News

Hot and hotter: Weather station records record-breaking summer temperatures

It has been an exceptionally hot summer so far. The meteorological station at the University of Graz has also reported record temperatures. Unprecedented in the history of weather records dating back to 1894: 44 days above 30 degrees within a single year, six of which were above 35 degrees!

Surprise, spectacle, science: Astrophysicists observed a partial solar eclipse

The star of the show was the sun, and the programme featured a natural spectacle: the partial solar eclipse on the evening of 12 August 2026 drew crowds to Graz’s Schloßberg. The ‘sun-downer’ was accompanied by a dash of science from astrophysicists at the University of Graz.

Future Education Talk with Angelika Bernsteiner and Lilith Rüschenpöhler

How Young People Can Help Shape Research

Getting even hotter: Researchers predict global warming of 1.7 degrees by 2027

While Europe is currently sweltering in the heat, global temperatures are also rising towards concerning record levels. In 2026, Earth’s surface air temperature is expected to reach 1.62 degrees, and in 2027 even 1.71 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The long-term temperature rise – an average over a 20-year period – is predicted to exceed the 1.5-degree threshold of the Paris Agreement as of 2026 already. For the first time, researchers at the University of Graz have been able to make such a forecast so far in advance. The intensifying El Niño climate event favors forecast skill and thereby facilitates a reliable computation.

Nano but Mighty: Innovations in confined spaces

At the University of Graz, Peter Banzer and his team (OpNaQ group) are controlling light in extremely confined spaces, enabling entirely new applications in physics, biology, and medicine. By precisely tailoring light fields at the nanometer scale, they can exert forces, extract information, and make hidden features visible.

Gold Medal of Honour for Willibald Plessas

On 11 June 2026, Willibald Plessas was awarded the Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria in the auditorium of the Old University of Graz.

A quantum black hole?

First hints for a bound state of gravitons, which could be a primordial black hole

Noise is the signal: new simulation method enables secure communication

Researchers from Graz, Vienna and Munich have developed a new simulation method that makes it possible to calculate quantum light using classical software – a step towards secure quantum communication.

More news

Teaching vignettes for working with Arduino in teacher education

The field of physics education focuses, among other things, on how pre-service teachers can be supported in using digital media effectively in science…

Flawlessness defying imperfection

Researchers from the OpNaQ group (Banzer) at the University of Graz and international partners have demonstrated a miniaturized silicon‑nitride…

How Do Adolescents Evaluate the Credibility of Instagram Posts?

A new article has been published in the Journal of Baltic Science Education.

Shaping the Future of Sensing, Together

The Christian Doppler Laboratory for Structured Matter Based Sensing (CDL-SMBS) is entering a new phase following its successful first evaluation at…

Under Current

High-Resolution Imaging with Quantum Dots and Atomic Force Microscopy

Crystal-clear: AI method revolutionises solar observation

The Sun makes life on Earth possible. However, its magnetic fields can also cause massive disruption. This makes it all the more important to gain a…

The Josef Krainer „Förderungspreis“ goes to Stefan Purkhart

Stefan Purkhart from the Institute of Physics at the University of Graz has been awarded the Josef Krainer „Förderungspreis“ 2026 for his…

Achieving climate goals: Researchers highlight need for fair country shares in CO2

As the war in the Middle East is currently reminding us once again, many countries around the world are heavily reliant on oil and gas. Lax climate…