42 - The Answer to Almost Everything

Der Gedanke, dass unser Universum gar nicht so einzigartig ist, wie wir denken, beflügelt nicht nur die Fantasie von Autor*innen sowie Filmemacher*innen, sondern beschäftigt auch immer mehr Forschende. Denn die Theorien, mit denen wir den Urknall erklären, sagen auch die Bildung weiterer paralleler Welten voraus. Leben wir also tatsächlich im Multiversum?

Als der Krieg in der Ukraine ausbrach – Panzer rollten, Schützengräben ausgehoben, Städte bombardiert und zerstört wurden – fühlten sich viele an längst vergangene Zeiten erinnert. Und angesichts dieser Bilder stellten sich viele zu Recht die Frage, wie es sein kann, dass die Menschheit immer wieder die gleichen Fehler macht, wenn sie zum Beispiel an immer wieder denselben Orten Kriege führt. Gibt es also so etwas wie Konstanten des Weltgeschehens? Wiederholt sich da Geschichte? „Geschichte wiederholt sich nicht, aber sie reimt sich“, sagt Tim Marshall, ehemaliger Auslandskorrespondent für die BBC. Aber er gibt auch zu bedenken, wie sehr die Geografie Menschheitsgeschichte beeinflusst und mitunter tatsächlich ähnliche Konstellationen begünstigt hat. Und auch wir Menschen sind ja Teil der Weltgeschichte und können sie nicht nur rational beeinflussen – wir sind selbst eine Art Konstante, zum Beispiel mit unserem Hang zu Stereotypen und einfachen Feindbildern. Und letztlich haben Geschich

Die Idee, dass es zu viele Menschen gibt, ist nicht neu. Schon 1798 veröffentlichte ein britischer Ökonom namens Thomas Robert Malthus einen „Essay on the Principle of Population“. Seine Grundthese: Die Menschen vermehren sich so schnell, dass die Nahrungsmittelproduktion nicht hinterherkommen kann; relativ bald werden nicht mehr alle Menschen ernährt werden können. Damit lag er offenbar falsch. Zu seiner Zeit gab es gerade mal 1 Milliarde Menschen, heute gibt es 8 Milliarden, und die meisten sind ausreichend versorgt. Trotzdem tauchen solche Warnungen regelmäßig wieder auf. Wenn es nicht um Nahrungsmittelversorgung geht, ist es Rohstoffknappheit oder Umweltzerstörung. Die angebliche Ursache für drohende Krisen: Überbevölkerung. Die Vereinten Nationen – angetrieben von den westlichen Industriestaaten – unterstützten jahrzehntelang Programme, deren Ziel es war, das Bevölkerungswachstum vor allem in Staaten des Globalen Südens zu bremsen. Ohne Rücksicht auf die Menschenwürde und die Se

Der Stress und wir Menschen, das ist offensichtlich keine Liebesbeziehung: Genau genommen wollen 85 Prozent von uns am liebsten gar nichts mit ihm zu tun haben. Doch jetzt sagen Forschende: Nicht der Stress macht uns krank, sondern wie wir mit ihm umgehen. Wir bräuchten sogar viel mehr Stress, es müsste nur der richtige sein! Und schon würde er Superkräfte in uns wecken.

Humanity survived the last Ice Age as well as the plague that decimated half of Europe in the 1300s. But do disasters only bring death and suffering, or can they also have positive effects on our societies? Understanding the impact of disastrous historical events can reveal how adversity shapes human resilience, and perhaps even contributes to our evolution.

We still work in office buildings, buy our groceries at the supermarket and visit museums in the flesh. But soon, these activities could all shift to the metaverse – a virtual space envisioned by tech giants where avatars can live, work and move freely. This is how the metaverse could redefine our everyday lives and challenge our understanding of reality. 

Stories of unrelated people who look exactly alike are common. While having a doppelganger could pose risks like identity theft, it can also be thrilling. Some people would love to meet their mirror image, but what are the odds of this happening?

Although our planet has already overcome numerous crises, Homo Sapiens have disrupted the natural world nature so much that scientists are now talking about a collapse in biodiversity. Could genome editing or synthetic biology save the planet's wildlife and ultimately save ourselves?

Periods of climate change in the past have caused mass extinctions. But they have also led to the emergence of new complex life forms. Understanding these historic shifts in our Earth’s climate may offer insights into the ecological challenges and environmental imbalances we are currently facing.  

Depictions of the future in popular science fiction novels or films are often bleak, while positive utopias and tales of a new golden age are beginning to fade. Why is this shift taking place? Has our grim view of the world made us lose hope for a better future? And what does this say about our vision of what is to come?

Les nuages transportent des particules d’eau, qu’ils relâchent sur la Terre sous forme de pluie. Toutefois, la manière dont ils répartissent l’eau sur l’ensemble de la planète laisse malheureusement à désirer : bien souvent, il pleut dans les zones qui disposent déjà de réserves d’eau suffisantes, tandis que les autres régions restent sèches. Pourrait-on y remédier ?

Our view of sugar has changed drastically. Once seen as a healthy appetite suppressant in the 1960s, it's now linked to serious illnesses like obesity and diabetes. What is even more alarming is that it has the potential to affect our brains. Learn more about the latest research being done on this addictive substance and its true impact on our health and well-being.  

En théorie, c’est simple : le pôle Nord se trouve au nord, et le pôle Sud, au sud. Et l’aiguille d’une boussole pointe toujours vers le nord – ou, plus exactement, vers le pôle Nord magnétique, un point sur Terre situé non loin du pôle Nord géographique. Mais que se passerait-il si les choses venaient à changer ? En effet, le pôle Nord magnétique se déplace en ce moment même, et ce, si rapidement que le champ magnétique terrestre pourrait bien s’inverser : le pôle Nord magnétique se retrouverait alors au sud géographique, et inversement. Cette évolution ne se fera bien sûr pas du jour au lendemain, mais si elle se produit, les êtres humains et les animaux ne seront-ils pas complètement désorientés ?

S’il fallait renoncer à un des cinq sens, la plupart des gens choisiraient l’odorat. Or, ce déficit sensoriel est plus pénalisant qu’on ne le pense. Car si les odeurs réveillent des souvenirs, elles alertent aussi sur notre état de santé et sur d'éventuels dangers. L’odorat n’a pas encore dévoilé tout son potentiel...

It seems that economic growth is a prerequisite for collective prosperity. But what if this is just a myth or a dangerous illusion? In this episode of 42 we consider economic sobriety or degrowth and ask the question: what do we really risk if the economy shrinks?

Do houseplants grow faster when we talk to them? Does a cactus get bored in a pot? Do plants have human senses that are comparable to ours and those of animals? For most plant researchers, one thing is clear: plants can perceive their environment and react to it, but not because of conscious behaviour. In this episode of 42 we explore plant life.

Like food, drink or sex, feeling valued is one of our most basic needs: we aspire to be loved, sometimes even adored. But why is that, and why doesn't it happen to everyone? Is it really a good thing to be popular?

From the sandbox to the office, power dynamics shape our lives. Power can change our personalities and make us take reckless risks, give in to impulses and even erode our empathy – a transformation that can open the door to conflict or war. The experience of power has far-reaching consequences, both on a personal and on a global scale.

Is being big and strong necessarily the key to success? Not really: it's the small creatures that seem to have more advantages. The most dangerous animal in the world is none other than the mosquito! So wouldn't it be better for the human race to be smaller as well?

The fantasy of artificial intelligence developing a life of its own and unleashing an army of robots on humanity has dominated pop culture for decades. Could it soon become reality? Could AI creations one day become independent, question our goals and only follow their own will?

Raccoons, tiger mosquitoes, grey squirrels... these invasive species can destroy crops, transmit fatal diseases and cause environmental damage. And the problems are growing. But could some invasive species actually be beneficial to humans and the environment?

Happiness increases our satisfaction, our cognitive capacity and our motivation, but being happy is not so simple. And even if we work hard to make ourselves happy, there's no guarantee that our pursuit will be crowned with success. So would we be better off without happiness?

All terrestrial species are capable of crying, but human beings are unique in being the only species to cry from joy, sadness or anger. The Bible considers tears to be a gift from heaven. In medieval spirituality, they are an expression of moral integrity. But, whether its shedding tears in secret or weeping publicly: why is it that we cry?

The sharp decline in ocean circulation since the 1950s is probably related to human activity. Its complete cessation could trigger a new ice age within a few decades. 42 asks the question: just how dependent are we on currents?

Imagine a world where men were at home with the children, while women were heads of state and company directors, earning more than their male counterparts and running the show. Would matriarchy be a good thing for society?

For many scientists, the emergence of living organisms elsewhere in the universe is only a matter of time. But most envisage it in a unicellular form, like bacteria. Would our planet be an exception? Is human evolution the result of chance? Do living organisms necessarily evolve towards complexity?

Pain has a bad reputation, and we go to great lengths to avoid it: from painkillers to general self-care. It has even been said that our society rejects not only physical pain, but social pain as well. Despite our quest for pleasure, 42 asks the question: is pain necessary?

Societies built by humans, rarely seem to stand the test of time, whereas ants have been living in colonies since the dawn of time. Do animals build better societies? And should we draw inspiration from them?

Why do so many world maps place Europe at the centre? Why not Australia? And why is the north always at the top? 42 explores how maps may not be as neutral as you might think.

Our universe is made up of two worlds: the one we can see, and the microscopic world of quanta made up of the very smallest particles. In this world particles can be in two places at once and teleportation is possible…

There have never been more opportunities to meet new sexual partners in our liberated world of dating apps, sex parties and queer liberation. But how come we are having less sex today than in the past?

What is the link between racism and slavery? How do racist theories to justify the transatlantic slave trade still linger in today’s world?

Everywhere is Europe, it seems, housing is becoming more expensive and more of a burden on households. Why is this? And what solutions are there?

Long-running conflicts and wars in our world feed into the pessimistic idea that reconciliation is impossible. But can we make friends with our enemies and build lasting peace?

For millions of years, there has been an intimate pact between plants and their pollinators: with relationships so cleverly adapted that it almost seems like love. But with pollinating insects in danger, could we pollinate plants ourselves? And what do bubble guns have to do with it?

If we wanted to completely avoid risk, we would not be able to leave the house in the morning, and even then, we would still be at risk. There is hardly any part of life in which we are not confronted by risk. But are we taking enough? Or too much?

Nations invent stories about their glorious pasts and links to ancient peoples on the land. But who really were our ancestors? And what can our DNA tell us about them and us?

Why is violence still so prevalent in our society, when the state is supposed to ensure everyone's safety? Is violence simply part of our nature? Or is it possible to live without violence?

Memory is our identity: our representation of the world, ourselves and others is based on what we remember. But is it possible to retain memories without distorting them? Because memory sometimes plays tricks on us: psychological experiments have shown that we sometimes remember things that actually never happened.

Beyond what human beings can see, exists something that makes up 80% of the universe. Scientists are convinced that dark matter assures the cohesion of our world. But how can you find a substance that gives off no light, reflects no light and has hardly any interaction with atoms?

Religious faith is in decline in Europe, and yet 70% of human beings in the world believe in the existence of one or many deities. Do human beings need God? Are we homo religious rather than homo sapiens?