Issue #13 — Dynamics

This issue is of Basically, Science is all about Dynamics.

Dive into the internal dynamics driving the next generation of solar cells, learn how scientists use starquakes to tell the story of a star’s early life, and how microbial dynamics cause a ‘hockey puck’ to move.

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Examining a lead-halide perovskite crystal in the lab using optical methods. The sample glows green. © ISTA

Explaining Next-generation Solar Cells

Perovskites have a reputation for breaking the rules. Despite their imperfections, they can rival silicon in efficiency. Now, a study in Nature Communications points to a hidden driver: tiny internal regions that steer electrical charges through the material. These internal dynamics help explain how energy moves through the cell, and why performance can remain high even in imperfect structures.

Rather than being centered at one point, simulations suggest that magnetic fields can form shell‑like structures (pink field lines). © Lukas Einramhof

Starquakes Tell the Story of Stellar Interiors

Some stars carry magnetic fields that seem far older than their current form. In Astronomy & Astrophysics, researchers trace these fields back to earlier stages of stellar life using starquakes, subtle vibrations that reveal what is happening deep inside. The findings highlight the long-term dynamics of stellar interiors, where processes set in motion early can continue to shape a star over time.

Video still of E. coli in confined spaces powering symmetric discs. © Grober et al./Nature Physics

Can Microbes Move a 'Hockey Puck'?

Confine bacteria with a tiny disc, and they can set it spinning. In Nature Physics, researchers show how the constant activity of swimming microbes builds into a collective push, strong enough to rotate objects much larger than themselves. It is a clear example of microbial dynamics, where simple individual actions combine into coordinated behavior.

Postdoc Jakub Bajzik (L) and the study’s first author, PhD student Al Depope (R) offer a solution to extract information from large biobank datasets on complex traits. © ISTA

Big Data and Human Height

Height might seem straightforward, but predicting it from DNA is anything but. In Cell Genomics, researchers present a new way to handle vast genetic datasets, using height as a test case. The method captures the dynamics of genetic influence, showing how many small effects interact across the genome to shape a complex trait.

Glaciers, Water Resources, and Droughts in a Changing Climate

Professor Anđela Šarić and her group will contribute their expertise in the field of computational modelling to the project. © ISTA

Join us on campus for a day of science, discovery and curiosity! © ISTA

Save the Date: Open Campus

One of the highlights of the ISTA calendar and the biggest science party in ower Austria is back for 2026! This April we once again throw open the doors of our world-class research institute and invite you to join in the wonder and magic of science.