UZH Magazin 3/19
UZH Magazin 3/19
How do you become rich? How do people show off wealth? And how could wealth be distributed differently? In this issue, we explore the meaning of wealth, how to become rich and successful, how wealth could be put to good use, and ways of showing off affluence.
Focus: Being Rich
Wealth has two sides: It captures our imagination, and many dream of being rich. At the same time, wealth can arouse suspicion – for instance, if it was acquired by questionable means. Wealth can be flashy, ostentatious and wasteful, or it can be used to do good by helping others or contributing to a sustainable future. In this issue, we explore the meaning of wealth, how to become rich and successful, how wealth could be put to good use, and ways of showing off affluence.
Unruly Insects
In his research on insects in literature, Germanist Davide Giuriato has been closely examining the fly – an insect whose extraordinary literary career has seen it progress from villain to idol.
Fading Petunias
Through heat, saline soil or aridity, the environment can directly influence the activity of genes. As the biologist Ueli Grossniklaus has demonstrated, in plants these epigenetic changes can sometimes be inherited.
Bad Boys, Bad Girls
Severe emotional disturbances have until now mainly been associated with violent young men. But girls can also display anti-social behavior. Studies show that changes in the brain can play a role.
Imperial God
In the midst of their flight through the desert, the people of Israel received God’s commandments at Mount Sinai. That’s what it says in the Bible. No less dramatic is the historical background of this story. Biblical scholar Konrad Schmid is tracking it down.
Roller Coaster Ride
With hormonal swings and changes in our social situation, life after forty presents distinct challenges. Psychologists Hannah Süss and Jasmine Willi examine the best ways of managing this phase of our life.
Beyond Facts
He got booted from school in his home country of Brazil. Today Artur Avila is an award-winning mathematician teaching at UZH. The research he is conducting picks up roughly where Isaac Newton long ago left off.