NEWS
Here we inform about current topics and projects of MAXCINE and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
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Our current events can be found HERE.
15 YEARS OF MAXCINE - A FUTURE FESTIVAL BETWEEN SCIENCE, CULTURE AND YOUTH
MaxCine celebrates its 15th birthday in October 2025.
We are celebrating MaxCine's anniversary festival at a place where new knowledge for the future is created. We will bring science to life for everyone and create a lively community around MaxCine.
For one week, we want to exchange ideas, learn, inform, listen, talk, see, draw, dance, live together and discuss - in the middle of nature.
There will be lecture rooms, a research and art camp for young people, exhibitions between art and science, exciting discussion rounds, a knowledge café and various workshops ranging from tag design to scientific drawing, insights into animal families, icon painting and understanding the lives and ways of animals. More information will be available in the coming weeks under “Events”.
BACK HOME - FIELD STATION MAXCINE
Our second camp in 2024 took place directly at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
We explored the three departments of the institute intellectually, scientifically and graphically. We looked at the different worlds, levels and layers of the three departments and connected them with each other. Topics such as science with camera traps vs. science with transmitters, the future of transmitter construction, primate research, philosophical and ethical questions, bio-inspired robots and how robots inspire biology as well as artificial intelligence were discussed. In addition, there was plenty of room for discussions and joint activities in nature. We inspired each other and sharpened our individual and collective intuition.
YOUNG SCIENTIST CAMP 2024
A knowledge-creating camp
This MaxCine Camp went to Italy, first to the quarries of the Apuan Alps in the footsteps of Michelangelo. We were then drawn to Orbetello, an important wintering ground for numerous bird species such as the pink flamingo. The coastal region is also home to many animal families such as wild boar and wolves. The characteristic vegetation includes water lilies, junipers and cork oaks.
We have taken an intellectual, scientific and graphic approach to the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and its three departments.
MAXCINE RESEARCH CAMP AT MAX MAG
Off the beaten track
Asking questions, promoting ideas and finding answers – preferably in the open
air: Why the MPI of Animal Behavior is investing in youth work with MaxCine and
how researchers benefit from this.
An article about our research camp "GUIDED BY NATURE" was published in the Max Planck Society's employee magazine MAX MAG under the heading "of the beaten track".
MAXCINE GET-TO-KNOW-YOU-DAY
A day of hands-on science on 7 September
Hello to all science enthusiasts!
We want to give you the opportunity to get an insight into the science of the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
Whether it's fish, birds, mammals or insects, research is done here for all it's worth. We talk about your favourite animals and what you want to find out about them.
The "Young Scientists" are a group of particularly inquisitive children and young people who have been with us for many years.
Maybe you would like to join them on a regular basis. Here you can find more information about the Young Scientists: https://www.maxcine.de/young-scientists
So join us and let your thirst for knowledge run free! Who knows, maybe you'll become a researcher yourself here at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
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If you would like to join us, please send a short e-mail to infomaxcine@ab.mpg.de. We look forward to seeing you!
YOUNG SCIENTISTS CAMP 2023
Under the motto "GUIDED BY NATURE", 18 young people travelled to the Italian wilderness.
Our research camp this year took us to Tuscany in Italy, 40 km from Grosseto. We were in the absolute wilderness, far away from civilisation and other comforts, and got completely involved with nature and wildlife. We stayed in "open air rooms" or directly under the stars. There was spring or rain water, compost toilets and only limited electricity: a week of everyday life in the midst of the biodiversity of the wild environment. We were among butterflies, insects, snakes, lizards and mammals, including porcupines and wolves, and at night we enjoyed the view of the starry sky in one of the darkest environments in all of Europe.
In keeping with our theme "Guided by Nature", we walked through the themes of "Nature - Creating Knowledge - Society - Future". We perceived natural resources in a new way, trained our senses, dealt with artificial intelligence and philosophised about exciting topics such as the role of humans in nature.
What a special exchange and what an unforgettable experience: to look at our today's digitally shaped world from a different perspective.
Ganz im Sinne unseres Themas „Guided by Nature“ durchwanderten wir die Themen „Natur — Wissen schaffen — Gesellschaft — Zukunft“. Wir nahmen die natürlichen Ressourcen neu wahr, schulten unsere Sinne, beschäftigten uns mit künstlicher Intelligenz und philosophierten über spannende Themen wie z.B. die Rolle des Menschen in der Natur.
Was für ein besonderer Austausch und welch eine unvergessliche Erfahrung: unsere heutige digital geprägte Welt aus einer anderen Perspektive zu betrachten.
YOUNG SCIENTISTS CAMP REVIEW 2022
A major highlight in 2022 was our research camp "MAXCINE - DRAW YOUR PATH" in Italy.
We went to the Italian National Park Gran Paradiso with 17 of our Young Scientists.
Under the motto "Science-Society-Responsibility", we engaged in thought, science and drawing with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and its three departments.
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HERE you can find the picture gallery and under the following link a detailed report of our exciting trip:
REVIEW 2021
Our annual review for the challenging year 2021.
Due to the Corona situation, we were not able to implement all MaxCine program items as usual in 2021.
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We took advantage of the situation and expanded further opportunities for digital exchange between young people and students. Despite the Corona virus, we were able to hold some events in the summer of 2021.
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To look back on our work in 2021 we have put together this small presentation:
THE MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE AT THE HEIMATTAGE 2021
Our institute is part of the nature experience trail in Möggingen
Due to the Corona pandemic, the Heimattage Radolfzell also had to change their concept. The result is a wonderful, interactive opportunity to get to know nature in and around Möggingen. Various associations, clubs and organisations are taking part, all of which are concerned with the protection of our environment.From 17 April 2021, the trail can be experienced with the whole family in Möggingen.
BEE COLONY AT MAXCINE
Since mid-May 2021, life has finally come to our "we4bee" hive.
After our digital beehive had been empty for over a year due to Corona, a natural colony could finally move in with us.
we4bee is a citizen science project that aims to build a comprehensive network of digitally monitored hives. We are happy to be a part of this exciting project.
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All data and current photos can be found here:
MAXCINE QUIZ TIME
Playfully immerse yourself in the world of animal behavior now
The new MaxCine quiz is ready!
We have collected numerous questions from all three departments of our institute and developed an exciting quiz with them. It's about animals, behavioural biology, our institute and much more. The questions change after each run, so it's worth playing the quiz more often. We have also included two different difficulty levels.
We look forward to seeing you there!
CAMERA TRAPS IN ITALY
The latest photos of tuscan wildlife
The "Animal Snapshot" project was expanded last year to include an international cooperation.
Camera traps were set up in and around Merigar in Italy. These are some of the pictures we collected during the last months.
The goal of this project is also to establish an international exchange between young people and students interested in science.
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Recorded on the grounds of the Oasi WWF della Maremma and the International Dzogchen Community Merigar West.
SCIENCE GOES PUBLIC
The online-talk series with scientists of the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
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This year, we were able to provide the public with exciting insights into the institute's research in a completely new way.
The versatile online talks offer the possibility to get to know the work of the scientists from the comfort of your own home, as well as to learn more about topics of animal behavior and many exciting animals.
OFF TO THE SOUTH - THE LONG JOURNEY OF MIGRATORY BIRDS
A television team from the ARD programme "neuneinhalb" accompanied some Young Scientists for a day
TV shooting at MaxCine! Some of our Young Scientists supported the scientist Jesko Partecke for one day by tagging blackbirds. The transmitters are part of the international ICARUS project.
Why do only some birds migrate to the south? Why do they move at all and where exactly do they go?
These are just some of the questions our Young Scientists answered with the help of Jesko Partecke.
FIELD WORK IN GUGNY POLEN
In September the first blackbirds were equipped with ICARUS transmitters and sent on a journey.
​In September 2020 the MaxCine team had the opportunity to accompany the scientist Jesko Partecke on a research trip to Poland. Jesko has been working for several years on, among other things, an international project investigating the migration behavior of blackbirds. We were lucky to equip the first blackbirds with ICARUS transmitters and to release them in Poland.
We often have the opportunity to take young people from our Young Scientist program on fieldwork.
Anyone interested can become a Young Scientist!