They can’t talk, but they do offer answers: Geophysicist Serge Shapiro uses seismic waves to coax the secrets out of deep layers of stone. Thanks to his invention, it will not be necessary to drill as much to explore underground reservoirs in the future.

What role do feelings play when we make decisions? Why do the Harry Potter novels carry us off into faraway worlds? Can people perceive a rubber hand as part of their own body?

Pandemic preparedness plans, lack of vaccines, indoor confinement for poultry – bird flu dominated the headlines for a while. For a year now, the disease that was once perceived as so threatening has seemed no longer to be a threat. But looks can be deceiving. Animals in Europe have contracted bird flu viruses this year, too. But how dangerous are these viruses to people?