Video and Audio

Scroll through our multi-media content and gain an insight into our research

The film shows one of the biggest interdisciplinary research project in Europe and the university’s influence on Jena in the past and present. For 6 years 20 research institutes participated in researching the beginnings of the university and its influence on Jena. We are proud to have the chance to be a part of Jena and the documentary.
From arte’s Stimmt es das...? series, this documentary features Jürgen Renn on the question of where genius comes from, and whether geniuses are really real (in German)
Prof Jürgen Renn joined ARD alpha’s Tagesgespräch to discuss trust in science and the impact of research on our daily lives (in German)
Species extinction has existed since species first appeared. However, since humans began dominating the Earth, it has accelerated rapidly. An asteroid once wiped out the dinosaurs—today, "we are the asteroid," say researchers. Audio in German.
In this video, NICOLAS BOURGON investigates how mammals in northern Vietnam and Laos adapted to dramatic environmental and climatic shifts over the last 150,000 years. Using advanced stable isotope analysis methods on tooth enamel, he reconstructs past diets, habitats, and ecological behaviors across a wide range of species. His findings show that animals surviving in the region today displayed high ecological flexibility, while extinct species were ecological specialists with limited adaptability. This multi-layered reconstruction of past ecosystems could offer valuable insights for modern conservation policy in Southeast Asia, a biodiversity hotspot under intense human pressure.
On October 22, the Weimarer Kontroversen of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar visited the Kulturforum Berlin with the topic “Tell me, how do you feel about the end of the world?” With Eva Geulen, director of the Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research in Berlin, and Jürgen Renn, director of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena, there was an opportunity to talk about our relationship with nature and the “velociferous” Anthropocene. The discussion was moderated by Helmut Heit, director of the Friedrich Nietzsche Research Group.

Video „Weimarer Kontroverse: Sag, wie hast du´s mit dem Weltuntergang?“  (in German)

On October 22, the Weimarer Kontroversen of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar visited the Kulturforum Berlin with the topic “Tell me, how do you feel about the end of the world?” With Eva Geulen, director of the Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research in Berlin, and Jürgen Renn, director of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena, there was an opportunity to talk about our relationship with nature and the “velociferous” Anthropocene. The discussion was moderated by Helmut Heit, director of the Friedrich Nietzsche Research Group.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4dXzU3wcEI

Aufbruch nach Eurasien

August 22, 2025
Around 50,000 years ago, humans from Africa arrived in Eurasia for the first time. How did they manage this? There is a new geoanthropological hypothesis that focuses on the ecological adaptation of early humans.

Podcast from detektor.fm (in German)
In this video, climate researcher and MPI GEA Director Prof. Ricarda Winkelmann talks to Max Planck President Prof. Patrick Cramer about the role humans play in the Earth system. How do our activities change the Earth system and trigger climate change? And what can we do about it? Video in German.
Physicist Albert Einstein died 70 years ago. Science historian Jürgen Renn talks about the fascination surrounding Einstein and his scientific influence, which continues to this day.
Synthesizer Podcast (in German)

Synthesizer Podcast (in German)

February 06, 2025
What does the future hold for chemistry? What does ‘chemistry turnaround’ mean? Why are cultural scientists and social scientists concerned with this question? In the Synthesizer podcast, Benjamin Steininger looks at the transformation of chemistry.
Interview with Dr. Benjamin Steininger on “Der Rest ist Geschichte” Podcast from Deutschlandfunk. Crude oil is the substance that made modernity possible: a miracle cure for progress, inventions and mobility. But burning oil harms the climate and endangers humanity. We know that. Nevertheless, we can't get away from it. (Audio in German)
From artificial intelligence to sustainable energy solutions - great expectations are attached to new technologies. The marketing departments of companies often promise us a golden future. What will really change? (Video in German from Bayern2)
Episode 1 features Dr. Patrick Roberts and Dr. Yoshi Maezumi on a recent trip to Sri Lanka discussing how they use novel methods to study the emergence of past cities in tropical environments. This includes a discussion of how past populations honed food production strategies, water management systems, and the use of fire to support large populations in these dynamic landscapes and what this might teach us about tropical urban sustainability in the present. (Video in German)


Image Copyright: ZDF/ZDF/UFA documentary
What do Antarctic glaciers and extreme weather, retail chains and political role-playing games have in common? Ricarda Winkelmann is researching the Anthropocene in Jena. Prof Ricarda Winkelmann speaks with Petra Pinzler and Stefan Schmidt of Zeit Online. (Audio in German)
The Thuringian Research Prizes have been awarded for scientific excellence since 1995. This year, one prize went to the University of Jena and another to the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena. Audio in German.
Fuel-forage-food. This is the common rule of three describing the conflict over the distribution of agricultural production: Fuel for machines, feed for animals, or food for people. Facing the social debate about ways out of the energy crisis, the Werkleitz Festival 2024 (Fuel or Food) aims to take a fresh look at this conflict. On Friday May 31 the festival and the respecitive exhibition was opened with quite some publicity at the center of Halle (Saale). MPI GEA researcher Dr. Benjamin Steininger is one of the co-curators of the exhibition and got interviewed by Deutschlandfunk-Kultur about "The nitrogen conspiracy.”

Image info: Themeninsel 2 Bilder der Landwirtschaft, Ausstellungsansicht Tank oder Teller © Werkleitz 2024, Foto: Falk Wenzel
An open society and a strong democracy - that is what the leading science organizations are calling for. According to a statement, the challenges of our time require a diversity of talents. Video from MDR in German.
Podcast: “Networking with plants in the Anthropocene”. Interview with Prof. Patrícia Vieira from the MPI-GEA project RESILIENT: Forest Cities - Utopia and Development in the Modern Amazon.
Dr. Jennifer Miller and Dr. Yiming Wang discuss how their research into ostrich eggshell beads reveals symbolic behavior and social networks in the distant past

A Brief History of Bling

January 31, 2024
From the Leakey Foundation’s “Origin Stories”  Podcast: Travel through 50,000 years of human history following clues hidden inside beads made from ostrich eggshells. In this episode, researchers Jennifer Miller and Yiming Wang share how these tiny artifacts reveal a sweeping story of ancient social networks, cultural connections, and human adaptability.
Deutschlandfunk Kultur podcast episode with Jürgen Renn (audio in German)
Anyone who has a dog is convinced that the relationship between dog and human is something unique. A close bond, unshakeable, perhaps even love. Dogs are the most popular pets worldwide. But why does the relationship between humans and dogs feel so special? Do dogs really love us? And if so, why? (Audio in German)
How political should science be? A conversation with Jürgen Renn about research into the Anthropocene and responsibility in the climate crisis. (Audio in German)

“Balsam für die Mumie”

September 27, 2023
Wissen Was News (Video in German) - Researchers from MPI-GEA have now analyzed the fragrances of a mummy for the first time and recreated the smell. These are the richest and most complex balsams identified so far for this period of Egyptian history.
Deutschlandfunk Kultur interview with Jürgen Renn (audio in German)
SRF interview with Jürgen Renn on the beginnings of the Anthropocene (audio in German)
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