Parched fields, shriveled cobs of corn, and grain that withers on the stalk. The summer of 2018 really packed a punch in Europe: High temperatures and low rainfall for long periods caused dramatic crop losses in many places. The affected farmers aren’t alone in wondering what will happen when extreme summers become more common in the course of climate change. You can’t wave a magic wand to get enough rainfall – but maybe plants could adapt to drier soil?

Digitalization has brought change to democratic societies, in some cases radical change. Political parties, media outlets, and researchers are only now gradually forming an understanding of how the political public sphere forms on the Internet, how content is debated, and how electoral decisions are made. At the same time, there is growing concern that digital channels can be used to manipulate public sentiment toward specific aims.

The thick layer of ice reflects the sun’s light, leaving the entire surface of Saturn’s moon Enceladus wrapped in gleaming white. Averaging nearly 500 kilometers in diameter, the icy moon is one of more than 60 moons around Saturn. For many years, it has been the subject of research for Frank Postberg, who became a professor of planetary sciences at Freie Universität Berlin in October 2018.