Hormones from the contraceptive pill turn male frogs into females, antibiotic residues promote the development of resistant bacteria: Numerous chemical compounds, in particular residues from pharmaceuticals, industry and agriculture, cause ecological problems when they enter the environment by way of water. This can can also have health consequences for humans. A new approach aims to make it easier to remove these so-called xenobiotics from wastewater in sewage treatment plants.

Dirt or food - that is probably a question of perspective. Fats, proteins, carbohydrates and also urea - the substances that make up a large part of the dirt in kitchens and bathrooms - serve bacteria as food. Some manufacturers of cleaning products have recently started advertising that their products contain bacteria that are supposed to improve the cleaning effect. Microbiologists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now explained that this is not plausible for several reasons.

They are tiny and at home in many freshwaters: water fleas. The so-called daphnia are unique in that they react very sensitively to pollutants in the water. Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have therefore used these small crustaceans as a yardstick to investigate the pollution of freshwater ecosystems.

Just like humans and animals, plants also have to defend against bacterial infections.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, slightly more than half of Germany's acreage was used for agriculture in 2016. Farmers are using modern machinery and pesticides and fertilizers to increase yields. Studies confirm: More intensive farming is detrimental to the environment and above all threatens species diversity. But a meta-analysis now shows at what a cost for nature a bountiful harvest actually comes.

As part of its internationalization strategy, the Max Planck Society has established a new Max Planck Center in Great Britain: At the Max Planck-Bristol Center for Minimal Biology, researchers will construct artificial cytoskeletons, develop nano-scale molecular machines and thus study the necessary building blocks for life

Whether palm oil, cotton or soy: many raw materials from plants used in Germany for the production of cosmetics, textiles, biodiesel or animal feed have to be procured from abroad. But where do the raw materials come from and what are the environmental consequences? An international study led by the Institute for Ecological Economics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration (WU) provides answers. Researchers from the University of Bonn were also involved.

More than half of all their products, namely 60%, are to be sustainable in 2021, promises German sporting goods manufacturer Adidas. This will be achieved by using recycled polyester - e.g., from plastic waste collected from beaches - and reused cotton as well as by delisting animal furs. The brand also already has vegan shoes in its range. A real innovation, however, is what the group will exclusively launch with three other fashion companies worldwide this year: Shoes made of a mushroom mesh instead of leather.