Watching nature scenes can reduce pain, new study shows

A new neuroimaging study has revealed that viewing nature can help ease how people experience pain, by reducing the brain activity linked to pain perception.

University of Exeter

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The brain response shows overall brain activity involved in processing the location and intensity of pain. This response was lower when people were exposed to virtual nature scenes compared to urban or indoor scenes.

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Credit: Max Steininger, University of Vienna

A new neuroimaging study has revealed that viewing nature can help ease how people experience pain, by reducing the brain activity linked to pain perception.

Published in the journal Nature Communications and led by a team from the University of Vienna and University of Exeter, the research offers a promising foundation for new types of non-pharmacological pain treatments.

Using an fMRI scanner, researchers monitored the brain activity of 49 participants in Austria, as they received pain delivered through a series of small electric shocks. When they were watching videos of a natural scene compared to a city or an indoor office, participants not only reported feeling less pain, but scans showed the specific brain responses associated with processing pain changed too.

 

The study used advanced machine-learning to analyse the brain networks related to pain processing. The team discovered that the raw sensory signals the brain receives when something hurts were reduced when watching a carefully designed, high quality, virtual  nature scene. The study confirmed previous findings that suggest nature can reduce subjective reports of pain, and also marks the first clear demonstration of how natural environments influence the brain, helping to buffer against unpleasant experiences.

University of Vienna PhD student Max Steininger, lead author of the study, explained:  “Numerous studies have shown that people consistently report feeling less pain when exposed to nature. Yet until now, the underlying reasons for this effect were unclear. Our study is the first to provide evidence from brain scans that this isn't just a ‘placebo’ effect – driven by people’s beliefs and expectations that nature is good for them – instead, the brain is reacting less to information about where the pain is coming from and how intense it feels.

“Our findings suggest that the pain-relieving effect of nature is genuine, although the effect we found was around half that of painkillers. People in pain should certainly continue taking any medication they have been prescribed. But we hope in future alternative ways of relieving pain, such as experiencing nature, may be used to help improve pain management.”

The paper also helps shed light on a longstanding mystery of the healing potential of natural settings. Over forty years ago, a seminal study from pioneering American researcher, Roger Ulrich, showed how hospital patients used fewer painkillers and recovered faster when their windows overlooked a green space instead of a brick wall. Yet following decades of research, the mechanisms underlying this effect remained unknown.

 

The new findings provide the first robust explanation of why Ulrich’s patients might have experienced less pain, and demonstrate how virtual nature encounters could bring these benefits to anyone, anywhere – providing a non-invasive, accessible pathway to pain management.

 

Dr Alex Smalley, a coauthor from the University of Exeter concluded “This study highlights how virtual encounters can bring the healing potential of nature to people when they can’t get outside. But we hope our results also serve as renewed evidence for the importance of protecting healthy and functioning natural environments, encouraging people to spend time in nature for the benefit of both the planet and people.”

 

“The fact that this pain-relieving effect can be achieved through a virtual nature exposure which is easy to administer has important practical implications for non drug treatments, and opens new avenues for research to better understand how nature impacts our minds.”

The paper is titled ‘Nature exposure induces analgesic effects by acting on nociception-related neural processing’ and is published in Nature Communications.

Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-56870-2 

Method of Research

Imaging analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Nature exposure induces analgesic effects by acting on nociception-related neural processing’

Article Publication Date

13-Mar-2025

Nature relieves physical pain: pain-related signals in the brain are reduced

This effect even occurs with virtual nature – such as nature videos

University of Vienna

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In a new study, an international team of neuroscientists led by the University of Vienna has shown that experiencing nature can alleviate acute physical pain. Surprisingly, simply watching nature videos was enough to relieve pain. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers found that acute pain was rated as less intense and unpleasant when watching nature videos – along with a reduction in brain activity associated with pain. The results suggest that nature-based therapies can be used as promising complementary approaches to pain management. The study was recently published in the renowned journal Nature Communications.

"Pain processing is a complex phenomenon" explains study lead and doctoral student Max Steininger from the University of Vienna. In order to better understand it and identify treatment options, Steininger and his colleagues investigated how nature exposure influences pain: participants suffering from pain were shown three types of videos: a nature scene, an indoor scene, and an urban scene. The participants rated the pain while their brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The results were clear: when viewing the nature scene, the participants not only reported less pain but also showed reduced activity in brain regions associated with pain processing.

By analyzing the brain data, the researchers showed that viewing nature reduced the raw sensory signal the brain receives when in pain. "Pain is like a puzzle, made up of different pieces that are processed differently in the brain. Some pieces of the puzzle relate to our emotional response to pain, such as how unpleasant we find it. Other pieces correspond to the physical signals underlying the painful experience, such as its location in the body and its intensity. Unlike placebos, which usually change our emotional response to pain, viewing nature changed how the brain processed early, raw sensory signals of pain. Thus, the effect appears to be less influenced by participants’ expectations, and more by changes in the underlying pain signals," explains Steininger.

Claus Lamm, head of research in the group, adds: "From another ongoing study, we know that people consistently report feeling less pain when exposed to natural environments. However, the underlying reason for this has remained unclear – until now. Our study suggests that the brain reacts less to both the physical source and the intensity of the pain."

The current study provides important information on how nature can help alleviate pain and highlights that nature-based therapeutic approaches can be a useful addition to pain treatment. The fact, that this effect was observed by simply watching nature videos suggests that taking a walk outdoors may not be necessary. Virtual nature – such as videos or virtual reality – appears to be effective as well. This opens up a wide range of possible applications in both the private and medical sectors, providing people with a simple and accessible way to relieve their pain.

The study was conducted at the University of Vienna in collaboration with researchers from the Universities of Exeter and Birmingham (UK) and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.

Researchers from the fields of neuroscience and environmental psychology worked together on this research topic for the first time at the University of Vienna. Claus Lamm and Mathew White are also members of the interdisciplinary Environment and Climate Research Hub (ECH) at the University of Vienna. The ECH brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to produce outstanding scientific knowledge that can provide solutions to pressing problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution.

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-56870-2 

Article Title

Nature exposure induces analgesic effects by acting on nociception-related neural processing

Article Publication Date

13-Mar-2025

Just looking at images of nature can relieve pain, study finds

 

Brown trout proven to successfully navigate beaver dams

University of Southampton

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A wild beaver on the River Tay, Scotland.

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Credit: Beaver Trust

A groundbreaking study, led by the University of Southampton (UK), has revealed that brown trout can successfully navigate beaver dams – obstacles which were previously thought to pose a significant barrier to their movement.

However, researchers say the situation can be complex, with low water flows in some rivers holding fish below the dams, delaying them from accessing spawning areas. They suggest prolonged dry spells, due to climate change, may increase this problem in certain areas of Great Britain in the future.

Findings are published in the journal PLOS One.

The research monitored trout movements in two streams in Scotland – one modified by a series of four beaver dams and the other unaltered.

The scientists observed the trout as they navigated the barriers during critical spawning periods (October to December). The fish were tracked using telemetry technology, where trout are tagged with microchips that are read by antennae spanning the dam structures.

The researchers found that high river flows, triggered by rainfall, significantly increased the likelihood of successful upstream passage. Additionally, larger fish had greater success at navigating the dams. Conversely, during low flow periods, beaver dams posed a more significant obstacle, delaying or sometimes preventing trout movement upstream.

Dr Robert Needham, Restoration Manager at Beaver Trust and former University of Southampton researcher, said: “Our findings highlight how adaptable brown trout are under favourable conditions, regularly passing beaver dams and with certain individuals making multiple repeat passes. However, as climate change continues to bring warmer and drier weather, the risk of migratory barriers may become a concern on certain rivers."

Beavers were once common throughout Great Britain until they were hunted to extinction around the 16th Century. Their reintroduction in recent years has been heralded as a conservation success story with some 1.2 million of the animals now living wild across Europe. Populations in Great Britain  are much smaller, the largest being in Scotland, with isolated populations in the south of England – although DEFRA has just authorised the licenced release of beavers into the wild in England.

The natural engineering of beaver habitats creates biodiversity benefits but has also sparked concerns about potential impacts on local fisheries, such as blocking of rivers and localised flooding.
This new research underscores the importance of proactive management strategies to mitigate potential future challenges for fish migration, particularly in a shifting climate.

“Our findings indicate how fish response to river modification through the construction of dams by beaver can be nuanced,” says Professor Paul Kemp, the project lead at the University of Southampton. “In general, and if rivers are allowed to respond naturally, the benefits of beaver activity can be substantial from an ecological perspective. However, under some circumstances beaver dams can pose barriers to fish movement, particularly under low flows.

“More research is now needed to understand how beaver dams might impede fish movements in more modified lowland rivers, such as in the south of England.”

The project was conducted in collaboration with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), Trout and Salmon Association, and NatureScot.

Dylan Roberts, Head of GWCT Fisheries, comments: “Beavers are now back in England and Scotland, but the landscape is very different to when they were last here 500 years ago. With populations of many migratory fish, which need free passage up and downstream to access spawning areas and the sea, now at crisis point and classified as endangered. Such studies are crucial to better understand the interactions between beavers and migratory fish like brown trout and salmon.”

Dr Martin Gaywood, Species Projects Manager, NatureScot adds: “The interactions between beavers and fish have been the subject of great debate over many years, especially within Scotland. We were pleased to support this work, which makes another important contribution to our understanding of these complex relationships. This kind of evidence is vital in helping us and others to plan the continued restoration of beavers to Scotland, including how we use appropriate management and mitigation when necessary.”

The research was funded by the collaborating organisations, Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) and the University of Southampton’ s doctoral research programme SPITFIRE.

Ends

A beaver dam at one of the research sites in Northern Scotland.

Dr Robert Needham measuring the length of a juvenile trout as part of a separate project.

Dr Robert Needham conducting an electrofishing survey as part of a separate project

Credit

Beaver Trust

Notes to Editors

1. The paper, ‘The impact of reintroduced Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) dams on the upstream movement of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in upland areas of Great Britain’ is published in PLOS One, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313648 and can be viewed here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0313648
    
2. Images can be downloaded at: https://safesend.soton.ac.uk/pickup?claimID=BdBZvSQpWAyhiKMb&claimPasscode=eRN9YPXKFzkhXDKq&emailAddr=216878
    
3. About the study: This research investigated brown trout passage dynamics at beaver dams during spawning periods, using PIT telemetry and survival analysis models to assess environmental and biotic factors influencing fish success.
    
4. Contact: Peter Franklin, Media Relations, University of Southampton – 023 8059 3212 press@soton.ac.uk
    
5. The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world’s challenges. We are among the top 100 institutions globally (QS World University Rankings 2025). Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 22,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. www.southampton.ac.uk

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Journal

PLOS One

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0313648 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

The impact of reintroduced Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) dams on the upstream movement of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in upland areas of Great Britain.

 

Does exercise really extend life? Finnish twin study offers new insights 

University of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto

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Physical activity is seen as a way to extend the human lifespan, but Finnish twin studies found the benefits of physical activity for longevity may not be as straightforward as has been previously thought.  

Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, investigated the links between long-term leisure-time physical activity and mortality, as well as whether physical activity can mitigate the increased risk of mortality due to genetic predisposition to diseases. Moreover, they examined the relationship between physical activity and later biological aging.  

The study included 22,750 Finnish twins born before 1958 whose leisure-time physical activity was assessed in 1975, 1981 and 1990. Mortality follow-up continued until the end of 2020. 

Moderate Activity Yields Maximum Longevity Benefits 

Four distinct sub-groups were identified from the data, which was based on leisure-time physical activity over the 15-year follow-up: sedentary, moderately active, active and highly active groups. When the differences in mortality between the groups were examined at the 30-year follow-up, it was found that the greatest benefit – a 7% lower risk of mortality – was achieved between the sedentary and moderately active groups. A higher level of physical activity brought no additional benefit. When mortality was examined separately in the short and long term, a clear association was found in the short-term: the higher the level of physical activity, the lower the mortality risk. In the long term, however, those who were highly active did not differ from those who were sedentary in terms of mortality. 

“An underlying pre-disease state can limit physical activity and ultimately lead to death, not the lack of exercise itself,” says Associate Professor Elina Sillanpää from the Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences. “This can bias the association between physical activity and mortality in the short term.” 

Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines Does Not Guarantee a Lower Mortality Risk 

The researchers also investigated whether following the World Health Organization's physical activity guidelines affects mortality and genetic disease risk. The guidelines suggest 150 to 300 minutes of moderate or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity weekly. The study found that meeting these guidelines did not lower mortality risk or alter genetic disease risk. Even for twins who met the recommended levels of PA over a 15-year period, no statistically significant difference in mortality rates was found compared to their less active twin pair. 

"The widely observed favorable association between physical activity and mortality are based on observational studies that are prone to bias from different sources,” says postdoctoral researcher Laura Joensuu from the Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences. “In our studies, we aimed to account for various sources of biases, and combined with the long follow-up period, we could not confirm that adhering to physical activity guidelines mitigates genetic cardiovascular disease risk or causally reduces mortality.”  

Link Between Physical Activity and Biological Aging is U-shaped 

For the subsample of twins, biological aging was determined from blood samples using epigenetic clocks. Epigenetic clocks allow a person's biological aging rate to be estimated based on methyl groups that regulate gene expression and are linked to aging process.  

“We found that the association between leisure-time physical activity and biological aging was U-shaped: Biological aging was accelerated in those who exercised the least and the most,” says Sillanpää. 

Other lifestyles, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, largely explained the favorable associations of physical activity with biological aging.  

Genetic data were available for 4,897 twins. The genetic susceptibility of twins to coronary artery disease, as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure was assessed using new polygenic risk scores, which sum the genome-wide susceptibility to morbidity. In addition, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was followed in 180 identical twin pairs. The biological aging rate of 1,153 twins was assessed from a blood sample. 

The studies were carried out in cooperation with the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences and Methodology Centre for Human Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä and the Finnish Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Helsinki.  

The first authors of the studies, doctoral researchers Laura Joensuu and Anna Kankaanpää, belong to the GenActive research group. The GenActive group investigates genetic and lifestyle factors that predict biological aging, health and functional capacity. The group leader is Elina Sillanpää, associate professor of health promotion. 

The research was funded by the Research Council of Finland, Juho Vainio Foundation, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, Sigrid Juselius Foundation and Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation. 

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Journal

European Journal of Epidemiology

DOI

10.1007/s10654-024-01200-x 

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The associations of long-term physical activity in adulthood with later biological ageing and all-cause mortality – a prospective twin study

 

KIT at Hannover Messe 2025: Energy and Commitment to the Future

From integrated photovoltaics to optical meta surfaces to smart earphones: KIT will present technological highlights at Future Hub and Energy Solutions from March 31 to April 6

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

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At ZEco Thermal Lab, KIT researchers work on solid-based cooling processes using shape memory alloys.

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Credit: Markus Breig, KIT

Information on the stands and exhibits of KIT can also be found in KIT’s digital press kit for Hannover Messe 2025.

“Geopolitical instabilities, the energy transition, and climate change – Germany, Europe, and the world are facing existential challenges,” says Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, President of KIT. “We at KIT want to find the answers through our research. Some of them will be presented at Hannover Messe 2025. We will highlight technologies for more sustainability, alternative energy concepts, and the creative commitment of our young engineers. All this is made possible by strong research collaboration and some of the world’s brightest minds.”


KIT at Future Hub (Hall 2, Stand B35)

“KIT. A place of the future. Since 1825.” On the occasion of its 200th anniversary, KIT presents itself as a place of the future. The focus lies on the diversity and social impact of research, teaching, and innovation as well as on the commitment of KIT’s students.

Optical Meta Surfaces for Compact and Multifunctional Optical Components
Minute nanostructures can manipulate light. Specifically designed nanostructured layers are used to produce lightweight, compact, and multifunctional optical components. These can be applied to focus light and to generate structured light and holograms. It is even possible to replace several optical elements by a single optical meta surface. Production of such meta optics is compatible with standard processes to manufacture semiconductors and, hence, suited for mass production.

OpenEarables: Smart Biosensing Earphones
An open source AI platform is the basis of earphones equipped with numerous sensors measuring health and environmental parameters with high precision. OpenEarables improve communication in loud environments, protect health, and enhance occupational safety. They can be operated hands-free and eyes-free and are suited for a variety of applications. Research, development, and industry can adapt and extend the AI platform as needed.

ZEco Thermal Lab: Sustainable Cooling and Heating
ZEco Thermal Lab develops cooling and heating technologies for a variety of applications ranging from micro cooling of electronics to large-scale air conditioning. The technologies rely on solid-based cooling using the so-called elastocaloric effect: Certain materials heat up and cool down under mechanical loading and deloading. In this way, it is possible to directly convert mechanical into thermal energy without needing media such as gases or liquids. The technologies by ZEco Thermal Lab are emission-free and highly sustainable.

KITTEN: Test Field for Energy Efficiency in Large Research Infrastructures  
To enhance the energy efficiency and sustainability of large research infrastructures, in particular particle accelerators, KIT has established the KITTEN test field. It combines physics and energy technology to develop and test multidisciplinary solutions from the component level to the system level. The results will also benefit other energy-intensive infrastructures, such as computing centers, hospitals, and plants of steel or chemical industries.

Engineers Without Borders (EWB): Development Cooperation Projects
An example of the outstanding commitment of students at KIT: For 20 years now, Engineers Without Borders, a group of students from KIT, have carried out various engineering projects in economically, socially, or politically disadvantaged regions in order to create new perspectives for the population there. So far, a total of 1,500 members have implemented nearly 40 projects in 13 countries and collected donations in the total amount of EUR 2.5 million. Their projects focus on education, water supply, energy supply, healthcare, and infrastructure. KIT supports EWB with knowledge, advice, and inspiration.

Research to Business – Technology Offerings of KIT
The Future Hub stand will also present 40 technology offerings of KIT. They may be developed further to marketable products and processes.


KIT at Energy Solutions (Hall 13, Stand C76)

“Powering the Future – Innovative Energy Solutions“ is KIT’s claim in conceiving solutions for a viable and sustainable energy system. KIT’s energy solutions focus on electrical energy. Other topics are the smart interconnection of devices and energy-saving and cost-efficient recycling of battery materials.

RAZO: Smart Interconnection and Control of Devices
The RAZO energy management system enhances the use of renewable energies and supports consumers of electrical energy, who also produce electricity, in optimizing their costs. Using RAZO, electric vehicles, batteries, and heat pumps can be interconnected and controlled smartly. Prosumers can optimally use their excessive photovoltaic energy and purchase additional power when it is cheapest. RAZO’s current pilot experiment covers a virtual power plant that integrates various decentralized energy resources.

Rethinking Photovoltaics: Double Use of Spaces and Organic Solar Cells  
Use of solar energy can be combined with agricultural areas, facades of buildings, or other sealed areas. An example is the integration of photovoltaic elements in the outer walls of greenhouses. Organic solar cells are particularly suited for integration in widely used infrastructures and inexpensive mass production. KIT has developed highly specialized and environmentally friendly semiconducting inks for the production of organic solar cells from water or alcohol and operates an automated research platform that combines ink synthesis, layer deposition, and characterization.

LeMoStore: Inverter and Energy Storage System Combined
To integrate renewable energies in the grid, inverters and storage systems are needed. LeMoStore (lifetime-optimized modular energy storage system) combines both functions. The integrated battery modules do not have to be identical in construction. It is also possible to apply spent batteries of different designs. Strategic division of charge and discharge power allows for the optimization of battery lifetime and the reduction of installed storage capacity. In this way, economically efficient and sustainable systems can be implemented.

DiRecFM: Direct Recycling of Battery Electrodes
In view of the scarcity of metals, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which are used in lithium-ion batteries, efficient concepts for recycling are in high demand. Direct recycling of battery electrodes is highly sustainable. By means of gentle processes, active materials are recovered while maintaining their functions and then directly fed back into battery production. KIT will present a mechatronic concept for the mechanical removal of the active anode material from the copper foil by brushing.

Research to Business – Technology Offerings of KIT 
The Energy Solutions stand will present another 30 technology offerings of KIT. They may be developed further to marketable products and processes.


KIT at Other Stands

The Center for Electrochemical Energy Storage Ulm & Karlsruhe (CELEST) will present its work at the stand of Baden-Württemberg international (Hall 13, Stand C78). CELEST offers a big platform for scientific collaboration and technology transfer in the area of electrochemical energy storage (EES), from fundamental research to the manufacture and testing of large cells. The platform combines the know-how of its partner institutions, namely, KIT, Ulm University, and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg. Research of the CELEST members covers lithium and post-lithium batteries as well as alternative electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems, in particular hydrogen and fuel cells.

With their vision of sustainable and zero-emission future mobility, KIT and the University of Stuttgart established their joint research platform Innovation Campus Future Mobility (ICM). ICM will also present its AI-supported inspection system for electronic products at the stand of Baden-Württemberg international (Hall 13, Stand C78). The system helps to optimize the reuse of printed circuit boards, as it pools various inspection methods, evaluates results in real time, and specifically initiates repair, reuse, or recycling measures. In this way, it contributes to a resource-efficient and profitable circular economy. ICM will also present its miniaturized vehicle Mini-eVee, a platform to test new communication, control, and driving concepts.

KIT-Gründerschmiede (KIT Founders Forge) is one of the biggest university-based startup centers in Germany. It pools KIT’s startup and entrepreneurial activities. Together with ten startups from KIT, the KIT Founders Forge will present itself in the Start-up Area (Hall 2, Stand D26). Every day, two startups will be showcased and they will pitch on the Industrial Startup Stage: adjusted flow GmbH and FastCast GmbH, PrioOptics GmbH and Validaitor GmbH, Desoltik and KCM – Karlsruhe Conductive Materials, Spotium GmbH and NextStepHR GbR, Avo Labs Inc. and Catavis. (or)


KIT in the Conference Program

Tech Transfer Stage (Hall 2, Stand B02)

Monday, March 31, 2025, 14.00 hrs: Keynote: Science for Impact
Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, President of KIT

Wednesday, April 02, 2025, 13.50 hrs: Presentation: Revolutionary Lightweight and Compact Optical Metagrating: 4x Efficiency Boost at High Angles
Dr. Maryna Meretska, Institute of Nanotechnology of KIT

Wednesday, April 02, 2025, 14.15 hrs: Presentation: Elastocaloric Technology: Pioneering Sustainable Cooling and Heating Solutions for a Greener Future
Dr. Jingyuan Xu, Institute of Microstructure Technology of KIT


More Information:

Digital press kit of KIT for Hannover Messe 2025


Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.