by Prof Dr Simone Fulda, President of Kiel University

Is happiness measurable? "Yes," says Professor Uwe Jensen from the Institute for Statistics and Econometrics at Kiel University. He researches the topic of "life satisfaction", which has dropped since the COVID pandemic.

Kiel University presented itself and Schleswig-Holstein as a region for research at the autumn meetings of the German Council of Science and Humanities. The President of Kiel University presented research institutions and outstanding projects in her keynote speech.

Research group under Professor Marco Liserre

KSCN with Professor Ilka Parchmann

Incidence, R value, efficacy studies: since the coronavirus emerged, the Germans have been bandying about all kinds of specialist terms from medical statistics. And yet this discipline is often misunderstood.

In old age, the bone density of many people decreases. This process is known as osteoporosis. The ARTEMIS joint research project under Kiel leadership is developing software for early detection.

German-American Franz Boas has gone down in history as one of the most important anthropologists worldwide. The significance of his thinking is being investigated in the Cluster of Excellence ROOTS.

Comprehensive data on around 700 soil profiles is stored at Kiel University. It is a unique collection - even beyond Germany. This is primarily because the data has been carefully processed and offers a high degree of comparability.

People are always there for each other. But why? Professor Andreas Müller is working on this question. He researches and teaches Church and Religious History of the First Millennium at the Faculty of Theology.

Why do people volunteer to help in their villages? A study by the cultural geography working group at Kiel University examines this question in order to recommend actions for policy-makers.

Utilities statements, warranty claims, consumer questions – at the student legal advisory office Studentische Rechtsberatung e.V. at Kiel University, those seeking help can get advice for free.

The love life and breeding behaviour of fish depends on the salt and oxygen content of the water, the water temperature and other environmental conditions. The Coastal Ecology working group at Kiel University is researching the connections.

Perfect knowledge of maths, physics and chemistry, very good knowledge of the German language – and yet it still doesn't really work out in the classroom. Teachers who have learned their profession abroad receive support from Kiel University through the InterTeach qualification.

Industrialisation and intestinal bacteria

Professional skills of biology teachers

Intelligent research tools

Male pregnancy

Flexible metabolism

The 28-year-old kite surfer Leonie Meyer is European Vice Champion, has passed her second state examination in medicine at Kiel University, and gave birth to a son in May 2021. And she's still pursuing some major goals.

Professor Ben Krause-Kyora researches the epidemics of our ancestors by analysing ancient DNA. His findings also help to improve our understanding of today’s inflammatory diseases.

If a plaster cast isn't enough to stabilize a broken leg, screw implants can help it to heal. Magnesium implants even dissolve over time - and make a second operation unnecessary.

We have known for a while that there are gender-specific differences in healthcare provision, but these have not been adequately considered either in research or in clinical practice. A lecture series at Kiel University highlights this fact.

For many people, 11 September 2001 serves as a prominent example of how facts are distorted to legitimise political measures. In fact, however, there have been legends – or fake news – about the phenomenon of terrorism that go much further back than that.

Archaeological finds do not have to date back to the Stone Age to be of scientific interest. As students of modern archaeology prove in their final theses, the present and recent past also have exciting things to offer from the City of Kiel.

Who owns monuments in public spaces? Whom should they represent? And who has a say in what happens to them? Social movements such as Black Lives Matter and major projects like the renovation of the Bismarck monument in Hamburg are bringing these questions ever more into the public eye.