UNI NOVA – Research Magazine of the University of Basel

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  Research

  Stockpiling bacteria.

  Text: Samuel Schlaefli / Our health is highly dependent on the presence of a diverse community of microorganisms in the body, but the diversity of this “microbiome” is in rapid decline. An international research consortium is therefore planning to build a vault for the long-term conservation of particularly valuable microbial communities.

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  Research

  Princess rooms and car-themed palaces.

  Text: Eva Mell / Gender researcher Dominique Grisard is interested in how the design of children’s bedrooms perpetuates gender roles. She explains how much influence middle-class notions still have on today’s parents.

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  Alumni

  In the field for mission “soil fertility”.

  Text: Davina Benkert / What is it that makes good soil good? Biologist Sarah Symanczik is dedicated to finding the answer. She is currently conducting research into European wheat farming to determine what makes soil resistant to climate stress.

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  Alumni

  A new start with obstacles and opportunities.

  Text: Letizia Scholl and Basil Hatz /

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  Column

  On the potential of unread books.

  Text: Dominique Brancher / My book: Literary scholar Dominique Brancher wonders what it means to read a book - or not.

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  In conversation

  Measuring the mind.

  Interview: Urs Hafner / The soul is less susceptible to medical examination than a conspicuous skin blemish or a broken leg. Annette Brühl believes blood tests and brain scans could unlock new possibilities for psychiatry.

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  Dossier

  A model to feed the world.

  Text: Catherine Weyer / The world population is growing – and with it demand for food. With a view to satisfying this appetite in the future, Ruth Delzeit and her team model how to make the best use of the land available to us.

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  Dossier

  Stronger together.

  Text: Noëmi Kern / Bonding together with like-minded people is part and parcel of human nature. What this can achieve can be seen in the example of the Gundeldinger Feld development in Basel. Far from being a threat, growing and heterogeneous societies actually represent an opportunity in this context.

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  Dossier

  An end to endless growth?!

  Text: Samuel Schlaefli / Environmental economist Frank Krysiak and environmental ethicist Andreas Brenner agree on one thing: Our economy needs to become more sustainable. Should we have to reject the growth paradigm in order to achieve that goal? Three arguments for and against a post-growth economy.