Changing Society

News and Stories

Looking at Nature Eases Physical Pain – Here’s Why

ECHO Story
Caregiver and senior woman in a wheelchair looking out the window at nature.
Created by Hanna Gabriel

Observing nature can help us feel less pain. Now, for the first time, brain scans confirm what we subjectively feel, and point to why our perception of pain might change. Surprisingly, even virtual nature distracts our attention away from processing pain at a basic neurophysiological level. The researchers hope that this will also draw attention to how important nature is for our health and why we should protect it.

Projects

FOCAL-Points: Leverage Points for Demand-Side Mitigation

Changing Society
City from elevated view

Alina Brad from the Department of Political Sciences and Etienne Schenider from the Department of Development Studies are part of the “FOCAL-Points” project.

Achieving climate neutrality by 2040 requires major transformations in all parts of society. Demand-side solutions are increasingly acknowledged as potentially powerful levers towards climate-change mitigation, reducing emissions by avoiding, shifting or improving final demand for emissions-intensive goods and services.

Publications

Stay up to date!

Our research newsletter ‘ECHO’ provides you with the latest and most exciting information from the fields of environmental and climate research.

Subscribe now
green banner with an illustrated envelope and letter on the right