, the Reform-Rundschau mag- “youth in revolt”. At this time, the any of these reform advo- azine complained about the “drop- protagonists of the Lebensreform cates died at the end of the region, the political divide also caused a surprising shift in their dialects out” culture among young people, movement and the health product M twentieth century. Along and in 1968 they criticised the industry were themselves predomi- with them died the ambition to bring about a change in society by means By Rüdiger Harnisch boundary. Furthermore, the walling- ies prove that these old dialectal simi- of the healthy lifestyle of as many off of the two parts of the country larities really existed and that, during people as possible. The Boermel- hen, in 1989, the Iron Cur- from each other had obviously been the decades of separation, linguistic Ernst health store in Frankfurt still tain fell and the people sufficient to alienate these formerly development diverged precisely at exists, run by the fourth generation W living on either side of the homogenous linguistic regions from the demarcation line? of the family. Many other health border met for the first time, they one another. This situation raised It would be possible for the lin- stores had to close, due to the level made differing observations, some many questions for linguists, the guistic situation immediately follow- of competition. Still, knowledge of of which pertained to the speech of first and foremost being the issue of ing the end of the GDR to be docu- the healthy way of life, once pro- their respective neighbours “from whether the fortified political border mented through dialectological field claimed by a few much-derided re- over there”. When the older people between the GDR and the Federal research. This must, however, begin formers, is now available to all. spoke with their contemporaries from Republic of Germany had, indeed, immediately, in the linguistic “zero neighbouring towns and villages on become a language boundary. The hour”. This linguistic state of affairs the other side, they noticed similari- investigative project began its re- would also serve as a benchmark for Dr. Florentine Fritzen has completed a doc- ties in their dialects. The language of search in the early 1990s, with the all developments occurring after the toral dissertation on the Lebensreform move- the younger generation, on the other comparative evaluation of the com- Reunification. ment. The publication of her study “Gesünder hand, sounded strange to their ears. piled material against older language Against this backdrop, two dialec- leben: Die Lebensreformbewegung im 20. Jahrhundert (A Healthier Life: The Lebensre- When the younger inhabitants, in their data taking place ten years later. tological institutions, whose scientific form Movement in the Twentieth Century)” turn, spoke to their contemporaries on The socio-political side effect of interests reached from different sides (publisher: Franz Steiner Verlag) has been the “other” side, they experienced a this linguistic research is obvious: if of the border to the boundary itself, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemein- similar level of unfamiliarity. And yet the inhabitants of the border region joined forces in 1990: the “Thüring- schaft. Following her Ph.D., the author joined the older people from the other side recognised that, before the division, ische Wörterbuch” (“Thuringian the editorial team of the Frankfurter Allge- of the “border” sounded just like their people did indeed “speak a com- Dictionary”) in Jena and the “Spra- meine newspaper. parents and grandparents. mon language”, it would be easier to chatlas von Nordostbayern” (“Lin- Contact: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Hel- Before the division of Germany, make “grow together what belonged guistic Atlas of North East Bavaria”) lerhofstraße 2– 4, 60327 Frankfurt am Main, homogenous dialect zones criss- together” once the metal fences had in Bayreuth. The DFG provided the

14 Oranienburg Illustration: Eden-Archiv, Germany crossed what would later become the been torn down. But how could stud- funding for the project, which was 15

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 entitled “Erhebung der Dialektsitu- lored to the dialectal characteristics Dialect areas in the Thuringian-Bavarian ation im thüringisch-bayerischen of the individual pairs of villages in border region: after the political “Wende”, Grenzgebiet” (“Survey of the Dialect both East and West. In order to ver- linguistic material was collected in eleven locations east and west of the former Situation in the Thuringian-Bavarian ify the requested data, moreover, a German-German demarcation line, which Border Region”). Between 1991 and free narration task was included, in is marked in grey on the map. 1994, linguistic material was col- which the informants were asked lected in eleven pairs of towns and to describe their experiences of the villages along the border, including border opening. These narratives, As our third example, we can the formerly divided village of Möd- incidentally, include many moving take the characteristic use of vowel lareuth. The village rose to fame dur- stories containing historiographically diphthongs, which occur in words ing a visit by then U.S. Vice President valuable material, which is particu- like veis ‘Wiese’ (meadow), geisn George Bush Sr. on 5 February 1983 larly useful in documenting the oral ‘gießen’ (to pour) and noudl ’Nudel’ to its western side. “Little Berlin” history of this period of change. (noodle), fous ‘Fuß’ (foot) on both made a name for itself and became sides of what would later become the known all over the world. hile the completion of the inner-German border. While this trait Linguistic informants for the project field work meant that the has been abandoned by the younger were selected from four different age W current linguistic reality generation in the East, a third of this groups and included people who had had been documented, comparative generation in the West still adheres either been born in the places studied data from the time before the demar- to the old vowel pronunciation. or who had lived there since their ear- cation was required in order to ascer- liest childhood. First, however, there tain whether or not the Iron Curtain t is apparent from these examples were “preliminary questions” to be had actually created a new dialect that there are two possible ways answered: which linguistic idiosyn- boundary. In this, we were lucky I in which a new language bound- crasies seemed likely to provide in- enough to be able to access original ary can have been formed: either formation pertaining to the research material from a language geography the inhabitants on both sides rea- question? What linguistic data would dissertation from 1938. In addition, ligned themselves with their respec- it, therefore, be sensible to collect? material which had been collected as tive dialectal hinterlands, or varying Bureaucratic phraseology (including part of the “Linguistic Atlas of North degrees of “dialect erosion” in fa- official terms like “Fahrerlaubnis” in East Bavaria” project was also used vour of supra-regional vernacular

the GDR and “Führerschein” in the for comparison. Due to the fact that 1968) Graphic: Sprachräume (Hugo Steger, or standard language took place on Federal Republic of Germany [both the pre-war investigation and the each side of the political divide. terms for “driving license”]) was of Linguistic Atlas project documented their core tasks (the Dictionary and process happened relatively quickly. trait, it has been abandoned by the Along the former inner-German no interest, as differences in such ar- the speech of the oldest generations the Linguistic Atlas) over the next The short period of prohibited con- younger generations. In the West, it border both transpired, with some eas were to be expected. Instead, the of speakers, while the post-Wende few years. It was not until the end of tact was obviously compensated for was a rarity which contrasted with the of the older traits being preserved researchers were looking for traits project included all the generations, 2005 that a follow-up project at the by the hermetic nature of this hither- Franconian dialects of the hinterland. in the West (such as, for example, which permeated the entire language the birth dates of the informants and University of Passau, again funded to unprecedented type of boundary. Those in the Old Länder also con- the pronunciation of the vowels in system: pronunciation, grammatical the periods during which their lin- by the DFG, enabled the data to be sidered it “typical of the GDR” and, veis (meadow), fous (foot), and oth- forms and everyday words. guistic development was influenced further examined and compared y way of example, three linguis- therefore, disreputable. In contrast, on ers (such as vowel centralisation) in These traits were determined range from the time of the post-1870 with the linguistic material from the tic phenomena are listed below. the Thuringian side, where it was sup- the East. In all cases, however, the primarily using a questionnaire tai- German Empire until the 1970s. pre-war era. This evaluation repeat- B Each of them demonstrates ported not only by the neighbouring old cross-border homogeneity was The material collected at the be- edly confirmed the initial hypoth- the gradual alignment of the dialect Saxon and Thuringian dialects, but lost. The conclusion: new, internal ginning of the 1990s had to wait esis – that the fortified border had boundary with the former state bor- also by the Central German vernacu- linguistic frontiers developed along The German-German border – a piece of which has been preserved as a memorial some time for its evaluation, how- formed a linguistic barrier between der. The term “gradual” is used here lar and the regional High German, it the “Iron Curtain”. in Mödlareuth – audibly modified ever, as the institutions which had the GDR and the Federal Republic to indicate the fact that this process was not considered a stigmatised dia- It remains to be seen whether the dialects on both sides of the boundary. collected it were fully occupied with of Germany in this border region. became more clearly delineated with lectal trait and was retained. trends towards linguistic divergence Although linguistic geography each generation. The three examples A second phonetic trait is the along the former demarcation line research over the past two decades are all related to pronunciation crite- pronunciation of the “r” sound. will intensify, or whether the linguis- has demonstrated that political bor- ria, due to the fact that pronunciation Before the division, its delineation tic differences which developed here ders between states with the same is evident in every spoken utterance meandered across what would later over a 40-year period will even out or closely related “Dachsprachen” and thus provides the strongest im- become the political border, some- once more to form cross-border dia- (“umbrella languages”), i.e. politi- pression of a linguistic landscape. times taking in areas of Thuringia lectal “solidarities” like those which cal borders such as those between The first characteristic is what’s in the Franconian linguistic region, previously existed. The field for cross- Germany and Austria or between known as “centralisation”, in which and sometimes areas of Bavarian border dialectology is wide open. Germany and the Netherlands, for all the vowels are formed somewhat Franconia in the Thuringian linguis- example, can create similar linguis- closer to the centre of the oral cavity. tic region. Over the generations, the Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Harnisch is a researcher and tic borders in previously homogene- This vowel colouring is a fundamen- Thuringian-sounding rear [R] from lecturer at the University of Passau. ous cross-border dialect landscapes, tal distinguishing feature of what is the former western settlements re- Contact: Lehrstuhl für Deutsche Sprachwissen- these processes have taken centuries commonly described as “Sächseln” treated just as much towards the schaft, Innstraße 25, 94032 Passau, Germany and occurred in relatively open bor- (speaking the Saxon dialect). In towns former state border as the Franco- der regions. In the case of the Ger- and villages on the Bavarian side, nian-sounding frontal [r] from the . www.phil.uni-passau.de/germanistik/sprach-

16 Huber Bildagentur / picture-alliance Illustration: man-German border, however, the which also formerly demonstrated this former Eastern settlements. wis1/sprig.htm 17

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 In the Virtual Realm of the Myrmecologists

The amazing diversity of ant fauna in Southeast Asia is showcased in a new scientific internet portal. High-resolution automontage photographs show even the smallest of anatomical details – a valuable aid for ant researchers all over the world

By Martin Pfeiffer

18 19 Illustration: Katzmann

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Life Sciences

t the start of the 21st cen- Mammoth undertaking: weaver ants tury, the width and diver- building a nest held together with sticky sity of the fauna and flora threads of larval secretions. Fascinating A diversity (bottom, from left to right): an are endangered in many regions of as-yet unclassified Myrmoteras species, a the planet. This is especially true hungry Camponotus gigas worker, the for tropical ecosystems where more impressive head of Myrmoteras bakeri than seven million hectares of rain and a long-legged Pheidole aglae. forest are lost each year due to de- forestation. The disappearance of tropical forests is accompanied by large-scale extinction of the na- olution photographs of characteris- tive species. Furthermore, many tic species. The pinned animals are of these species are still unnamed shown in sharp, crystal-clear imag- and have not yet been scientifically es with high magnification. These characterised. “automontage” photographs are Insects make up the major- calculated by a computer from up ity of the unknown species, whose to 80 individual images and have number is estimated to be as many an “infinite” depth of focus. All de- as five million. Their exact identifi- tails of the object are in sharp fo- cation and description – biologists cus and none of the contours are call this “taxonomic classification” blurred. Such results have only – is both difficult and time-consum- been possible to date with an elec- ing. Identification and documenta- tron microscope after the objects tion of the huge number of tropical have been subjected to an elabo- species is hampered by the limited rate gold-coating process. With availability of taxonomic reference automontage photography, which materials, which are generally uses optical microscopy, the pinned stored in science museums around insects retain their original state the world where they are archived and even the colours of the speci- and managed by specialists. Ow- mens remain authentic. ing to the fact only a few examples are collected each time of the rarer echnological advances in the insect species, which make up the digitisation of image data majority of the tropical collections, T greatly facilitate taxonomic the small number of reference classification of the collected mate- specimens has greatly limited the rial,” sums up Dirk Mezger, doctoral circle of experts. researcher at the Institute of Exper- Until recently, this also applied imental Ecology at the University to tropical ants, which are found of Ulm. He is currently studying the in all rain forest habitats. They food web on the floor of Malaysian perform key functions in the ever- rain forests and is comparing the changing tropical ecosystems, have ant fauna in the different types of been well-studied by taxonomists, forests in Borneo. Although the en- are easy to collect and are relative- Illustration: Pfeiffer tomologist will still have to use tax- ly easy to classify down to the ge- onomic keys for time-consuming nus. This means that they are pre- identification of specimens, he can destined for comparative studies on avoid using reference specimens in biodiversity. most cases. Up to now, ant fauna was iden- In addition to a stereomicroscope tified by sending the prepared in- for identifying his specimens, he sects to taxonomic specialists or by also works with photographs of borrowing specimens from science ants on his computer screen. “Clas- museums as reference materials. sifying insects with automontage Nowadays, an increasing number images has major advantages over of insect researchers – or entomolo- a direct comparison with reference gists – are able to compare their ant objects,” explains Dirk Mezger, specimens with high-quality imag- “this avoids having to swap be- es downloaded from the internet. tween specimens and refocusing Taxonomic image databases, the stereomicroscope on morpho- such as the DFG-sponsored portal logical details. Because I can see all Illustrations (both): Katzmann 20 www.antbase.net provide high-res- Illustrations: Deufel (left), Mezger (right) the key features on the computer 21

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 screen at the same time, I can sim- organisms and have been searching comprehensive research database Right: In the Malaysian rain forest – ply compare the specimen and its for ants, particularly in the Bornean is gradually being expanded to Dirk Mezger with locals who are helping identification characteristics.” rain forests. This collection will now promote the exchange of informa- to search for ants. Middle: Each ant has to be described down to the last detail. be continued and substantially ex- tion between scientists. Bottom: The final result – the immense his is particularly important panded by the researchers in Ulm. In addition to networking scien- diversity of species documented at the for tropical insects, for which The lively contacts and busy loan tists and supporting their research, portal. T the number of unidentified service between leading taxono- documentation of the diversity of species largely exceeds those al- mists all over the world means that tropical species is one of the core ready classified. Automontage pho- the materials are continuously ex- objectives of the internet portal. from Malaysia, a tropical country tographs help to avoid incorrect amined and classified. Newly clas- Interested non-specialists surfing with a particularly diverse fauna. classifications. In earlier times, only sified species are often made avail- through the picturebase will be An ant diversity hotspot was dis- taxonomic specialists had direct ac- able online within a short fascinated by the morphological di- covered in a small area at the foot cess to reference materials so that time. The resonance from versity of the presented gen- of Mount Kinabalu, the highest they could carry out identification the experts is huge: on a era and species. And many mountain in Southeast Asia: 640 quickly and accurately. Nowadays, monthly average, more than are sur- ant species were found within a a much wider group of experts, in- 38,000 pages are viewed and prised by few square kilometres, whereas cluding the doctoral researcher in about 1,800 MB data are the huge only 114 species are found in the Ulm, are able to classify many of the downloaded. number of species whole of Germany. Many of the specimens with sufficient accuracy that have evolved and species from this hotspot have al- using the online images. which are now populat- ready been documented in the in-

The internet database providing ing their screens at www.ant- ternet database. Illustration: Pfeiffer the photographs is also compiled base.net: Polyrhachis ants, for Because the creation of each au- by the institute in Ulm. Hans Peter example, that are equipped tomontage photograph is a lengthy Katzmann, the project manager of with huge barbs to protect process (more than three hours in the portal, is responsi- them against birds, blind army some cases), it will still take some ble for the ant ants of the genus time until all the species found in photo- Aenictus, the Kinabalu National Park have graphs long-legged been photographed with the new and How- Anoplolepis gracilipes, wasp-like technology. Unfortunately, the al- for ever, the Tetraponera, densely haired Mer- gorithm used by the program is still compiling the web objective anoplus species or Myrmoteras not working absolutely correctly so pages, which of the internet workers with enormous eyes and that the combined images have to have been database goes sabre-shaped mandibles. be reworked in many places. The produced even further. “Our scientific inter- “Most people know only a few perfect final product requires a lot since 2003 net portal aims not only to provide kinds of ants and can’t even begin of experienced manual work and at the Uni- reference materials, classification to imagine the wide range of spe- photographic skills. Nevertheless, versity of Ulm by literature and identification keys cies in a rain forest,” says Hans Pe- the database team plans to show the group of Pro- for ants, but we are also working ter Katzmann, “a visit to our virtual the majority of the more than 1000

fessor Elisabeth Kalko. Illustration: Pfeiffer on a comprehensive network of museum opens up a whole new ant species of Borneo by the end of This project has been spon- myrmecologists (ant specialists) in world to them.” The belief that hu- the project. sored by the DFG since 2006. More Asia,” emphasises Katzmann. He mankind protects only what it knows Thanks to the cooperation be- than 500 ant species from 94 gen- has recently added home pages is one of the many factors motivat- tween researchers from other Asian

era have already been digitalised, of 30 scientists ing the database countries, species from Thailand, Illustration: Pfeiffer two-thirds of which were processed to the portal. specialists. As India, Iran and the Philippines will with the new technology. “Particularly in The internet portal ANeT a consequence, also be presented. Most of the ant The foundation of the picture- Asia, many of networks scientists and this information fauna of Mongolia is already in- base is the zoological collection of the smaller insti- platform also cluded in the database. Even “Ger- the University of Würzburg, one of tutes still do not research and extensively provides texts man ants” will be added to the da- the largest ant collections in Eu- have an English on ant ecology, tabase – in the interests of research rope. For more than 15 years, tropi- version of their documents the diversity a virtual exhibi- and the documentation of the cal ecologists working in the group website. These of tropical species tion of scientific worldwide diversity of species. of Professor K. Eduard Linsenmair scientists can up- posters as well have been carrying out intensive load their data as a collection research on the diversity of tropical to our portal thus making it avail- of ant videos. And, to maximise the PD Dr. Martin Pfeiffer researches and lectures able to a wider audience. This also number of people getting to know at the University of Ulm and is the head of the provides them with an opportunity about ants, the pages with the ex- www.antbase.net project. to come into contact with other ex- planatory texts are available in Distinctive contours and pincer-like jaws: perts.” The internet portal also pro- three languages – English, German Contact: Institut für Experimentelle Ökolo- Harpegnathos venator. These ants are gie, Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, specialised hunters – their mandibles vides a range of such services to and Malaysian. 89069 Ulm, Germany. and large eyes enable them to hunt support “ANeT”, an international A large number of the species

22 ground fauna. network for ant research in Asia. A presented on the web originate . www.antbase.net antbase.net Screenshot: 23

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Natural Sciences

such a way that the doctors could visualisation. This is necessary to which are used to mathematically use them in the hospital without create a virtual lab that is also use- model the soft tissue of the face needing to understand the un- ful in hospital. The first stage of (for experts, Lamé-Navier equa- Going Under the Knife derlying methodology. This led to the process therefore requires a 3D tions of linear elastomechanics the first “virtual lab”, HyperPlan, image of the patient to be gener- and their extension by geometric which was used as a planning sys- ated in the computer, based on the nonlinearity and nonlinear mate- tem for hyperthermia treatment. medical image data obtained by rial laws, Ogden-type materials, Since then, this processes such for instance). with Mathematics approach has as computer to- proven itself in The “virtual patient“ is mography, mag- olving these differential numerous other netic resonance equations fast and reliably Disfigurations that occur in a person’s face can be partially corrected by oral and projects in medi- calculated in detail on the imaging or ul- S is essential for the method to cine and medical trasound. This be able to be used subsequently maxillofacial surgery. When planning an operation, highly complex differential engineering as basis of image data of the is accompanied, in the hospital. Here, state-of-the- equations and three-dimensional visualisations can be of great assistance well as biology. real patient for use in in practice, by a art multi-grid methods are used, This eventually number of com- where the extremely high-dimen- led to the pow- planning the operation plex mathemati- sional finite element mesh gen- erful software cal problems erated using the medical images platform Amira, that needed to must first be thinned out to allow By Peter Deuflhard So it is all the worse if a person’s serious consequences. Mathemat- which is now marketed and used be tackled and solved in the early it to be used as a starting mesh. face is disfigured or maimed, either ics is not only important in planning by a spin-off company worldwide. years of the project. Here, as is so often the case, expe- t is a proven fact that a “beau- from birth or due to an accident. such operations, but is now more or In the course of the cooperation The end result is a finite ele- rience shows that problems from tiful” face has social benefits. It Oral and maxillofacial surgery (also less indispensable. between mathematicians and med- ment mesh consisting of approxi- medicine can also pose genuine I can be beneficial in many situa- known as OMFS) attempts to lessen Researchers at the Zuse Institute ics a basic pattern emerged and mately 50,000 tetrahedra, which mathematical challenges to sci- tions, virtually acting as a key that this burden with operations that can Berlin (ZIB) have been working on established itself. The process al- gives a sufficiently accurate repre- entists, too. Once this stage has unlocks many doors. As psychologi- often involve massive interventions, practical medical and associated ways begins with the calculation of sentation of the individual patient. been completed, the virtual lab is cal experiments have demonstrated such as sawing jaw bones, some- theoretical mathematical prob- the “virtual patient”, which is done The second stage of the process in- beyond any doubt, good looking times removing several centimetres lems since the early 1990s. Initially on the basis of graphics data of volves generating patient-specific children (of both sexes) are already of bone, or – if necessary – extend- they concentrated on hyperther- the real patient. Then the therapy mathematical models, generally at an advantage at school when it ing or relocating them. The aim of mia, working in close cooperation or operation needs to be planned using systems of partial differen- Help is at hand for people with dis­ comes to getting good marks. The such operations is to achieve a func- with the Virchow Clinics (now the mathematically in the “virtual lab”. tial equations, which describe the figured mouths, jaws or faces: A male same holds true in working life, tional and aesthetically pleasing Charité Campus Virchow Clinics) Finally, the results of this planning physical processes occurring in patient (left) and a female patient where HR managers subconscious- restoration of the entire face. These – a process used in treating cancer need to be transferred into the real- the body and the function of the before and after a complex operation. The predicted outcome of the opera- ly favour beautiful and attractive operations are highly complex and, based on artificial local heating . life patient’s situation. medical devices mathematically. tion, planned in detail using mathe­ applicants, and where wage nego- in view of the key importance of the This work gave rise to a need to All three of these stages have OMFS uses differential equations matics, is shown as the third image tiations often “run more smoothly”. face, are very complex and can have deal with mathematical methods in one thing in common: efficient 3D from biomechanical engineering, in the sequence.

24 Illustrations: Zuse-Institut Berlin 25

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Natural Sciences

Right: An on-screen consultation between a patient and the surgeon. Computer simulation: A photonic Visualising the possible outcomes of the metamaterial with a negative optical operation (bottom) can be very helpful refractive index. Its effect is demon- in making tough decisions in advance. strated by a glass in which the water Middle: The surgeons and the mathema- refracts the light “the wrong way”. ticians can plan the operation in detail by holding a teleconference on the basis of 3D visualisations.

complete and ready to be used for planning the therapy or operation. The solutions generated there are transferred back into real life in the third stage of the process. In OMFS, this means that the se- quence of incisions for surgery is planned in precise detail by the doctors and the mathematicians. This is usually done by means of a teleconference between the hospital and the ZIB using the 3D visualisation. In the virtual lab it is possible to reliably predict what the patient will look like after the operation – even before the sur- geon makes the fi rst incision. In particular, this makes it possible to

visualise, discuss and, last but not Illustration: Linden least, plan various options for the operation fl exibly and cheaply.

very useful side-effect of this improved planning is Optics Starts Walking A the opportunity it provides to inform the patient of the risks and potential hazards involved. This allows the patient to be more actively involved in the decision- on Two Legs making process. Simultaneously, it also makes detailed documenta- tion and quality assurance much Nanoscopically small and artifi cially made: Metamaterials open up previously simpler. undreamed of possibilities for researchers. Tailored “photonic atoms” help them The new method has already been used by ZIB for over 30 op- achieving new optical properties and inspire them to develop innovative applications erations, in close cooperation with hospitals in Germany, Sweden and Austria. Now, the procedure has al- By Martin Wegener spectroscopy – ever since the dis- electromagnetic wave as early as ready matured to an extent that it and Stefan Linden covery of the laser. Scientifi c and 1865. According to this theory, light might indeed be fair to claim that technological progress in all of essentially possesses an electrical “if at all you need to go under the hat laws govern how light these fi elds always depends on one and a magnetic “leg”. It is impossi- knife, then only with the support by propagates, and how is it thing: The availability of novel op- ble to directly manipulate the mag- modern mathematics”. W possible to infl uence the tical materials. netic component of a wave of light way it propagates? The quest to Or, to put it another way: Natural using any known natural material. discover the “laws of optics” has materials and crystals are the limit- Materials such as glass, silicon or Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Peter Deufl hard is the inspired people ever since antiqui- ing factors, because they determine gold only infl uence the light’s elec- founder and president of the Zuse Institute ty and has been of enormous tech- the bounds of how light can be ma- trical “leg”, meaning that, so far, Berlin (ZIB). nological interest in a wide variety nipulated. The Scottish physicist half of optics has effectively been Contact: Zuse-Institut Berlin (ZIB), Takustraße 7, of areas – ranging from modern day James Clerk Maxwell postulated missing. A fact that is obviously

26 14195 Berlin, Germany All Illustrations: Zuse-Institut Berlin telecommunications to molecular that light may be described as an dissatisfactory for physicists. 27

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 Expectant faces: Using a vapour depo­ study on the first magnetic meta- that the light was effectively travel- mercial applications. For example, sition system, researchers are able to material at optical frequencies were ling backwards, a maximum of the the losses need to be reduced and develop and manufacture novel photonic published in the journal “Science”. light wave arrived at the back be- the dimensions, or the volume of metamaterials. This news sparked a worldwide fore it had entered the front of the the metamaterials needs to be in- race to create the first metamaterial sample. creased and cheaper manufactur- can be concluded that a maximum with a negative refractive index in This finding may appear aston- ing methods need to be developed. of the light wave oscillation is ca- the visible part of the spectrum. ishing, but it does not contradict It may be possible to chemically pable of travelling from an object to However, at that time the disad- the fundamental laws of physics. synthesise metamaterials from an image of the object in “no time”. vantages of the electromagnets that The experiments carried out so far ring-shaped molecules that are just However, this claim was also not had been produced also became have, however, meant that some a few nanometres in size and that readily accepted. apparent. It seemed that it was lecturers now have to be even more could act as electromagnets. It was therefore necessary to not only necessary to further min- perform experiments to verify these iaturise them, but also to come up theories. In 2001, the American with an entirely new design for the electrical engineer David Smith “photonic atoms” used in the meta- and his group became the first materials. Due to the close interac- to demonstrate in the microwave tion of theory and experimentation range that a metamaterial really this also proved possible, so that the is capable of displaying negative research group from Karlsruhe was refraction, and so refracting light soon able to demonstrate a negative the wrong way due to the negative refractive index at the wavelengths refractive index. At wavelengths used for telecommunications. In an of about three centimetres fabrica- experiment to measure the speed of tion was shifted into the millimetre the light, the researchers measured range, and thus became much sim- the amount of time it took the light pler. In 2003 a group working for to travel from the front of the sam-

Illustration: CFN Boeing was able to reproduce this ple to the back. Because of the fact decisive experiment. In 1999 the English physicist Sir number of optical properties were careful about their choice of words Another thing not to lose sight John Pendry and his research group being predicted theoretically that, here was a resounding echo! The glass of water containing a rod on when explaining things in lectures of is that the actual and immense raised the idea of a new class of tai- at first sight, seemed downright bi- The journal “Science” soon the left shows the natural refraction of on optics than was the case just five charm of the concept of metamate- lored artificial materials. These so- zarre. For instance, materials with a named metamaterials one light. “Water” with a negative refractive years ago. rials lies in the fact that it is possible T index (right) would cause the rod to be called metamaterials are artificial negative refractive index were pre- of the “top ten scientific break- refracted the “wrong” way. Bottom: The What can we expect in future? to make photonic atoms belonging crystals that are made up of tightly dicted. That means, in other words, throughs in 2003”. It remained experimental setup used to demonstrate There is still quite a lot of research to this artificial class of materials packed components that are signifi- that the light’s phase velocity is unclear, however, how applicable the negative refractive index in the red needed before it will be possible to that are “tailor-made”. This means cantly smaller than the wavelength negative and the electromagnetic these results would be to the op- part of the spectrum. use optical metamaterials for com- that it may be possible to obtain of the electromagnetic wave. wave in the material “goes back- tical part of the electromagnetic optical properties that are simply Their decisive potential all de- wards”. spectrum. In mid-2004 Costas Sou- impossible in natural materials pends on metallic components This aspect was already dis- koulis, a theoretical physicist from and crystals. A magnetic response made up of minute resonant circuits cussed in a theoretical publication Greece who has been a pioneer in and a negative refractive index are or electromagnets, into which the by the Russian physicist Victor the field of photonic crystals, spent just the first two examples of such wave of light induces a circulating Veselago written in 1968, but was a few months as a visiting research- properties. On the other hand, it is and oscillating electrical current. dismissed as a theoretical obscurity er at the DFG Research Center for becoming increasingly clear that This, in turn, generates a resonat- and then forgotten for a long time. Functional Nanostructures (CFN) in the hurdles standing in the way ing localised magnetic field, which Also, in the year 2000 the physicist Karlsruhe. While there, he soon en- of new developments do not lie in acts back on the magnetic compo- John Pendry predicted that it would tered a lively debate about whether the metamaterials themselves. The nent of the electromagnetic wave. be possible to make the “perfect it wouldn’t be possible for the re- only real limits for future develop- Since visible light has a wave- lens” using materials with a nega- searchers to make the grid of elec- ments are the limits of human cre- length of between 400 and 800 na- tive refractive index, which could tromagnets in the crystals a factor ativity. nometres, the spacing between the be used to achieve an optical reso- of ten thousand or even a hundred components (periods) needs to be lution at certain wavelengths that thousand times smaller, in order to Prof. Dr. Martin Wegener conducts research about 100 nanometres; the small- was far below the wavelength of get down to the optical part of the and teaches at the Institute of Applied Physics est feature sizes are even lower the light – in principle as far below spectrum. at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and than 10 nanometres (1 nanometre the wavelength as required, even. Just a few weeks later a research- at the Institute of Nanotechnology. being 0.000 000 001 meters). That This is possible because the time it er from Karlsruhe, Stefan Linden, Dr. Stefan Linden is the leader of a Helm- also means that here, once again, takes the light to travel through the made the first such metamaterials, holtz Junior Research Group. the possibilities of state-of-the-art metamaterial is actually negative characterised them optically, and nanoscience are called upon. because of the fact that it is “go- compared his results directly with Contact: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Applied Physics, Wolfgang- Just ten years ago many sci- ing backwards”. Combined with the theories proposed by Costas Gaede-Straße 1, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany entists were still very sceptical, the positive amount of time taken Soukoulis’ group. In November

28 especially as an ever increasing for the light to travel through air, it 2004 the results of the Karlsruhe Illustrations: Linden . www.aph.kit.edu/wegener 29

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 DFG Science TV Interview

“Directing Attention to the Essentials” “Research Needs Managerial Assistance” Between information and entertainment: Bernhard Fink presents his video diary “Love à la Darwin” DFG Secretary General Dorothee Dzwonnek on the relationship between science and management on DFG Science TV – benefitting not only science communication but his research as well ow much management does Dzwonnek: We discussed this form the requisite management H science require – and how question from two different an- duties themselves. By doing so, german research: Your video di- You are media-savvy and have ers forgive our weaknesses in film- much management can science gles. On the one hand, we were in however, they are only giving them- ary on DFG Science TV runs under been presenting your behaviour- ing, yet also compliment us on the tolerate? This was the trenchant- agreement that the bureaucratic selves unnecessary tasks which are the catchy title “Love à la Darwin”. related topics on TV, radio and in objectivity that is often lacking in ly formulated topic of the fourth parameters have, to a certain ex- not theirs to carry out and which What is it about? newspapers for years. Against this even professionally produced pro- “Tage des Wissenschaftsmanage- tent, become so complex that they only take them away from what Fink: We are exploring the ques- backdrop, what makes DFG Science grammes. So, images alone aren’t ments” (“Scientific Management are hindering the free development they should be doing. This then tion: what makes a person attractive TV special for you? everything. It’s a matter of finding Days”) held at the Villa Vigoni of science. We must take measures results in the all-too-familiar com- to the opposite sex? For a long time, Fink: That the researchers do the right mix, and Science TV has on Lake Como. This year’s event to counteract this, regardless of the plaints, namely that no-one can get it was thought that a partner was cho- the actual filming, develop the epi- succeeded in that. united 30 scientists and scientific importance of good management. any scientific work done because of sen randomly and that physical at- sodes and translate their results managers from all disciplines in all their management duties. traction was strictly a matter of taste. for a broad audience. The videos The second series of DFG Sci- intensive discussions. DFG Secre- Where is this the case? Now, 150 years after Darwin’s funda- tell exciting stories and are easy to ence TV is even more consistently tary General Dorothee Dzwonnek, Dzwonnek: This applies, for ex- And you want to protect sci- mental findings on evolution, it is be- understand; my impression is that targeted at the 14–19-year-old de- co-organiser and moderator, sum- ample, to many taxation aspects or entists from this, by giving them coming increasingly apparent that the they can be understood by viewers mographic. Does this give the portal marised the situation in an inter- to state aid legislation, but in par- managers?! perception and assessment of human from 14 to 90 years of age. The film- a new quality? view with Marco Finetti. ticular to the emerging European Dzwonnek: We want and need beauty, as well as the choice of a part- based presentation is well received Fink: It makes it more modern. Research Area. With the Starting to become more professional in all ner, are deeply embedded in human – I can see that from the reactions of I think it’s a good idea to make in- forschung: Ms Dzwonnek, if your disciplines and at all levels. And nature. We are using experimental my peers and laypeople alike. View- creased use of Web 2.0 features and meeting’s central questions had this professionalism involves sci- methods to try to better understand to integrate with social networks like been posed a few years ago, the an- ence not only recognising and using this – such as studying the signal ef- Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. swer would have been clear: science its own strengths, but also knowing fects of facial and body features and In this way, it’s possible to catch the does not require much management when and where it would be better the movement patterns of people. young Internet surfers where they’re and it has a very low tolerance for it. to accept professional help. already active. This may be benefi- Dorothee Dzwonnek: Yes, but Six episodes of “Love à la Dar- cial in interesting young people in no-one would say that now. All sci- What form should this profes- win” are already available online research early on, and maybe even entific disciplines have now come sional help take? for viewing in the second series on in generating outright enthusiasm. to the realisation that science is Dzwonnek: Managers must the video portal. Are you satisfied becoming more and more complex truly be the oft-cited “wanders with the results? What types of minds are needed and therefore requires a high level between worlds”. They must un- Bernhard Fink: We learned quick- for modern, multimedia science com- of support from management pro- derstand the administrative side ly – we had to. In April, we partici- munication? fessionals. We were all agreed on of things, as well as science and pated in the DFG training course on Fink: Knowledge stemming from this, including hospital directors, its culture. Reconciling both and camera use and technique. That was research needs people who can University Chancellors and Speak- placing themselves at the service helpful in getting us started. Then in promote it. On the one hand, these ers of the Cluster of Excellence. of science is a fine art … Illustration: Unterstell

June, we produced the trailer. A stu- are science journalists, who com- Illustration: Himsel dent test pair is the focal point of all The behavioural biologist Dr . Bern- petently take up topics from the But even that sounds more like ... Something which can be episodes. In this way, we feel that we hard Fink, 36, directs the Emmy world of research and present it in acceptance of the inevitable than Grants from the European Research learned? Noether independent junior research move on the same level as the viewer. group “Evolutionary Psychology of a media-appropriate manner. On enthusiasm?! Council, all successful applicants … that could certainly be ap- In any case, the films stir emotions Human Physical Appearance and Body the other hand, we also need spe- Dzwonnek: No, that would be first had to negotiate an individual proached in a more organised way within the viewer; laughter comes at Movement” at the University of Göt- cialists who are capable of prepar- interpreting it incorrectly. The term contract with the ERC. In many cas- than before. We need a profession- the right times. That’s important to us, tingen. Fink’s both unusual and attrac- ing and presenting their topics for “requires” is a very positive one, be- es, these negotiations took longer al training curriculum, to which because the videos are intended to be tive research field – partner selection the media. I consider the latter to cause it’s a means to a positive end. than evaluating their applications. practical phases and further train- delivered in an entertaining format. be a new generation of researchers This is an example of the type of ex- ing can be added in order to tailor who are rhetorically knowledge- What form does that end take? cessive management which science it to the specific needs of the vari- As a researcher, can you benefit from an evolutionary perspective – is able with respect to science – a fact Dzwonnek: The goal must be to cannot tolerate. On the other hand – ous different disciplines and facili- from this as well? among ten projects from all scientific of life, given modern communica- give science more freedom and to and this was the second, somewhat ties. The DFG has already made a Fink: Yes, absolutely. Even though disciplines that were selected by the tion possibilities. Without a doubt, organise its increasing complexity delicate issue under discussion – start in this direction through our it took us considerably more time than DFG in a competition for the second there is a great amount of catching to enable it to develop its poten- science sometimes tends to overes- “Forum Hochschul- und Wissen- we had anticipated, being able to suc- series of DFG Science TV and have up to be done in this area. The DFG tial and productivity. Professional timate its own capabilities to a cer- schaftsmanagement” (“University been presented since June 2009. cinctly present the scientific material german research spoke with Bernhard and Science TV are making an im- assistance is more important than tain degree. This is not healthy. and Scientific Management Fo- is beneficial to the scientific work in Fink about his video diary, the new portant and welcome contribution ever in achieving this goal. rum”) at the Centre for Science the team. That’s what is most impor- DFG Science TV series and modern to this. How do you mean? and Research Management in tant. And, in this way, DFG Science methods in scientific communication. And on the other side: How much Dzwonnek: There are those who ­Speyer. We want to continue to ex- TV enriches all of our projects by di- . www.dfg-science-tv.de The interview was conducted by Dr. Rembert management can science tolerate? feel that they could, perhaps, per- pand on this. 30 recting attention to the essentials. Unterstell. 31

german research 3 / 2009 german research 3 / 2009 The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft cultural studies paradigm. Transfer Units tured doctoral programme is offered by (DFG, German Research Foundation) is serve to transfer the findings of basic re- German and foreign universities. Other the central self-governing organisation search produced by Collaborative Re- funding opportunities for qualified young responsible for promoting research in Ger- search Centres into the realm of practical researchers are offered by the Heisenberg dfg.de many. According to its statutes, the DFG application by promoting cooperation be- Programme and the Emmy Noether Pro- . serves all branches of science and the hu- tween research institutes and users. gramme. In so called Reinhart Koselleck manities. The DFG supports and coordi- DFG Research Centres are an important Projects, the DFG supports especially in- nates research projects in all scientific dis- strategic funding instrument. They con- novative research undertakings by out- ciplines, in particular in the areas of basic centrate scientific research competence standing scientists and academics. and applied research. Particular attention in particularly innovative fields and create The Excellence Initiative aims to pro- is paid to promoting young researchers. temporary, internationally visible research mote top-level research and improve Researchers who work at a university or the quality of German universities and

research institution in Germany are eligi- research institutions in the long term. www ble to apply for DFG funding. Proposals Funding is provided for graduate schools, will be peer reviewed. The final assess- clusters of excellence and institutional ment will be carried out by review boards, strategies. the members of which are elected by re- The DFG also funds and initiates searchers in Germany in their individual measures to promote scientific libraries, subject areas every four years. equips computer centres with comput- The DFG distinguishes between the fol- ing hardware, provides instrumentation lowing programmes for research funding: for research purposes and conducts peer In the Individual Grants Programme, any reviews on proposals for scientific instru- researcher can apply for financial assistance mentation. On an international level, the for an individual research project. Priority DFG has assumed the role of Scientific Programmes allow researchers from vari- Representative to international organisa- ous research­ institutions and laboratories tions, coordinates and funds the German to cooperate within the framework of a set contribution towards large-scale interna- topic or project for a defined period of time, tional research programmes, and supports each working at his/her respective­ research international scientific relations. institution. A Research­ Unit is a longer-term Another important role of the DFG is to collaboration between several researchers provide policy advice to parliaments and who generally work together on a research public authorities on scientific issues. A topic at a single location. In Central Research large number of expert commissions and Facilities there is a particular concentration committees provide the scientific back- of personnel and equipment that is required ground for the pass­ing of new legislation, to provide scientific and technical services. primarily in the areas of environmental

Collaborative Research Centres are Illustration: Querbach protection and health care. long-term university research centres in The legal status of the DFG is that of an which scientists and academics pursue am- priorities at research universities. association under private law. Its member bitious joint interdisciplinary research un- Research Training Groups are univer- organisations include research universities, dertakings. They are generally established sity training programmes established for major non-university research institutions, for a period of twelve years. In addition to a specific time period to support young such as the Max Planck Society, the Fraun- the classic Collaborative Research Centres, researchers by actively involving them in hofer Society and the Leibniz Association, which are concentrated at one location and research work. This focusses on a coher- the Academies of Sciences and Humanities open to all subject areas, the DFG also of- ent, topically defined, research and study and a number of scientific associations. In ptimistic and fers several programme variations. Tran- programme. Re­search Training Groups are order to meet its re­sponsibilities, the DFG sregional Collaborative Research Centres designed to promote the early independ- receives funding from the German federal looking into allow various locations to co­operate on one ence of doctoral students and intensify government and the federal states, as well O the future: topical focus. Cultural Studies Research international exchange. They are open to as an annual contribution from the Donors’ A view of the DFG’s

Centres are de­signed to support the tran- international participants. In International Association for the Promotion of Sciences New Year’s reception Illustration: Ausserhofer sition in the humanities to an integrated Research Training Groups, a jointly struc- and Humanities in Germany. in Berlin. In mid-Jan- uary, leading figures from the world of science, politics, busi- ness and society once again met in the Leibniz Room at the Impressum Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities to look ahead at the major challenges facing research and funding german research is published by the Deutsche Forschungsgemein- Editor-in-chief: Marco Finetti (responsible for content); policy in the coming months. schaft (DFG, German Research Foundation); Publisher: WILEY-VCH Publishing Executive Editor: Dr. Rembert Unterstell; Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, P.O. Box 10 11 61, D-69541 Weinheim; Copy Editors: Stephanie Henseler, Angela Kügler-Seifert; Annual subscription price: € 61.00 (Europe), US $ 66.00 (all other Translation: SciTech Communications GmbH, Heidelberg; countries) including postage and handling charges. Prices are exclusive Printed by: Bonner Universitäts-Buchdruckerei (BUB); of VAT and subject to change. Address of editorial staff: DFG, Press printed on chlorine-free bleached paper with 50 % recycling fibres. and Public Relations Office, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn; [email protected]; www.dfg.de ISSN 0172-1518 32

german research 3 / 2009